[AT] Planks and Liberty Ships

[TCHARPE at aol.com]

         One of the most troubling sites I've seen was back in  1976,  we 
held our
         ship reunion in Norfolk.   They took us on a tour of the yards and 
when we
         went down close to the docks.....here were FOUR of our newest 
carriers,
         ALL moored at the SAME dock.   What a target for one big bomb !!
         There were two down each side of the dock

         Couldn't believe they were so stupid !! 

         When we held our reunion in Pensacola, we were supposed to get a 
cruise
         out in the gulf but they held a "Family Day" and wouldn't take us 
along.
         This was the LEX.   We did get to go aboard tho.  A buddy and I were 
on the
         FWD end of the flight deck where there was a mark and "500" mrkd on 
the deck.
         We asked a sailor what that was all about.....he told us it was 500 
ft to the fwd
         end of the flight deck.  We couldn't believe it.....that was longer 
than the deck
         on our CVE.... Nothing but BIG !!

         Ted