“Weather Nippy but Crowd Warms to Launching of LST” from the April 21, 1953 Door County Advocate
Hits the Water With Flags Flying
A launching spectacular in its beauty took place Saturday afternoon at the Christy shipyard when the LST 1167 hit the water. In the lower picture, from left, are Mrs. Robert E. Wood of Chicago, sponsor; Rear Admiral F. P. Old, commandant of the ninth navel district, and Cmdr. Carl O. Riggs Jr., who represented the Chief of the Bureau of Ships, Adm. Wallen. —Herb Reynolds photos
Weather Nippy but Crowd Warms to Launching of LST
They’ve really got this launching business down to a science nowadays. Time was when you went down to watch one at, say, 2 o’clock, and you were almost lucky to see the splash by 5.
Saturday’s launching of the LST 384-ft. 1167 at the Christy yard was a good example of how it’s done now. C. R. Christianson, president and general manager of the yard, quietly gave the orders to remove the keel blocks and stand by the jacks. The wedge-pounding to lift the ship had been done before the crowd assembled to watch.
When 3:30 rolled ‘round Mrs. Robert E. Wood of Chicago broke the champagne bottle, compressed air forced blades retaining ropes and the massive gray hulk was on her own.
No matter how many launchings you’ve seen, that moment when the ship starts moving is always dramatic. It looks so precarious, that mass of steel perched on what seems like toothpicks in comparison. Then the splash, like fireworks on the Fourth, and the ship’s roll. The new-born vessels never seem to capsize, but there's always the possibility, to add to the excitement.
Crowd Bundled Up
Saturday’s affair had all this color. Thousands watched from in the yard and out, bundled up for the frosty weather. Also on hand to view it all was Rear Admiral F. P. Olds, commandant of the ninth naval district. The Brussels High school provided music, and Fr. James Pearson of Christ the King Episcopal church gave the invocation.
In remarks on the launching platform Mr. Christianson compared the ship to a municipality, but added that there were complications. The ship, she said, had to have armament, radar, a bow that could open and on top of all had to be able to move. He complimented workers and the navy for their cooperation in the vessel’s construction.
Admiral Old spoke at a luncheon at the Carmen hotel following the launching, saying that the nation must keep itself strong in view of the ever-present menace of Communist aggression.
Courtesy of the Door County Library Newspaper Archive
Articles about shipbuilding
https://doorcounty.substack.com/t/shipbuilding