The Daviess County High School Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) is getting a hands-on learning opportunity unlike any other this weekend. Students in the program traveled on the historic LST-325 from Evansville to Owensboro and are continuing to help with duties while it’s docked — both giving them practical experience and allowing instructors a unique chance to impart their knowledge.
The LST-325 is the last fully operational WWII Landing Ship Tank (LST) in the country.
During their time aboard, the students have been working as incorporated members of the crew. The cadets have rotated through different stations, gaining practical experience in maintaining and operating the historic vessel.
They have assisted with the maintenance and operation of the ship’s engines and other mechanical systems. On deck, they have learned the intricacies of navigation, seamanship, and cargo handling. In the culinary spaces, they have helped prepare meals for the crew, understanding the role of nutrition and logistics in a maritime environment.
“This is truly a once-in-a lifetime kind of opportunity, not only for the students, but also for the instructors,” said Commander Goad, Daviess County’s Navy Junior ROTC instructor. “There just aren’t many opportunities to have this kind of experience out there. We are excited and grateful that Chairman John Tallent, Board member James “Sarge” Goodall, and the rest of the board at the LST-325 Memorial were willing to extend this invitation to our students. We’re equally excited to help bring this historic ship to Owensboro.,”
The LST-325 was launched in 1942 and commissioned the next year.
On June 6, 1944, LST-325 was part of the largest armada in history by participating in the Normandy Landings at Omaha Beach. Between June 1944 and the end of April 1945, the ship made 43 round trips between England and France. It was initially decommissioned on July 2, 1946.
The ship was reactivated in 1951 for service in Military Sea Transport Service arctic operations. In 1961 LST-325 was again taken out of service and became part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet.
LST-325 was again reactivated in 1963 and transferred to Greece in May 1964. It served in the Greek Navy until December 1999 when it was decommissioned for the third time. In 2000, the ship was acquired by The USS Ship Memorial, Inc., and sailed back across the Atlantic for the final time, arriving in Mobile, Alabama on January 10, 2001.
LST-325 has become a museum and memorial ship to the men who served their country aboard LSTs. It is now docked in Evansville for 11 months of the year and cruises under its own power to visit other cities at the end of each summer. The ship was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2009.
