sad to see a old girl go.......

[gitmogrunt82]

I was assigned to the USS Monticello while I was with Cco 1st Bn 1st mar in 1983. I was a squad leader in a 60mm mortar squad. We boarded the USS Monticello LSD 35 in Okinawa,Japan and rode her to the Philippines, Hong Kong, and to Korea. Below are a few pics I took while on that ship.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn189/randyholding/ScannedImage003.jpg

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn189/randyholding/ScannedImage007.jpg
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn189/randyholding/ScannedImage008.jpg


I just read that this ship was de-commissioned and taken out to sea and used as a target for live fire. I know this happens and is a dignified way to end the career of a old gal who served many marines and sailors with great pride. But, it is still very hard to see it, knowing what good times you had on this ship, the men you served with, and the places that she took you to. the post below is a couple of pics that were taken during her sinking.

[gitmogrunt82]

Sinking of the USS Monticello
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn189/randyholding/g07.jpg
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn189/randyholding/g08.jpg

[gitmogrunt82]

more pics from the ship. These damn things would run off the back of the ship at full speed, launch off the back, sink like a rock then come bobbing back up. What a thrill ride.
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn189/randyholding/ScannedImage011.jpg
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn189/randyholding/ScannedImage009.jpg
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn189/randyholding/ScannedImage010.jpg

[gkmoz]

more pics from the ship. These damn things would run off the back of the ship at full speed, launch off the back, sink like a rock then come bobbing back up. What a thrill ride.
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn189/randyholding/ScannedImage011.jpg
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn189/randyholding/ScannedImage009.jpg
http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn189/randyholding/ScannedImage010.jpg


And the old gas powered amtracs were worse, leaked like a sieve !

[doc h fmf]

I Had A Bad Experience In The Amtrack,i Got Sea Sick!!!, Tossed My Cookies, We Went On After We Had Morning Chow, During The Rest Of The Week I Never Hrard The End Of It

Semper Fi

Stephen Doc Hansen Hm3 Fmf

[Mongoose]

My good friend and boss, was Navy. The Monticello was the ship he was on from 63-66. He would be pizzed to know they did what they did to it.

[Quinbo]

I fealt same sort of feelings when the belleau wood was sunk.

[SlingerDun]

http://blog.raamdev.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/cover_made_in_india.jpg

USS Coral Sea

[Icepoet]

Experienced similar feelings when I found out the USS Paul Revere (APA-248) was decommissioned and sold to Spain in 1980. I arrived at Vietnam (from Okinawa) on the Revere, went over the nets into the 'mike-boats' to come ashore. Good memories - tied our utilities to a drag line (from a small room aft above the screw that had a service port/hatch we could un-dog, possibly one that they used to dump garbage out of) - all us young pvt/pfc's attempting to 'weather' our utilities for an 'old salt' look.