| USS LST-519 was an LST-491-class tank landing ship built for the U.S. Navy in World War II. She was later renamed USS Calhoun County (LST-519 after counties in 11 states in the United States LST-519 was built by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, Seneca, Illinois. Her keel was laid on 17 September 1943. She was launched on 25 January 1944. Placed in partial commission status at Seneca on 8 February, LST-519 proceeded down the Illinois River into the Mississippi River and down to the Naval base at Algiers, Louisiana, directly across from New Orleans where she was fully commissioned on 17 February 1944. A Coast Guard crew trained the LST's Navy crew on this river cruise from Seneca while the ship was en route to Algiers. Post World War II On 5 December 1945, the operational command of LST-519 was transferred from the Amphibious Force to the Service Force. Mid-January, 1946, found her in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for the first postwar Atlantic Fleet maneuvers. On the trip from Norfolk, LST-519 transported on her main deck four LCM landing craft, each of which carried an LCVP inside. Present for the occasion were the Missouri (BB-63), Princeton (CV-37), cruisers, destroyers and fleet auxiliaries. LST-519 was one of several LSTs that served as mother-ships to small boat crews who operated LCMs and LCVPs as liberty boats for the fleet anchored in the harbor. Leaving Cuba in mid-February for Searsport, Maine, on the Penobscot Bay, LST-519 had to put in at Boston's Charlestown Navy Yard to repair storm damage suffered in a gale off Cape Hatteras. She then proceeded to Searsport, for her next assignment. At Searsport, a Liberty ship transloaded over 350 tons of obsolete 1,000- and 500-pound aerial bombs into a newly constructed temporary wooden bin on the main deck. Out past the continental shelf — about one hundred fifty miles offshore with a minimum depth of 1,000 fathoms — these bombs were dumped along with 5,280 bazooka anti-tank rounds. At least four such bomb-dumping missions were made before the LST-519 was relieved by three other LSTs. Davisville, Rhode Island, was the next port of call. A tank deck full of steel pontoon cubes were transported to Norfolk Navy Yard where they were promptly assembled into large pontoon barges as soon as they were unloaded. On 15 July 1946, the LST-519 was transferred to the Commander, Eastern Sea Frontier for duty as a disposal vessel of defective and obsolete munitions. To facilitate dumping of ordnance, toxic and nuclear waste at sea, special equipment and bins were installed. After this, LST-519 operated off the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, disposing of ammunition from Naval ammunition depots at Indianhead, MD; Hingham, MA; Yorktown, VA; Charleston, SC; Earle, NJ; Fort Mifflin, PA; New Orleans, LA and Newport, RI. On the morning of 20 June 1956, while dumping condemned ammunition from NAD Charleston, the Calhoun County experienced underwater explosions, caused by the detonation of several torpex-loaded torpedo warheads. Minor hull damage resulted, but there were no personnel casualties. (some say the boat was actually hit in the water with a Torpedo fro its dumping!) Seaman HARVEY RAY LUCAS, US NAVY (May 6, 1938 - June 17, 1985) Harvey Lucas served his country, in the Navy, from 1956-1960. Harvey served aboard the USS Calhoun County, a LST-519 Class Tank Landing Ship, which was regularly deployed to 'dump' Radioactive waste. During one of these deployments, some of the barrels rolled off the pallets that were on deck and landed on top of Harvey, injuring his back. When his 'tour' of duty was over, the Navy wouldn't allow him to re-enlist, noting he was "physically unfit" for duty and he was Honorably Discharged. But, in addition to his back injury he was suffering from radiogenetic disease. By 1980, Harvey was completely physically disabled and unable to work. Bone degeneration had set in and his bone marrow was disintegrating within his body. X-rays showed that at the age of 41, his bones were that of a 95-96 year old man and he had developed 'tumors' from one of the rarest forms of cancer known to man. A cancer that is induced by radioactivity from atomic wastes, iodizing radiation, nuclear warfare or cobalt poisoning and results in damaging bone, skin, eyes...etc. and life itself. An 11 pound tumor was removed from Harvey in 1984 and at the time of his death, in 1985, he was inflicted by a 34 pound tumor. The Lucas Family can prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that what Harvey R. Lucas was subjected to in 4 years of military service, not only endangered and ultimately took his own life but also injured his genetic offspring. Harvey fathered five (5) children, who were all born with severe birth defects caused by radiogenetic diseases. In November of 1960, Harvey Lucas, in love and eager to start a family, married a remarkable young woman named Barbara Ann Dutcher, who bore him five children and came to fully realize and appreciate the wedding vows of: 'for better, for worse, in sickness and in health'! On August 13, 1961, Harvey and Barbara heralded the arrival of their first child, a daughter, whom they named Barbara Sue (Susie) Lucas. The couple was caught off guard when they learned that Susie had been born with a skin disease, eye problems, bone and muscle problems and a host of additional health problems. Their second child, also a daughter, who was born on June 29, 1963 and whom they named Patricia Ann Lucas, fared even worse. Dubbed the "female monster", the child was born without a spine, without a neck and without a brain and she lived for only 20 minutes! Ignorant of the radiogenetic disease and trusting in God, Harvey and Barbara continued trying to have a 'healthy' child, but none of their three additional children were blessed with a 'clean bill of health'. Harvey and Barbara's first son, whom they named Richard Ray Lucas, was born in 1964 with learning, speech, hearing, eye and a host of other disabilities. In 1971, another son was born to Harvey and Barbara and the proud parents named him Harvey Ray Lucas, after his father. This son was also severely retarded and physically handicapped with skin, bone and muscle diseases. Harvey is now over 31 years old and is unable to take care of himself...he can't even spell his own name. Lastly, but certainly not least of the five children born to Harvey and Barbara Lucas, another daughter arrived and they named her Jeanine Renee' Lucas. As a child, Jeanine suffered with growths on her body that required removal. When efforts to freeze them off failed, doctors tried to burn them off. When burning also failed to alleviate the problem, the growths, over 300 of them, were cut off! In addition to the growths, Jeanine suffers with knee and bone deformities, eye problems and cysts, as well as thyroid and heart problems. Following Harvey's death from such a 'rare' form of cancer in 1985, Channel 7, a news station in Colorado, interviewed his wife Barbara and asked her what she would miss the most about Harvey. Her reply: "The tickle in his eye, how he loved people and how he loved his country, never once being bitter for what they did to him." Barbara notes: "My husband gave 4 years of military service to his country only to have them turn their back on him?? I...will always remember what President John F. Kennedy said...'Don't ask what your Country can do for you but what you can do for your Country' and all I have to show for my husband's military service is what the U.S. Government gave me...a folded flag and children with birth defects." We are looking to get a MOVIE done with regards to my Father and his family! |
