Show WARTIME CRAFT AWAITING END 56 ships are rusting at anchor in mississippi new orleans anchored in mud and rusting into decay as they face an abandoned old age 50 steel ships part of a once mighty fleet that had a direct bearing on the ending of the world war lie in the mississippi sis sippi river here the ships designated by a signboard as the U S laidus fleet were part of the bridge bradge of vesle vessels ls that america rushed to completion near the close of the war they were to have been used to transport more american soldiers to foreign soll soil to carry foodstuffs and munitions to the greatest expeditionary force in the history of the hie world after the armistice the fleet quickly was turned to carrying foodstuffs to stricken european countries and returned unused munitions to the united states foreign tonnage mostly was destroyed in the war and this reserve fleet gave america unchallenged supremacy of the sea american wheat and cotton was moved to all ports of the world america was independent and wealthy soon foreign ships began to appear again and trade began to slacken so the less desirable of the american ships were laid up some were sold and transferred to service under foreign hags flags the superior craft were left tn in the service but the weaker ones were sent to marina graveyards to be stripped many of the vessels here have been partly stripped A lone watchman rules supreme on pach each but he guards his charge even from cameramen who might reveal the condition condl lion of the boats some of the ships easily might be reconditioned |