thedrifter
05-08-06, 07:53 AM
Camp Butler to display sailors' memorial
Officials planning 'Monument Walk'
By JOHN REYNOLDS
STAFF WRITER
Published Monday, May 08, 2006
During World War II, Springfield resident James Fisher served on a Navy ship that could sail across the ocean, drive itself onto a beach and unload its cargo of tanks, trucks and soldiers right on the enemy's doorstep.
Unlike other ships that had majestic names such as Enterprise or Intrepid, Fisher's ship had no name. It was simply known as LST-475, but it was one of more than 1,000 such ships that took part in invasions across the world.
Sixty years after the war, Fisher still feels a connection to LSTs (the abbreviation stands for "Landing Ship Tank"). He is part of the Illinois LST Association, which plans to install a memorial to LST sailors at Camp Butler National Cemetery near Riverton. Camp Butler officials hope it will be the first of several such memorials along what they envision as a "Monument Walk" at the cemetery.
"The LST made a big contribution to the war effort," Fisher said. "If it hadn't been for LSTs, the war Memorial in the Pacific would have been a disaster. We were a big enough ship, and we could really take a lot of stuff in at one time,” compared to smaller landing craft.
LSTs were about 60 feet wide and 325 feet long. Each carried a crew of more than 100. They had large clam-shaped doors at the front where equipment could be driven out onto a beach, and they also bristled with guns that were used to support the infantry.
LSTs were used in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The monument will honor sailors who served on the ships during all three conflicts.
Fisher said his group already has installed LST monuments along monument walks at two other national cemeteries in Illinois - Rock Island National Cemetery and the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood.
Lynne Phelan, supervisor at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, said there are about a dozen memorials along their walk. They usually are 18 inches high and about one foot by two feet in horizontal dimensions. All are paid for by veterans’ groups.
In addition to the LST group, groups that have put in monuments in Elwood include Korean War veterans, World War II submariners, various VFW groups and veterans of the China/Burma/India campaign of World War II.
“They are popular,” Phelan said when asked about the public’s reaction to the monuments along the memorial walk. “It’s a beautiful area to come and meditate and think about the cost of our freedom.”
Camp Butler’s monument walk will be in an area west of the administration building that is not scheduled for burials. The area is near the Service Seal Wall, which has the seals of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard.
Bill Rhoades, director of Camp Butler, said although veterans groups would pay for any monuments along the walk, national officials would have to approve the design of each one.
The monuments at Camp Butler are expected to be about the same size as the ones in Elwood.
“What I personally envision is monuments of similar size so we don’t get into a situation where the organization with the most money gets the biggest monument,” Rhoades said.
The LST memorial at Camp Butler is expected to be installed this week. A dedication ceremony will be at 10 a.m. May 20.
John Reynolds can be reached at 788-1524 or john.reynolds@sj-r.com.
Ellie
Officials planning 'Monument Walk'
By JOHN REYNOLDS
STAFF WRITER
Published Monday, May 08, 2006
During World War II, Springfield resident James Fisher served on a Navy ship that could sail across the ocean, drive itself onto a beach and unload its cargo of tanks, trucks and soldiers right on the enemy's doorstep.
Unlike other ships that had majestic names such as Enterprise or Intrepid, Fisher's ship had no name. It was simply known as LST-475, but it was one of more than 1,000 such ships that took part in invasions across the world.
Sixty years after the war, Fisher still feels a connection to LSTs (the abbreviation stands for "Landing Ship Tank"). He is part of the Illinois LST Association, which plans to install a memorial to LST sailors at Camp Butler National Cemetery near Riverton. Camp Butler officials hope it will be the first of several such memorials along what they envision as a "Monument Walk" at the cemetery.
"The LST made a big contribution to the war effort," Fisher said. "If it hadn't been for LSTs, the war Memorial in the Pacific would have been a disaster. We were a big enough ship, and we could really take a lot of stuff in at one time,” compared to smaller landing craft.
LSTs were about 60 feet wide and 325 feet long. Each carried a crew of more than 100. They had large clam-shaped doors at the front where equipment could be driven out onto a beach, and they also bristled with guns that were used to support the infantry.
LSTs were used in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. The monument will honor sailors who served on the ships during all three conflicts.
Fisher said his group already has installed LST monuments along monument walks at two other national cemeteries in Illinois - Rock Island National Cemetery and the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood.
Lynne Phelan, supervisor at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery, said there are about a dozen memorials along their walk. They usually are 18 inches high and about one foot by two feet in horizontal dimensions. All are paid for by veterans’ groups.
In addition to the LST group, groups that have put in monuments in Elwood include Korean War veterans, World War II submariners, various VFW groups and veterans of the China/Burma/India campaign of World War II.
“They are popular,” Phelan said when asked about the public’s reaction to the monuments along the memorial walk. “It’s a beautiful area to come and meditate and think about the cost of our freedom.”
Camp Butler’s monument walk will be in an area west of the administration building that is not scheduled for burials. The area is near the Service Seal Wall, which has the seals of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard.
Bill Rhoades, director of Camp Butler, said although veterans groups would pay for any monuments along the walk, national officials would have to approve the design of each one.
The monuments at Camp Butler are expected to be about the same size as the ones in Elwood.
“What I personally envision is monuments of similar size so we don’t get into a situation where the organization with the most money gets the biggest monument,” Rhoades said.
The LST memorial at Camp Butler is expected to be installed this week. A dedication ceremony will be at 10 a.m. May 20.
John Reynolds can be reached at 788-1524 or john.reynolds@sj-r.com.
Ellie