EVEN THE NAVY PROVIDES A "MOTHER"

THE AMPHIBIOUS

"MOTHER SHIP"

Ah Yes!!!!....Leave home and join the Navy.  Thinking that "Yes" now I can get away from "Mom & Dad" be free to do as I please......well let me tell you young man....."Even the U.S. Navy provides you with a "Mother"....and she even provides a place for you on this "Mother ship" to "wash behind your ears!!"

Yes....I do make light of the subject of "The Mother Ship" or better known to all the small ships involved in a "landing" as an APB...[Auxiliary Barracks, Self Propelled]..    If you were out there on that small PC....or ..Destroyer....LST's...and the list goes on and on....there comes a time when you need or want something....ranging from Ice Cream, to fuel, to just a nice hot shower ....the skipper of any small vessel always knew where "The Mother Ship" was located.

These "Mother Ships" came about prior to WW II....ships use to "get and get can" from the local area...or from other ships....but that was not going to work in what was to be believed to be the Naval operations that was to come.  The big brass soon realized that large tenders couldn't provide all the much needed supplies to the small craft that was need in these types of operations.  Cargo and troop ships could supply some....but not in the quanties that was needed....and they was all needed to do what they were designed to do.....  Some how fuel....food...meat...potatoes....and yes even Ice Cream....had to be provided to these small fighting vessel that didn't have the room to 'store' supplies for days on end.....as well as providing transient berthing and messing facilities for small boat and Seabee barge personnel.

So....up pops the suggestion of using LST.....hmmmmmmmmmm....one heck of an idea.  Well it sure sounded like an idea that was worth entertaining.  Well in time the idea was approved....several LST's were choosen to be converted....

Ok....I'll leave you hanging just a tad here.....a kind of tickle your interest sort of thing. 

This is the subject of this article ...just how did these ships come about....Oh yes there are just a couple areas that is dry reading to some....but on the whole if you've never thought of how "supplies" were provided....then even the small "dry areas" will be interesting to you.

If you want to give this one a "tumble"....just click on this:

THE AMPHIBIOUS "MOTHER SHIP"

I hope you find the article informative as well as interesting

Enjoy!

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