S.S. Cape Girardeau commander Captain Tom Stapleton visited the city of Cape Girardeau last Friday for the very first time.
Mayor Harry Rediger welcomed Captain Stapleton in the Council Chambers at City Hall for a special greeting event. City councils members as well as former mayors were present for the occasion.
Two mementos honoring the ship are in the chamber: the US flag that used to flown on the vessel, and a photo of the S.S. Cape Girardeau.
Captain Stapleton was master of the S.S. Cape Girardeau, a 605 foot C5 break bulk cargo vessel, during Operation Desert Storm in 1990-1991, which was designed as part of a plan to send troops to defend Kuwait.
“The Cape Girardeau had a major role for the success of the prosecution of the Gulf War,” said Stapleton.
In 1991 he was made honorary captain of the Girardot Navy by then-mayor Francis Rhodes.
“This ship had everything going for it,” said Stapleton about the C5 vessel. “You had the finest ship named after your fair city.”
In the late 1960’s the Maritime Administration, which is part of the Department of Transportation, started collecting ships with small crews. They wanted them to be all the same class, with the same type of name so they named all the ships Cape-something. The Cape Gs were the C5. The name Cape Girardeau was found after looking at the cities of the world that would start with “Cape.”
The S.S. Cape Girardeau is now in layup status in California, but Stapleton said it is still usable by the Maritime Administration.
“There is no need,” Stapleton explained. “There is no American involvement in a lot of conflicts but it’s still a useful vessel, and they don’t want to release it to scrap because it is still useable.”
Mayor Rediger said he was surprised when he found out that a ship was named after the city and thought this was the opportunity to hear more about the vessel.
“I’m very pleased the way it had gone. I think we all learned a little bit more about the ship,” he said.
Captain Stapleton said he keeps a lot of gratification from his time as the master of the ship.
“The satisfaction of doing a good job and being a good role model to the junior officers, and to be fair to the crew,” he added.
Captain Stapleton is currently traveling from his home in Texas to St Paul, Minn. on a 28-day, 5,300 mile motorcycle ride and his adventures can be followed on his blog.