{"id":12811,"date":"2025-11-03T05:43:40","date_gmt":"2025-11-03T10:43:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/floridanewsline.com\/Clone2\/?p=12811"},"modified":"2025-11-03T07:15:31","modified_gmt":"2025-11-03T12:15:31","slug":"local-veteran-brings-navy-boat-back-to-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/floridanewsline.com\/Clone2\/hometown-hero\/local-veteran-brings-navy-boat-back-to-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Local veteran brings navy boat back to life"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Lawrence P. Dukes<\/p>\n\n\n

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Lawrence P. Dukes aboard the Dubuque after completing the restoration. Photo courtesy Lawrence P. Dukes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

I am a retired U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. and former nuclear reactor operator. I’m also the owner of Dubuque, a 36-foot surplus U.S. Navy Landing Craft Personnel Light that once served aboard the Dubuque (LPD-8), which was decommissioned in 2006.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I found Dubuque on eBay in 2018 \u2014 high and dry, covered in red dust in a surplus yard in Del Rio, Texas along the Rio Grande. At first glance, I knew this was my boat. When it arrived at Green Cove Springs Marina, Fla., a crowd formed. Shouts of “it’s a gunboat!” rang out. Dubuque was in bad shape \u2014 most of the engine missing, no windows, no cleats, no railing. It had been stripped, and I think they were making bets I would never get it in the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the stainless-steel lettering on its stern gleaming in the sunlight stated defiantly “USS DUBUQUE” \u2014 identifying itself as one of the Dubuque’s small boats. That was enough for me. I had been an engineer half of my Navy career. I was undaunted. I moved Dubuque to long-term storage and formulated a restoration plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After almost two years in storage, I moved Dubuque into the work area and began the restoration. COVID-19 hit, making parts difficult to find. My biggest hurdle was the engine \u2014 too many parts missing. Then I miraculously found a fully functional 8V-71 Detroit Diesel on a GSA Government Auction website. I won the auction and drove to Yorktown, Va. to retrieve the 4,000-pound engine myself. The 26-hour trip back at 45 mph drew curious onlookers at every stop. It was slow going, but I made it back to Green Cove Springs.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The Dubuque sits on the hard stand at Green Cove Springs Marina during restoration. Photo courtesy Lawrence P. Dukes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

After more work and a few hiccups, a year and a half after placing Dubuque on the hard stand, she was ready to be tested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I energized the batteries, Dubuque woke from a 20-year sleep \u2014 lights on, fan whirling. “It’s alive!” I shouted. Next came the engine test. Two huge barrels of water on deck fed the raw water-cooling system. I pressed the start button. The engine tried to turn over: “wah,” “wah,” “wah.” Charles, my boat neighbor, threw me a can of starting fluid. “Hit it with this! In the air intakes!” Two shots, and the engine rolled over with a roar, settling into the steady beat of a two-stroke Detroit Diesel. Beautiful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cooling water and exhaust flowed from the twin stern exhausts. I went down to view the propeller \u2014 the shaft was spinning, the propeller turning smooth as butter. I sprayed silicon lubricant into the shaft strut bearing, and everything spun smoothly in silence. It was magical. I thought I heard Dubuque say, “Reporting for duty, ready to answer all bells, sir!”<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
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The restored Dubuque, a 36-foot Landing Craft Personnel Light, back in the water at Green Cove Springs Marina. Photo courtesy Lawrence P. Dukes<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Dubuque would be back in the water very soon now. I looked around and noticed that a few of the Marina Staff had been watching the activity, and they were now enthusiastically giving me and Dubuque a thumbs up. It was a great day. Mission accomplished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I could not have accomplished this task without the support of the Green Cove Springs Marina Staff and my boat neighbors who are now my good friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lawrence P. Dukes is a retired U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr., former reactor operator aboard the Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69), and U.S. Coast Guard licensed Master. He is a graduate of Terry Parker High School and the University of North Florida. He owns SEA STATE Realty Corp. and SEA STATE Maritime School in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Lawrence P. Dukes I am a retired U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. and former nuclear reactor operator. I’m also the owner of Dubuque, a 36-foot surplus U.S. Navy Landing Craft Personnel Light that once served aboard the Dubuque (LPD-8), which was decommissioned in 2006. I found Dubuque on eBay in 2018 \u2014 high and dry, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12801,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,203,5,4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-12811","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-creekline-st-johns","8":"category-hometown-hero","9":"category-mandarin","10":"category-ponte-vedra"},"yoast_head":"\nLocal veteran brings navy boat back to life - Florida NewsLine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"CreekLine, Hometown Hero, Mandarin NewsLine, Ponte Vedra NewsLine By Lawrence P. 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