USS LST-325 facts for kids
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In La Crosse, Wisconsin
|} The USS LST-325 is a special kind of ship called a tank landing ship. It used to be part of the United States Navy. Today, it is a museum ship docked in Evansville, Indiana, in the U.S. Unlike many ships, LST-325 was never given a name. It was always known by its hull number.
In 2009, this historic ship was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as an important part of American history.
Contents
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States |
|
| Name | LST-325 |
| Builder | Philadelphia Navy Yard |
| Laid down | 10 August 1942 |
| Launched | 27 October 1942 |
| Commissioned | 1 February 1943 |
| Decommissioned | 2 July 1946 |
| Stricken | 1 September 1961 |
| Honours and awards |
2 battle stars (WWII) |
| Fate | Transferred to Greece 1964 |
 Greece |
|
| Name | RHS Syros (L-144) |
| Acquired | 1 September 1964 |
| Decommissioned | 1999 |
| Reclassified | T-LST (1951) |
| Fate | Sold, 2000 |
| United States |
|
| Name | M/V LST-325 |
| Renamed | USS LST-325 (2004) |
| Identification |
|
| Status | Operational museum ship at Evansville, Indiana |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | LST-1-class tank landing ship |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 327 ft 9 in (99.90 m) |
| Beam | 50 ft (15 m) |
| Draft |
|
| Propulsion | 2 General Motors 12-567 900 hp (671 kW) diesel engines, two shafts, twin rudders |
| Speed | 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph) |
| Range | 24,000 nmi (44,000 km) at 9 kn (17 km/h; 10 mph) |
| Boats & landing craft carried |
2 × LCVPs |
| Complement | 7 officers, 104 enlisted |
| Armament |
|
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USS LST 325
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At 2006 Tall Stacks Festival in Cincinnati, OH
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|
 Location in Indiana
|
|
| Location | 610 NW Riverside Dr. Evansville, Indiana |
| NRHP reference No. | 09000434 |
| Added to NRHP | 24 June 2009 |
The Ship's Journey: A History of Service
The LST-325 was built very quickly during World War II. It was launched on October 27, 1942, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The ship officially started its service on February 1, 1943.
It played a big role in important battles. The LST-325 helped with invasions in Gela, Sicily and Salerno, Italy. These were key moments in the war in North Africa and Italy.
On June 6, 1944, the ship took part in the famous Normandy Landings. This was the largest sea invasion in history, happening at Omaha Beach. The LST-325 carried 59 vehicles and 396 soldiers on that first trip.
After dropping off troops, the ship helped transport injured soldiers back to England. Over the next nine months, it made more than 40 trips across the English Channel. It moved thousands of soldiers and tons of equipment. This helped the Allied forces free Europe.
The ship returned to the United States in May 1945. It was taken out of service on July 2, 1946. It then rested in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet.
In 1951, the ship was used again by the Military Sea Transportation Service. It helped build radar stations in Canada and Greenland. This mission was called "Operation SUNAC." The ship traveled through very cold waters like the Labrador Sea and Baffin Bay.
On September 1, 1961, the LST-325 was officially removed from the Navy's list of ships. It was then stored in a special fleet for old ships.
On September 1, 1964, the LST-325 was given to Greece. It became part of the Hellenic Navy and was renamed RHS Syros (L-144). It served Greece for many years, from 1964 until 1999.
The USS LST Ship Memorial Museum
Bringing the Ship Home
In 2000, a group of retired military members formed the USS LST Memorial, Inc. They wanted to bring the Syros (the old LST-325) back to the United States. They traveled to Greece, fixed up the ship, and sailed it all the way back. The ship arrived in Mobile Harbor on January 10, 2001.
In 2003, the LST-325 took a special trip up the Mississippi and Ohio rivers. It stopped in Evansville, Indiana, for 10 days. More than 35,000 people visited the ship there.
In 2005, it sailed along the East Coast for two months. It visited cities like Alexandria, Virginia, and Boston, Massachusetts.
A Unique Museum Ship
The LST-325 is one of only two LSTs in the U.S. that can still sail. The other one, USS LST-510, works as a ferry. On October 1, 2005, Evansville, Indiana, became the permanent home port for the LST-325. However, it still travels to other ports each year.
Evansville's Connection to LSTs
During World War II, the city of Evansville, Indiana, had a huge shipyard. This shipyard built LSTs. At its busiest, over 19,000 people worked there. They built two LSTs every week! Evansville became the biggest inland producer of LSTs in the U.S. The city built 167 LSTs and 35 other ships.
Today, the LST-325 is docked in Evansville. It serves as a museum to honor all LSTs and the city's important role in the war effort.
A New Home for the Ship
In 2018, plans were made to move the LST-325 to a new spot. It moved from Marina Pointe to Riverfront Park. This new location is across from Bally’s Evansville. On June 13, 2020, the LST-325 officially moved to its new home on Riverside Drive in Evansville.
Images for kids
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LST-325 in Evansville
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The ship's bridge
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A restored M16 MGMC
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A typical troop compartment
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The ship's crew, c.1945
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The engine room
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The tank deck, looking forward
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A graphic painted on the ship by the Greek crew
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The ship's crew from trans-Atlantic crossing
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A 40 mm AA gun tub
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The LST's deck, from the wheelhouse deck
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Ship's wheel and engine order telegraph
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LST-325's ribbons: American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with two service stars, World War II Victory Medal
See also
- Evansville Wartime Museum
