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Weary from his trans-Atlantic voyage, John Calvin, 74, returns to the U.S. from Greece on his D-day warship.
By JORGE SANCHEZ
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 12, 2001
A Citrus Springs man who served as a crew member on a World War II landing craft on D-day made a return trip to America aboard the same ship Wednesday.
John Calvin, 74, who served as a chief motor machinist aboard the LST-325 during the war, was aboard the ship when it docked Wednesday in Mobile, Ala. He had once served on the ship transporting supplies and troops ashore at an invasion point in Normandy, France, which was dubbed Omaha Beach.
The LST-325 was acquired by the Greek Navy after World War II and was decommissioned in 1995. Congress authorized the transfer of the ship back to the United States in 1999. A U.S. crew arrived in Greece in August 2000 to begin work to get the ship seaworthy. Calvin was excited to go to Greece, said a neighbor.
"He couldn't wait to go," said Brian Frantz, a neighbor and friend of John and June Calvin, who live in Citrus Springs. "This was six years in the making."
Frantz, a computer salesman, helped the Calvins stay in touch via e-mails while Calvin was in Greece, getting the ship seaworthy.
The ship had left Greece on Dec. 12 with Calvin and 28 other crew members and completed the journey Wednesday.
"It was wonderful," Calvin said of the homecoming welcome. "When the ship came up the river, there were people on both sides, and we were greeted by ships with waterspouts. It was a grand occasion."
The journey left Calvin a little weakened and with a bad sore throat. He intends to rest for a few days.
"I have met the finest group of men who took time out from their lives to make this historical trip happen," Calvin wrote in the ship's log, which was published on the Internet.
He also thanked his family.
"My wife, my children and all my family have been the backbone of the support for me to make this trip happen. They are proud to have been part of this historical operation."
"He's not your typical 74-year-old," said June Calvin. Wednesday was the first time she had seen him since he left for Greece in August. "This was important to him because the war made such an impression on him. He was so young, and it was such a devastating time."
Calvin is a member of the Edward Penno VFW Post in Citrus Springs and also served on the post honor guard, said post chaplain Sam News. News served on a similar mission six years ago, but his group paid a Russian tow boat $50,000 to tow an LSM (Landing Ship Medium) across the Atlantic.
"He's a good man," News said of Calvin.