USS LST-325 facts for kids
USS LST-325 as a museum ship on 28 August 2023
In La Crosse, Wisconsin |
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United States |
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| 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 |
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| Name | RHS Syros (L-144) |
| Acquired | 1 September 1964 |
| Decommissioned | 1999 |
| Reclassified | T-LST (1951) |
| Fate | Sold, 2000 |
| United States |
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| Name | M/V LST-325 |
| Renamed | USS LST-325 (2004) |
| Identification |
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| Status | Operational museum ship at Evansville, Indiana |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | LST-1-class tank landing ship |
| Displacement |
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| Length | 327 ft 9 in (99.90 m) |
| Beam | 50 ft (15 m) |
| Draft |
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| 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
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| Location | 610 NW Riverside Dr. Evansville, Indiana |
| NRHP reference No. | 09000434 |
| Added to NRHP | 24 June 2009 |
The USS LST-325 is a special kind of ship called a tank landing ship. It was built for the United States Navy during World War II. Today, it is a museum ship docked in Evansville, Indiana.
This ship, like many others in its class, did not have a name. It was known by its hull number, LST-325. LST stands for "Landing Ship, Tank." These ships were designed to carry tanks, vehicles, and troops directly onto enemy beaches.
In 2009, the USS LST-325 was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. This means it is an important historical site.
Contents
The LST-325 was built in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was launched on October 27, 1942. The ship officially joined the Navy on February 1, 1943.
World War II Missions
The ship played a big part in World War II. It helped with invasions in North Africa, Gela, Sicily, and Salerno, Italy. One of its most famous missions was on June 6, 1944. The LST-325 was part of the huge Normandy Landings (D-Day) at Omaha Beach.
On that first D-Day trip, it carried 59 vehicles and 396 soldiers. After D-Day, the LST-325 made over 40 trips across the English Channel. It moved thousands of soldiers and equipment between England and France. These trips were vital for helping to free Europe. The ship returned to the United States in May 1945. It was taken out of service on July 2, 1946.
Cold War Support
Later, in 1951, the ship was used again by the Military Sea Transportation Service. It was called USNS T-LST-325. It helped with "Operation SUNAC." This operation supported building radar stations in places like the Labrador Sea and Greenland. These stations were important during the Cold War. The ship was officially removed from the Navy's list in 1961.
Serving Greece: RHS Syros
In 1964, the T-LST-325 was given to Greece. It served in the Hellenic Navy as RHS Syros (L-144). It continued its service until 1999.
A New Life: The USS LST Ship Memorial Museum
After its time in Greece, a group of retired military members saved the ship. They formed the USS LST Memorial, Inc. In 2000, they bought the Syros. They fixed it up and sailed it all the way back to the United States. It arrived in Mobile, Alabama on January 10, 2001.
Tours and Home Port
In 2003, the LST-325 took a special trip up the Mississippi River and Ohio River. Over 35,000 people visited it in Evansville, Indiana. In 2005, it sailed along the east coast, visiting cities like Alexandria, Virginia, and Boston.
The LST-325 is one of only two LSTs in the U.S. that can still sail. The other is USS LST-510, which 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 Wartime History
During World War II, Evansville, Indiana, was a major shipbuilding center. Its shipyard built 167 LSTs and many other vessels. This made Evansville the largest inland producer of LSTs in the US. The LST-325 now serves as a floating museum in Evansville. It honors the LSTs and the city's important role in the war effort.
Moving to a New Spot
In 2018, plans were made to move the LST-325 to a new location in Evansville. On June 13, 2020, the ship moved to its current spot on Riverside Drive.
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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
