On Thu, 16 Sep 2004 05:35:03 GMT, "Calif Bill"
wrote:


"Shen44" wrote in message
...
The wife and I took a trip on the Mt. Vernon Victory in the 80's - one
of the last Onasis tankers in service at the time. A friend of mine
was the Captain.


As I remember, she was one of the old midship house tankers, built on
gov'ment
specs. There were a number of them around, all of which had a good turn of
speed and some better than average accomodations, for US ships (which
normally
have worse than average accomodations ..... kinda like living in an
institution).

Shen

Onassis got big in the shipping business because he bought the left over
Liberty ships from the US government at the end of WW II for less than scrap
value. Probably pennies on the $1000.

I know a guy who is a bizillionaire today because of buying surplus
aircraft from the government after WWII. Actually sold some back
during Korea for a very handsome profit.

He still has some AAF two seat trainers in storage. I've often thought
of pressing him to buy one and restore it.

Later,

Tom