SHIPS CHANGE MISSION, APPEARANCE OVER YEARS; AMERICAN SHIPS ANSWER CALL TO WAR

CAPE GIRARDEAU - From the year Christopher Columbus landed in the New World in 1492, ships have played an important role in the history of this country, especially in times of war. The ships used by Columbus were small and mere toys compared to modern vessels, especially those taking part in crisis in the desert the eighth war this country has been engaged in fighting during the 20th century.

Ships in past even as late as World War II were smaller, slower, and less functional than modern ships that today are engaged in Operation Desert Storm in the Persian Gulf.

Over the centuries, ships have been important for travel and in the development of world trade, and the growth of nations. They are very essential in war to transport men and supplies.

Today, airplanes have assumed a large part of what ships formerly were responsible for doing. The plane has also surpassed the pleasure ships in ocean passenger trade. But ships remain essential as battle and carrier vessels and for heavy water commerce trade.

When Charles Dickens was writing a news column for a British paper titled, "Household News," in 1855, he informed the public about a new iron ship recently launched. It was the fastest ship built to date. It could accommodate 2000 passengers in both first and second class, and transport 25,000 tons of freight. It could also carry 10,000 troops, their supplies and war material. Travel time from Liverpool to New York and back would take two weeks, and 32 days to Australia. That was great speed in those days.

During the 1930's, England, a master builder of ships, constructed the Queen Elizabeth and the Queen Mary. At the same time, France built the elegant Normandy, the second fastest ship and second largest ship afloat. This ship was considered the most beautiful and appealing to the rich and famous as well as the politicians, and artists and society folk of the world.

In the 1960's, Britain launched the Queen Elizabeth II, while Italy launched the Michael Angelo and the Raffaelo. Eventually all of these ships were converted into troop carriers.

In 1951, the United States was launched by this country but after 1969, no major passenger ships were built by American builders, only ships for war. On Dec. 7, 1939, the Japanese bombed our war ships in Pearl Harbor and war was declared the next day by the United States on Japan.

The U.S. lacked a large troop carrier, but the French Normandy was in the New York Harbor at Pier 88 where the French had left her for safekeeping during the war.

President Theodore Roosevelt commandeered the ship and renamed her Lafayette in mid December, and 3,000 workmen were put on the job to strip the glamorous decorations and furnishing from the ship and make her ready for a troop carrier by late February.

But the future of the Normandy was to be otherwise. On Feb. 9, 1942, sparks from the torch of a welder working in the grand lounge set fire to a pile of kapok filled life jackets. The fire thought to be insignificant became a raging furnace in 10 minutes because of paint and cleaning supplies. The fire started at 2:37 in the afternoon and in spite of all the water the harbor fire boats used, the flames were uncontrollable. Twelve hours later at 2:37 p.m. the Normandy listed and turned on her right side into the ice chocked shallows of the harbor. There she lay until the war ended, after which time she was sold for junk and $161,000. The metal in the ship was recycled.

As Operation Desert Storm continues, Americans listen intently to television and radio reports. We learn details about ships, planes, bombs and missiles, names of weapons and see pictures of our soldiers fighting. The war is miles and miles from the Heartland we know as home, yet it seems to be here because of the picture tube.

In the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Mediterranean, our war ships and carriers with their crews carry out their missions. The USS Theodore Rossevelt, the USS United States, the USS John F. Kennedy, the USS Saratoga, the USS America, the USS Ranger are all in the Red Sea; the USS Midway and others are in the Persian Gulf.

All of the ships are very modern, and some like the USS Missouri have been modernized. They are equipped to do battle in a 20th century war and protect the men on board. They use computers and are built for speed. The ships like the men are soldiers doing battle in Operation Desert Storm.