The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.

Friday, February 24, 2012

A D-Day Ship Returns to Britain: HMCS Stormont/Christina O.

From the February 24th Calgary (Can) Herald "Famous luxury yacht with Canadian past open for tourists: Christina O. hosted world's rich and famous" by Randy Boswell.

This ship participated in the D-Day armada across the English Channel and returned to British waters this week and will be open for tours.

The ship definitely has a World War II past what with its U-boat patrols and war stories, but, no doubt, most folks will be more interested in its history as the yacht belonging to Greek businessman Aristotle Onassis bought it in the 1950s and transformed it into one of the most luxurious craft ever to sail.

Built in 1943 at the Canadian Vickers shipyard in Montreal, Canada, it was named after a former county south of Ottawa. The vessel participated in the dangerous Murmansk Run convoys to that port in the Soviet Union bringing in vital supplies to enable that country to continue fighting in the war.

The ship also escorted troops and supplies across the North Atlantic and hunted U-boats.

More to Come. --GreGen

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