January, 2005
From the Ozark-Runner Base:
USS Lapon Memorial Project "Commemorative Brick Sale"
Secure your own piece of history with your very own engraved commemorative brick.
Each brick will be beautifully engraved with with three lines of 16 characters for your own personalized message. Name, rate/rank, ship, dates served, anything you wish. The possibilities are endless. Even dedicate a brick to a friend, shipmate or loved one no longer with us.
Each brick is only $50 and will be handsomely engraved and placed in a location of honor at the USS Lapon Memorial in Springfield, Missouri. 100% of the proceeds will go to the USS Lapon Memorial Project. It is our intention at the Ozark-Runner Base to make a memorial befitting a proud Naval Warrior and projects like this helps us accomplish this task.
For more information and to order a brick, visit:
www.angelfire.com/mo3/ozarkrunner/BrickInfo.html
December 8, 2004
From Chuck Shepherd, Base Commander, Ozark-Runner Base.
It's been nearly six months in the works, but at long last the USS Lapon sail has arrived in Springfield!
This morning, Wednesday 12-8-4 at 0900, Tri-state Trucking and Professional Equipment Movers started offloading the sail at the American Legion Post 639.
We had good weather and good representation from the local press present too. ABC, CBS and FOX affiliates were present along with Ozarks Maturity and Ozark Mountaineer Magazines. Lots of pictures and video was taken of the historic events and attached are a few of the best ones.
I will post the rest of them on our web site later, but here are a few for your enjoyment!
I for one am excited and honored to have the old girl in Springfield! She needs a lot of work but it will be a labor of love. Some access hatches are missing and the shipyard cutting was not done for aesthetic value but the fairwater planes mechanisms are in good condition and the ship hull numbers and battle E's are still painted on the side. To us she looks great and will look good as new when we are done!
If anyone has any other pictures they took and can e-mail them to me feel free and I will add them to the web site.
Nov. 20, 2004
From Chuck Shepherd, Base Commander, Ozark-Runner Base.
Gentlemen,
I just got back from our November meeting of the Ozark-Runner Base and the Lapon was the majority of our discussions. First things first, it would appear that 2/3 of the Lapon sail is in Joplin, Missouri. For those of you not from this area, Joplin is about an hour away down I-44 toward the Oklahoma border. The third piece is oversized and requires a special route which puts it about a week out. Tri-state has assured me that when all three are in Joplin they will deliver to the American Legion.
Also, the project was featured in an article in a local magazine called "Ozark's Maturity." To View - Click Here.
Nov. 25, 2004
From Chuck Shepherd, Base Commander, Ozark-Runner Base.
Two of the three portions of the Lapon sail have been transported to Joplin, Mo and are located at the Tri-State Motors loading dock. This has been accomplished without cost to the Ozark-Runners because of the generosity of the Tri-State Motor Transport Company. The third section of the Lapon sail requires special trucking (apparently the sail planes constitute a “wide load”). Skip indicated movement of the third part of the sail is in progress. Skip said Professional Equipment Movers of Springfield is in contact with Tri-State Motors and will donate crane services to off load the sail in Springfield perhaps as early as next week (also at no charge to the Ozark-Runners). |
