THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 12, 1994 TAG: 9410120467
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JACK DORSEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 68 lines
The Army has quietly retired a noisy fleet of air-cushioned craft that had annoyed people living near Fort Story, a move that raises questions about the fort's future as another round of base closings approaches.
Known as LACV-30s, the 24 craft slipped into oblivion last month when the Army deactivated the two units that had operated them here for nearly 14 years. The 450 soldiers who made up the units have been transferred elsewhere.
The retirement was the result of military downsizing and should not hurt the installation's overall military value, said Libby Alfriend, a spokeswoman at Fort Story.
But officials at the installation have said in the past that they were banking on the LACV-30s to help save Fort Story, which has been considered for closing or realignment before. The demise of the LACV-30s comes just three months before the 1995 Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission is scheduled to begin its work.
Fort Story was the only Army installation that had the LACV-30s, which are designed to supply forces planning large-scale military operations in regions without developed ports. The propeller-driven craft carry 30-ton loads on a cushion of air up to four feet off the ground.
With 1,863 military personnel, Fort Story still serves as an important installation for the over-the-shore transportation of Army personnel and equipment, Alfriend said. It houses a heavy-duty amphibious shuttle known as the LARC-60 as well as oversized forklifts used for loading containers.
Most recently, Fort Story soldiers were sent to Haiti to help operate port services at Port-au-Prince. Some units from the fort have been alerted for possible duty in the Middle East in response to the latest Iraqi crisis.
The crescent-shaped fort occupies 1,430 acres of prime oceanfront and Chesapeake Bay real estate. The Army has resisted past efforts by government agencies to take over the property.
The end of the LACV-30 - which stands for Lighter, Amphibian Air Cushion Vehicle - came in a small, quiet ceremony attended by a handful of soldiers. The 8th and 331st Transportation companies, which operated the vehicles, folded their pennants Sept. 15.
The companies had belonged to the 11th Transportation Battalion, part of the 7th Transportation Group headquartered at Fort Eustis in Newport News, Alfriend said.
The 55-ton craft are awaiting transfer to the Army's Aviation and Troop Support Command, headquartered at St. Louis. Alfriend said she did not know exactly where the craft would be sent.
For some, the end may come as a relief.
When the craft first began operating locally, the outcry from residents over their buzzing engines was heard all the way to City Hall. Eventually, a civilian-military committee was formed to negotiate when and where the craft could operate.
Still, people living nearby never got accustomed to the noise.
The Navy continues to operate a similar but quieter craft - known as Landing Craft, Air Cushioned, or LCAC - out of nearby Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base. The newer Navy craft draws fewer complaints because of design improvements, including shrouded propellers. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Neighbors complained about the loud, buzzing engines of the LACV-30,
an air-cushioned craft that frequently operated around Fort Story.
by CNB