February 19, 2018—Even today’s school children know (I
hope!) that the United States was on the “winning” side of World War II. (Sadly,
war actually has no winners, just those who have not lost as much as the other
side.) Some of the unsung heroes of that war, as well as all other modern wars,
are the Merchant Marines, the civilian corps that carry fuels and cargo to the
fighting forces overseas.
Tampa has a permanent floating museum—the American Victory
Ship and Museum—located at the piers where boarding of the cruise ships takes
place. The Victory Ship was built in 1945 (making it my age); it is one of four
fully operational WWII ships in the United States. Surprisingly, it was built
in only 55 days; there was a rush to get cargo and transport ships built fast
to supply U.S. troops sent to the Pacific front. This particular ship saw
service through WWII, the Korean War, and the Viet Nam War.
The ship was brought to Tampa in 1999 and lovingly restored
by volunteers, who still keep her maintained as a fully operational vessel.
Jim, an old tar, longs for the sea. To satisfy his sea-dog
yearnings, we try to tour ships wherever we find them, so yesterday, after a
wonderful brunch at the Salvador Dali Museum with my Peru Group 65 friends, we
headed to the ship to take a self-guided tour.
I don’t think you can appreciate how big a 455'x109' cargo
vessel until you start tramping all over it. This is not a luxury ship; there
are no elevators. (I’m glad it was 80 degrees, but without any humidity.) We
saw bunks, bedrooms, johns, and showers. We walked through the small galley
that would have fed the entire crew. We climbed up beyond the quarterdeck to
the gunnery areas and up to the flying bridge. Virtually all areas of the ship
are open to tourists.
I could never have been a sailor, for a lot of reasons. Jim,
though, reminisces of his sailoring days, back in the mid-1950s, whenever he
gets around a ship.
I’m glad he had the opportunity to tour the boat. I’m just
glad it was moored. I suspect I might get seasick if it were out on the ocean.
Until the next ship…I mean, until next time.
Your Reluctant RoVer,
Linda
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