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Whereas, USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc. educates its visitors to the role of the LST, or landing ship tank, in World War II, Korean, and Vietnam Wars and the countless heroic men who died in battle during the service to their country, and;
Whereas, the LST, a large, mobile, flat bottom, amphibious ship, was the largest of the WWII vessels designed to deliver cargo directly onto the beach. The unique LST was designed to beach itself on a hostile shore, unload cargo directly on the beach and then retract off the beach under its own power, and;
Whereas, LST-325 is one of only two World War II LSTs to be preserved in the United States. LST-325 has become a museum and memorial ship to the men who bravely served their country aboard LSTs, and;
Whereas, LST-325 was launched on October 27, 1942 and commissioned on February 1, 1943. LST-325 was involved in WWII from 1942 to 1946. She participated in the invasion and occupation of Sicily, July 10, 1943, the invasion of Salerno, September 3, 1943, and the Normandy Invasion, June 6, 1944, and;
Whereas, Between June 1944 and April 1945, LST-325 made 44 trips between England and France, carrying wounded to England and delivering supplies to Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno, and the City of Rouen on the Seine River. She earned two battle stars for service in WWII and was decommissioned on July 2, 1946 and;
Whereas, LST-325 was reactivated in 1951 for service in Military Sea Transport Service arctic operations for Operation Support of North Atlantic Construction in the Labrador Sea. In 1961 LST-325 was again taken out of service and became part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet, and;
Whereas, LST-325 was again reactivated in 1963 and transferred to Greece in May 1964. Renamed Syros (L-144) she served in the Greek Navy until December 1999 when she was decommissioned for the third time, and;
Whereas, in November of 1999, by act of the US Congress, she was given to The USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc. Basic repairs were made on th...
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