Sounds like she was a good ship... The USS Ozark, named after an Indian tribe of the Quapaw confederacy living in Missouri and Arkansas, was laid down as CM-7 (mine layer, first line) by the Willamette Iron and Steel Corporation of Portland, Oregon, 12 July 1941. She was launched 15 June 1942, re-designated transport AP-107 on 1 May 1943, any yet again re-designated as landing ship vehicle LSV-2 on 21 April 1944, and commissioned 23 September 1944. The Ozark was 458' long, had a 60' beam, and was powered by twin General Electric, geared turbine drives producing 11,000 horsepower and a 20.3 knot cruising speed.
The Ozark saw action in the Pacific Theater of World War II, carrying troops for the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa, as well as other wartime operations. After hostilities ceased, she participated in carrying occupational troops into Tokyo Bay. Returning overseas troops to the U.S. after the war, the Ozark transited the Panama Canal and arrived in New Orleans 31 January 1946, where she was placed in upkeep status. She commenced pre-inactivation overhaul in Orange, Texas, on 14 March and decommissioned 29 June 1946. The Ozark was again re-designated on 7 February 1955 from LSV-2 to MCS-2 (Catskill Class Mine Countermeasure Support Ship). After intermittent service in the Mediterranean and South Atlantic, the USS Ozark was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 1 April 1974, and designated as a target ship on 1 September 1975. A few years later, a hurricane grounded the Ozark on a local beach. After a monumental effort, the Ozark was pulled free and eventually re-anchored off Destin. Today, she rests upright and intact in 330' of water off Destin. The USS Ozark is a massive wreck; the mast reaches to within 200' of the surface and the crows nest can be found at 220'. The bow is heavily damaged, a result of her collision with the seabed. Ripples are also obvious in the hull from the impact. A hole in the deck is visible at the rear starboard corner of the deck gun where one of the laser guided bombs penetrated the ship. The rounded bridge is unique and makes a nice sight in good visibility. On my first visit to the Ozark, I noted the intact running lights on both the port and starboard sides. Artifacts abound within the interior. The main deck is about 300'. Marine life is abundant on the wreck, with large numbers of scamp, grouper, snapper, and amberjack swimming about. Deep water species such as short bigeyes and snowy grouper can also be spotted amongst the wreck. Fishing line covers the wreck. Bert New Watkinsville, Georgia Proudly Serving You Since 1964! >From: "willis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: Mailing list for the International Radio Club of >America<[email protected]> >To: "Mailing list for the International Radio Club of >America"<[email protected]> >Subject: Re: [IRCA] Bert- Re: Where were you on 22 November 1963? >Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2006 20:50:42 -0500 > >Wasn't aboard ship at that time. Was in transit barracks, waiting to go >home >for Christmas. Then I went Treasure Island for Radar A school and finally >to >Norfolk, VA for pre-commissioning detail at NOB, and finally by mid 1965 I >was on board the U.S.S. OZARK MCS-2. > >Willis > > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Ira Elbert New, III" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <[email protected]> >Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 7:33 PM >Subject: Re: [IRCA] Bert- Re: Where were you on 22 November 1963? > > > > Which ship? > > > > Bert New > > Watkinsville, Georgia > > Proudly Serving You Since 1964! > > > > Bert- > > I'm very sorry about you missing all the good stuff in history. On the >day > > you were born, I was in San Diego, CAlifornia in the navy. > > > > >I wasn't born until December 8, 1964. > > > > > >Bert New > > >Watkinsville, Georgia > > >Proudly Serving You Since 1964! > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Get free, personalized commercial-free online radio with MSN Radio >powered > > by Pandora http://radio.msn.com/?icid=T002MSN03A07001 > > > > _______________________________________________ > > IRCA mailing list > > [email protected] > > http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca > > > > Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the >original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the >IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers > > > > For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org > > > > To Post a message: [email protected] > > > > > >_______________________________________________ >IRCA mailing list >[email protected] >http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca > >Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the >original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the >IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers > >For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org > >To Post a message: [email protected] > _________________________________________________________________ Get FREE company branded e-mail accounts and business Web site from Microsoft Office Live http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/mcrssaub0050001411mrt/direct/01/ _______________________________________________ IRCA mailing list [email protected] http://montreal.kotalampi.com/mailman/listinfo/irca Opinions expressed in messages on this mailing list are those of the original contributors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the IRCA, its editors, publishing staff, or officers For more information: http://www.ircaonline.org To Post a message: [email protected]
