2 World War II Ships in Bittersweet Rendezvous
For one ship and its crew of mostly ancient mariners, it was the near-culmination of a longtime dream, the final leg of a triumphant voyage into the past. For another ship and its crew of equally ancient mariners, it was a bittersweet consolation prize, a chance to savor at least a small portion of the glory that might have been theirs.
The two ships, both of them painstakingly restored World War II merchant vessels, are the 442-foot Liberty ship S.S. Jeremiah OâBrien, whose home port is San Francisco, and the 455-foot Victory ship S.S. Lane Victory, based in San Pedro.
The crews of both ships, composed primarily of retired merchant seaman in their 60s and 70s, had planned to sail their renovated vessels to Europe last spring for the 50th anniversary of the D-Day landings on the Normandy coast of France.
The OâBrien, which participated in the D-Day invasion a half-century ago, made it to Europe. But the Lane Victory did not, being forced to turn back in early May after developing engine trouble near Acapulco, Mexico.
On Tuesday, the OâBrien steamed into Los Angeles harbor for a rendezvous with the Lane Victory after completing all but about 400 miles of its five-month, 19,000-mile voyage to the Normandy beaches and back. After spending a day and night tied up bow-to-stern at the docks in San Pedro, both ships steamed out of Los Angeles Harbor on Wednesday morning bound for San Francisco and a gala homecoming for the OâBrien.
The OâBrienâs 56 crew members--who range in age from a 22-year-old volunteer to 90-year-old Clarence Rocha, a retired San Francisco longshoreman--were exuberant.
âEverything was beautiful, no problems of any kind,â said OâBrien Captain George Jahn, 79. âItâs a good ship and a good crew.â
âI turned 70 on this trip but I feel like Iâm 18 years old again,â said retired U.S. Maritime Service Rear Admiral Thomas J. Patterson, another World War II veteran who served as coordinator for the OâBrienâs visits to ports in England, France and both U.S. coasts.
The OâBrien had been scheduled to rendezvous with the Lane Victory near Bermuda for the trip across the Atlantic Ocean last spring. Like other OâBrien crew members, Patterson said it was a sad day when they heard that the Lane had been forced to turn back.
âIt broke my heart,â Patterson said. âI have as much pride in that ship as I have in this one.â
Most Lane Victory crew members said they were happy to be able to take part in the OâBrienâs San Francisco homecoming.
âWeâre delighted for them,â said Joseph Vernick, president of the U.S. Merchant Marine Veterans of World War II, which owns the Lane Victory, as he mingled with OâBrien crew members aboard the ship Tuesday in San Pedro. âItâs a great event for two ships like this to sail together.â
But some veterans of the Lane Victoryâs aborted D-Day voyage were bitterly disappointed that they werenât celebrating the end of a European voyage.
âWe should have been there, too,â said former Lane Victory Captain Steven (Bill) Tilghman, 77, who unsuccessfully fought the Lane Victory governing boardâs decision to stop the voyage after the engine troubles off Mexico. âThat (voyage) was something unique, something weâll never have a chance to do again. I wouldnât have cared if weâd sunk, as long as it was on the way home.â
The Lane Victory and the OâBrien are scheduled to sail into San Francisco Bay together on Friday morning.
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