TO: U.S. Maritime Administration
cc: U.S. House of Representatives; U.S. Senate
We, the former crewmembers of USS Thomaston LSD-28 would like to see our ship begin a new life in service to our country as an artificial reef. She is currently included in a Maritime Administration (MARAD) Request for Bid to be scrapped, together with USS Point Defiance LSD-31 and USS Sperry AS-12, all three of which are currently moored in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet in California.
As an artificial reef, she would again serve the United States as an economic and environmental asset, providing income through SCUBA diving and/or fishing tourism for local ports, and habitat for marine creatures, many of which are depleted or endangered. In addition, her continued service, for up to 100 years, would serve as a memorial to her active service and that of her crewmembers, our shipmates, who served in her. This is a much higher purpose than going to a scrap yard and merely becoming razor blades and rebar, and of much greater benefit to the Nation.
We support the efforts of California Ships to Reefs, Inc, a non-profit public benefit corporation seeking to use retired military vessels as artificial reefs, and other reefing organizations. We would ask that you support the adoption of a National Reefing Program (NRP) such as those used in Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. A National Reefing Program would make reefing the preferred method of ship disposal for retired military vessels, enabling these vessels that have served our nation with honor to continue to do so as living communities of marine life and memorials to their crews. As part of this NRP, we also ask that you direct MARAD to change its policy of allowing States to only receive one ship at a time. This allows States to quickly move more ships from the National Defense Reserve Fleet.
For more information on this issue, please go to either http://californiashipstoreefs.org or http://shipstoreefsinternational.org.
Thank you for your consideration and support of this important program.
Updates
July 4, 2011
I HAVE BEEN SPENDING ALL MY TIME SENDING LETTERS DIRECTLY TO MARAD OFFICIALS TO FIGHT FOR THE USS THOMASTON!! THE SILENCE FROM THEIR OFFICE IS LOUD BUT WE ARE NOT STOPPING UNTIL OUR SHIP GETS THE REEF STATUS SHE DESERVES!!
July 4, 2011
THIS MOMENTUM IS ABSOLUTELY ELECTRIC!! SEEING THE LEGACY OF THE USS THOMASTON UNITE SO MANY OF US IS BEYOND INCREDIBLE!! WE ARE PROVING THAT OUR SHIP DESERVES A NOBLE FUTURE UNDER THE SEA INSTEAD OF THE SCRAP YARD!!
6 Comments
Scrapping is a waste. Reefing her is the right thing to do for the environment and the vets who served.
LSD-28 needs to live on. Keep her out of the scrapyard.
My dad talked about the Thomaston all the time. Please let her become a reef so she can still be useful.
SAVE THE THOMASTON. Too much history to just melt it down.
Been waiting for years to hear what happens to the fleet. Do not scrap her!
Sign Petition
We never post to your account. Social sign-in is used only to verify your signature.
Add a comment?
Your signature will be added via . Tell others why you're signing — it's optional.
By signing, you accept iPetitions Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Share Petition
Don't stop at signing, share the petition link with friends to multiply our impact
Copy link or share directly
TO: U.S. Maritime Administration
cc: U.S. House of Representatives; U.S. Senate
We, the former crewmembers of USS Thomaston LSD-28 would like to see our ship begin a new life in service to our country as an artificial reef. She is currently included in a Maritime Administration (MARAD) Request for Bid to be scrapped, together with USS Point Defiance LSD-31 and USS Sperry AS-12, all three of which are currently moored in the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet in California.
As an artificial reef, she would again serve the United States as an economic and environmental asset, providing income through SCUBA diving and/or fishing tourism for local ports, and habitat for marine creatures, many of which are depleted or endangered. In addition, her continued service, for up to 100 years, would serve as a memorial to her active service and that of her crewmembers, our shipmates, who served in her. This is a much higher purpose than going to a scrap yard and merely becoming razor blades and rebar, and of much greater benefit to the Nation.
We support the efforts of California Ships to Reefs, Inc, a non-profit public benefit corporation seeking to use retired military vessels as artificial reefs, and other reefing organizations. We would ask that you support the adoption of a National Reefing Program (NRP) such as those used in Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. A National Reefing Program would make reefing the preferred method of ship disposal for retired military vessels, enabling these vessels that have served our nation with honor to continue to do so as living communities of marine life and memorials to their crews. As part of this NRP, we also ask that you direct MARAD to change its policy of allowing States to only receive one ship at a time. This allows States to quickly move more ships from the National Defense Reserve Fleet.
For more information on this issue, please go to either http://californiashipstoreefs.org or http://shipstoreefsinternational.org.
Thank you for your consideration and support of this important program.
Updates
July 4, 2011
I HAVE BEEN SPENDING ALL MY TIME SENDING LETTERS DIRECTLY TO MARAD OFFICIALS TO FIGHT FOR THE USS THOMASTON!! THE SILENCE FROM THEIR OFFICE IS LOUD BUT WE ARE NOT STOPPING UNTIL OUR SHIP GETS THE REEF STATUS SHE DESERVES!!
July 4, 2011
THIS MOMENTUM IS ABSOLUTELY ELECTRIC!! SEEING THE LEGACY OF THE USS THOMASTON UNITE SO MANY OF US IS BEYOND INCREDIBLE!! WE ARE PROVING THAT OUR SHIP DESERVES A NOBLE FUTURE UNDER THE SEA INSTEAD OF THE SCRAP YARD!!
6 Comments
Served on her in 74. Would love to see the old girl go out with some dignity instead of just being cut up for scrap metal.
Scrapping is a waste. Reefing her is the right thing to do for the environment and the vets who served.
LSD-28 needs to live on. Keep her out of the scrapyard.
My dad talked about the Thomaston all the time. Please let her become a reef so she can still be useful.
SAVE THE THOMASTON. Too much history to just melt it down.
Been waiting for years to hear what happens to the fleet. Do not scrap her!
Help this petition grow
Share it with friends to help reach 100 signatures.
Sign Petition
We never post to your account. Social sign-in is used only to verify your signature.
Add a comment?
Your signature will be added via .
Tell others why you're signing — it's optional.
Signing with Google or Facebook verifies your signature instantly — no email needed.
By signing, you accept iPetitions Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Share Petition
Don't stop at signing, share the petition link with friends to multiply our impact
Petitions like this
Other petitions you might want to support
Scan to share
Anyone who scans this can sign the petition.
Served on her in 74. Would love to see the old girl go out with some dignity instead of just being cut up for scrap metal.