elsie item issue 61 - USS Landing Craft Infantry National Association

A Word from the EditorEditing your newsletter is mostly a great joy – though sometime it’s closeto being a pain in the you-know-where when things don’t fit, or get lost, orthe right words just don’t come for something you want to say. But thepayoff in expressions of gratitude is so great that I am constantly thankfulthat I have the challenge of putting this magazine together. I supposethere are other things I could do to occupy my “retirement” years, but fewwould give me as much satisfaction.Our cover story and feature piece is, once again, our old friend the 713. Iknow you’ve read about her many times in past issues, but recent developmentsand prospects for the future are so interesting that I decided tomake it our showplace piece again. The old lady has had quite a life – and the best is yet to come for her.As we feature the 713, we certainly don’t want to forget the vessel that has been designated as the flagshipof our Association – the 1091. We intend to feature her in the next issue as we do the 713 in thisone. In many respects, she is much farther along in the restoration-renovation process than is the 713,for she did not suffer the years of neglect and abuse that the 713 did. She actually has engines! Grantedthey are not the originals, but they do move her! Should the many obstacles be overcome and she is ableto join us in Portland for our 2009 reunion that would be one of the greatest thrills we could imagine.We’re happy to share news of several developments in this issue. Perhaps most exciting is the report onthe research efforts to be made by Affiliates Dennis Blocker, Roger Grey and John France to retrieve andmake available to us, the photographic riches of the National Archives. The dedication of the AmphibiousMan memorial at Solomons, Maryland, was a memorable occasion. I was glad to be there to representyou, and I share some of that with you here also.We’ve got some interesting sea stories from our WWII days to share with you here, too; and we do hopeyou enjoy them. Also, please read what’s coming at our 2008 reunion in beautiful Mobile, Alabama, andbegin making your plans now.Have a good read, Shipmates!—John Cummer3