A World War II ship that participated in D-Day will be in Wisconsin for one weekend. Here's how and when to see it
A one-of-a-kind World War II-era ship that helped turn the tide for the Allies will be moored and open for tours for one weekend only starting Aug. 31 in La Crosse.
The chance to board the USS LST 325, the last fully functional LST – landing ship, tank – remaining in the country, is bound to appeal to history junkies and maritime buffs.
The ship is permanently docked and open for tours in Evansville, Indiana. But once a year, crews take the LST 325 out for a cruise. The ship plies waters such as the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, and has docked in places such as Nashville, Tennessee, Vicksburg, Mississippi, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Here's all you need to know about the LST 325 and its only Wisconsin stop, including how and when to visit.
When will the ship be in Wisconsin?
The LST 325 will be moored along the Mississippi River from Aug. 31 through Sept. 4 along downtown La Crosse's Riverside Park, 100 State St.
Visitors will be able to tour the ship between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. The cost is $15 for adults, $7 for child ages 6 to 17 and free from children 5 and younger.
It will then head to Dubuque, Iowa, from Sept. 7 to 12 and Hannibal, Missouri, from Sept. 15 to 18.
What will the tours entail?
The LST's mission was once to deliver tanks, vehicles, supplies, cargo and troops directly onto enemy beaches. Now it is used to teach people about the roles of LSTs in World War II and in the Korean and Vietnam wars, highlighting the sailors who manned it in those conflicts.
The annual cruises aim to introduce LST 325 to a larger geographic area to raise awareness and donations needed to preserve and maintain the ship.
The tours give people an opportunity to explore a vessel that participated in the D-Day invasion. The tours in La Crosse will be self-guided along a designated route that includes six flights of stairs and will take on average about 45 minutes.
The ship is outfitted to match what it looked like during its World War II service. Visitors will be able to explore areas such as the main deck, troop berthing area, the tank deck, the mess, galley, wheelhouse, the officers' areas and the captain's cabin.
What makes the LST so special?
LSTs were built during World War II to help Allied forces invade areas held by the enemy. LSTs had specially designed hulls and flat bottoms that allowed them to run their bow directly onto beaches and unload their cargo, according to the United States LST Association. They could land on just about any type of shore that had a gradually sloped beach.
At the time, the ship was the largest of the vessels used by by the newly created Amphibious Forces.
Was it dangerous to serve on an LST?
Yes! LST's were lightly armed, typically with seven 40-mm and 12 20-mm anti-aircraft guns. The LST 325 has guns as it did in World War II; 40 mm rounds were fired when the ship was moved in 2020 from a marina to its current, more-visible downtown location, according to the Evansville Courier & Press.
The ships were powered by two diesel engines and plowed through the water with a maximum speed of 11.5 knots, or just over 13 mph. Sailors nicknamed the ships "Large Slow Target," according to the LST Association.
Several crew members of LST 325 were wounded by air attacks during World War II, according to the LST Ship Memorial website.
What did LST 325 and its crew do during World War II?
After its shakedown cruise around Norfolk, Virginia, the ship and her crew sailed to New York City and then left for Oran, Algeria, according to the LST Ship Memorial website.
Among some of its duties throughout the war, the ship supported Allied military forces in Tunisia in North Africa and Sicily and Salerno in Italy. It was involved in training exercises in preparation for D-Day, and unloaded men and vehicles onto smaller craft while anchored off Omaha Beach during the Allied invasion of France.
After that, it supplied Allied forces battling the German Army in France, and on Dec. 28, 1944, helped rescue about 700 men from a troop transport that was torpedoed off the coast of France.
Why is LST 325 permanently moored in Evansville, Indiana?
LST 325 served the Greek Navy from 1964 until December of 1999, when it was decommissioned. It then was purchased by the LST Ship Memorial, a nonprofit group that aims to preserve the ship and use it for educational purposes. The ship ended up in its home port of Evansville because the city has a historic link to LSTs, said Cory Burdette, museum operations coordinator, in an email interview.
He said shipbuilders across the United States made 1,051 LSTs during World War II, but the Evansville builder, Missouri Valley Bridge and Iron Co., made the most, 167.
"We're kind of like the 'LST capital,' so to speak," Burdette said.
Also, he added, being on the Ohio River allows the ship to cruise within days to major cities in the middle of the US, including Chicago, Indianapolis and St. Louis.
Keith Uhlig is a regional features reporter for USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin based in Wausau. Contact him at 715-845-0651 or kuhlig@gannett.com. Follow him at @UhligK on Twitter and Instagram or on Facebook.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: View this World War II ship in La Crosse for one weekend only
