The Cape Henlopen Ferry was built as a World War II landing craft (LST 510) in Jeffersonville, Indiana and participated in the D-day invasion at Normandy. In 1966, it was converted to a passenger and auto ferry and served on the Lewes, Delaware - Cape May, New Jersey Route. It was purchased in 1983 by Cross Sound Ferry and underwent a total refurbishment before entering service. The ferry was repowered during the winter of 1995 with EMD 12-645 diesel engines, ensuring a long future of trouble free operation.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAwXEDrevT8
https://www.longislandferry.com/Common/Help.aspx?page=fleet
Ray and I took a ride on this ferry yesterday from Orient Point on Long Island to New London Conn. I noticed it has a plaque showing that it was at D Day at Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944.
Below is a history of this large ship. It went on to become a ferry boat in Delaware and now is in service possibly the last WW2 transport still being used in the U.S.A.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_LST-510
We went to visit my brother in Plymouth, Mass. Coming back we rode a different ferry boat from New London to Orient Point. It was much smaller.
I could tell the larger Cape Henlopen had room to have been used as a tank transport in WW2.
Coming back on the other ferry boat we went to the bar for a beer. We drank some Blue Moon beer which was very good. I passed the time looking at the other people in the bar area. One young woman had a large docile shaggy dog on a leash. It settled down on the floor by her chair.
The man seated two seats over from us was reading the comic strips in the newspaper. He was eating a pretzel on which he would put a dab of yellow mustard and continue reading the comics. He did that for over an hour. He looked to be a fat working man. He took a call on his cell phone and told some people to check out such and such and he would look into it when he got back.
He was like a man on vacation. And he was obviously relaxed and enjoying himself.
The bartender was a good wise cracking guy. He had seen it all in his time. No one could pull anything on him. He was very busy. He was the guy who confirmed to us the Cape Henlopen had indeed been in WW2.
Ray asked him how he was doing and the bartender replied, "I'm living on hope and dying in despair". I had never heard that saying before but I looked it up and apparently it has been around a long time.
A man ordered some drinks and food for himself and his lady friend. He took the drinks over to a table and said he would wait over there for the food. He had not yet paid and the bartender called to him to say take your check so you wont forget to pay. The guy said "oh I will pay". The bartender said "I know you will". He joked about it but let the guy know he was serious and no one was going to pull anything over on him.