On for the Long Haul Modern Steam Plants, Electric Winches, and Stronger Hulls
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Time Travel Time Travel earlier Liberty ship, courtesy of their On for the Long Haul modern steam plants, electric winches, and stronger hulls. Like many of its ilk, By Liesl Bradner the Lane Victory was named after an edu- cational institution: Lane College, in Ten- nessee. (Victory ships were also named for towns, cities, and United Nations member states.) And like most Victory ships, it was launched late in the war, on May 31, 1945. Within a month, the crew was carrying munitions and supplies across the Pacific. On a run to Guam, the ship spent 14 days in a typhoon. After the war, the Lane Victory carried Marshall Plan supplies to Europe. The 10,750-ton ship’s most dangerous mis- sion came during the Korean War. In December 1950 the crew took on more From top: Steam turbines than 7,000 refugees at Wonsan and trans- 1 dominate the engine ported them to Pusan, a voyage of more The Lane in LA room; U.S. Naval Armed than 300 miles. In 1966, the Lane Victory Long Guards slept very tight; 110 Beach transported supplies to South Vietnam. 47 underage antiaircraft Decommissioned in 1970 and mothballed gunners stretch their in Northern California, the aging vessel Seaside Highway legs to reach the pedals became a pet cause of Merchant Marine 47 of twin 40mm Oerlikons. Queen veterans petitioning to designate a World USS Mary War II cargo vessel as a memorial Iowa Arriving late to the big Long museum—as occurred in 1988, leading to Beach fight helped the SS Lane a three-year restoration effort. Harbor Los Angeles Victory survive a startling With the exception of three days SS Lane CALIFORNIA seven decades. reserved for cruises and special events, Victory Area of the Lane Victory is open daily 9 a.m. to 4 Detail p.m. Painted wartime gray, the stately Pacif ic Ocean Long Beach F DURING SOME Southern Califor- certified seaworthy. The ship, a National ship docks at Berth 49 in Los Angeles’s 02Miles nia summer you notice warplanes Historic Landmark, began its museum San Pedro neighborhood at the Port of I with wartime German markings flying career in 1992—restored and ready for Los Angeles. One of the nation’s busiest toward the Port of Los Angeles, you have passengers to tour. But a 70-year-old container ports, it is home to several mar- not entered a wormhole—it’s merely vessel is a fragile thing, and in 2014 man- itime museums and historic vessels, showtime. The pilots, aboard disguised agement suspended the summer ocean including the battleship USS Iowa. AT-6 Texan trainers from the Condor cruises because many of the ship’s steam- It was a perfect morning when I visited Squadron of Van Nuys, are pretending to generating tubes had failed. The U.S. the Lane Victory with my kids, ages 12 swarm the SS Lane Victory, a World War Merchant Marine Veterans of World and 10. I’d learned from the museum II cargo ship turned museum that offers a War II, the non-profit that maintains the brochure not to wear open-toed shoes, glimpse into the Allied supply line. Staged ship, is hoping to raise $2 million for the which would keep me from visiting the by the museum three times a year during repairs through grants and donations— engine room. Crossing the gangplank day-long summer sea cruises, the spectac- such as a “Buy-a-Boiler Tube” cam- toward the 455-foot ship, my son pointed ular mock aerial assault and a swing-danc- paign—and hopes to have the transport out a sea lion frisking in the water below. ing session follow a service memorializing ready for summer 2015 cruises. A crewmember greeted us with a smile, a one of the 1,500-plus merchant ships that Constructed by the California Ship- self-guided tour map—visitors can roam were lost during the war. building Corporation at nearby Terminal at will or join groups led by a guide—and One of three Victory ships still func- In 1944 Victory ships under construction Island, the Lane Victory was one of 534 a briefing on the layout. For the moment, tioning, the Lane Victory is the only one filled Los Angeles’s Terminal Island yard. Victory ships meant to outperform the we had the vessel to ourselves. 24 WORLD WAR II TOP, PETER TITMUSS/ALAMY; BOTTOM, EVERETT COLLECTION/ALAMY LIESL BRADNER (ALL); MAP BY JANET NORQUIST/CREATIVE FREELANCERS MARCH/APRIL 2015 25 Time Travel Time Travel With three forward holds and two aft, The engine was restored for the Academy ate the power to run the steam turbines the Lane Victory could accommodate five Award-winning 1966 film, The Sand Peb- that could push a Victory ship to 16.3 tons of freight; today two holds are exhibit bles, with Steve McQueen as the engineer knots. We got to study the main control spaces. The Hold #4 Museum displays who keeps the temperamental machine panel and the generator that provides the World War II artifacts, such as chronom- running. When the Lane Victory is under ship’s electricity. During a cruise, we’re eters, uniforms, and weapons. In a letter way the engine’s piston rods and crank- told, it roars. The engine room holds only home on display in Hold #4, a seaman shaft move in harmonious but only deco- eight people—and inside the tight quar- writing from a different Victory ship rative action, driven by electricity. ters I understood why sandals aren’t describes how, in 1946, he and his ship- We saw the ship’s own power plant in allowed. Continuing our descent, we mates were transporting GIs home from the engine room as part of a tour group edged single file through the not-for- Antwerp, Belgium. “We may purchase 24 that first went to the bridge. Pausing at the-claustrophobic propeller shaft alley. candy bars at prices from 2 – 4 cents” and, the radio room to see the original RCA At the stern, Wendy let us glance up the “twice a day, gobs of ice cream,” he writes, 4U communications unit, we filed past a 50-foot ladder leading to an escape hatch boyishly boasting that he snagged a top mess hall and the captain’s quarters to allowing in a tiny circle of sunlight. bunk. He writes of previous trips on steep steps leading to the bridge. Our After the tour, we strolled the stern. which the ship hauled German POWs guide, merchant mariner and able-bodied Above the armed guard quarters was a from Le Havre and reports his gross seaman Wendy Joseph, explained the gun tub that had held a five-inch piece. income for 1945: $1,680.31. gyroscopic compass, binnacle, and radar The navy removed it after the war but left My son steered us topside to climb lad- system, and decoded signal flags stashed the tub, used as a swimming pool and ders and navigate narrow passageways to along the wheelhouse ceiling. stowage. Hanging onto their journey into the cozy crew cabin, the starker Naval Amidships, Wendy stopped the group the past, the kids mounted gunner’s seats Armed Guard sleeping quarters and its and opened a hatch, revealing the engine and pretended to man twin 40mm anti- triple-decker hammocks, and the galley. room—hands down the tour’s highlight. aircraft guns. Then we stepped down the Passing the main mast, cargo booms, and Two forced-draft oil-fired boilers gener- gangplank and out of history. ✯ winches, we arrived at the forecastle deck. At the bow we found the hulking anchor WHEN YOU GO windlass and chains, a three-inch gun, and 20mm antiaircraft guns. For a schedule of O’Call Village, filled with WHAT ELSE TO SEE Other visitors arrived, ending our reign Lane Victory waterfront shops and dining At Angel’s Gate as masters of the ship. My son briskly cruises and other establishments, including Park, overlooking led us to the bridge and beyond. We events, visit lanevictory.org. the popular seafood restau- the Pacific, the descended the stairs to the Hold #2 The ship is located 20 miles rant of the same name. recently restored 17-ton Museum, aka “The Jeep and Torpedo south of Los Angeles Away from the crowds Korean Bell of Friendship Room,” a miscellany of military and mar- International Airport, in San there’s Think Café, Grinder honors the sacrifice of itime gear. Torpedoes and mines illus- Pedro—a lively neighbor- Restaurant, Green Onion Americans who fought in Mexican Restaurant, and trate the danger Allied merchant ships hood with plenty of activities Korea. The vintage red trol- for everyone. The town’s Neil’s Pasta & Seafood Grill ley is a convenient way to faced; U-boats sank nearly six million most prominent landmark, in San Pedro. take in the sights such as tons of shipping in the first six months of visible for miles, is the 1,500- Looking to spend the the free Frank Gehry- 1942. Naturally for a vintage vessel har- foot Vincent Thomas Sus- night on a luxury liner? The designed Cabrillo Marine bored so near Tinseltown, the Lane Vic- pension Bridge, immortalized Queen Mary, docked nine Aquarium, the Bellagio- tory makes its share of film and TV in films like Gone in 60 miles east at Long Beach, inspired Fanfare Fountains appearances; the ship features props from Seconds and the 1960s TV offers original first class at Gateway Plaza, Fort The Thin Red Line, Flags of Our Fathers, series Mission: Impossible. staterooms and hosts a per- MacArthur Museum, Los and was drafted to make special effects manent exhibit, “Her Finest Angeles Maritime Museum, Hour: A WWII Tour.” test shots for The Life of Pi, among other WHERE TO STAY and the art deco Warner AND EAT For more of a Grand Theater, opened in cinematic cameos.