"LST-325 PICTURES PAGE 1"
(Please adjust sound, Bugle Boy Now Playing...)
The following pictures were taken when my wife Helen & I visited the LST-325.
The ship was in Evansville Indiana for a ten-day open house visit.
As I walked the decks of this proud old Warship,
I could almost feel her valiant History come alive.
One could imagine the brave young Sailors sitting around writing letters
to their wives & girl friends & the "folks back home" & listening to
the sounds of the big bands being played on the ship's PA system
when the music is interrupted by the dreaded sound of ...
"GENERAL QUARTERS, GENERAL, QUARTERS"
"THIS IS NOT A DRILL"
"GENERAL QUARTERS, GENERAL QUARTERS"
"THIS IS NOT A DRILL"
"NOW ALL HANDS MAN YOUR BATTLE STATIONS!
Clifford E. Mosier LST-325 CO 1943-1945
(U.S. Navy Photograph)
The LST-325 was launched on 27 October 1942 and commissioned on 1 February 1943, with Lieutenant Ira Ehrensall the commanding officer. On February 17, during her shakedown cruise, Lt. Ehrensall was transferred to the USS LST-391 and Ensign Clifford E. Mosier replaced him. Mosier would remain the ship's commanding officer until June 1945. At the completion of her shakedown cruise in and around Norfolk, Virginia the LST-325 sailed to New York, NY. From there the LST-325 left on 19 March for Oran, Algeria following a brief stop in Bermuda.LST-325 arrived in Oran on 13 April 1943 and spent the next three months going between the ports of Arzew and Mostaganem. During this time she practiced loading and beaching operations with various American and English Army units. On 28 June LST-325 arrived at La Goulette in the Bay of Tunis to prepare for Operation HUSKY, the invasion of Sicily.
LOOKING FORWARD
BRIDGE
20 MM GUN MOUNT
40 MM GUN MOUNT
Had this listed as a 20 MM, but Dave Gonzales, GM/3, 1950-52
informed me that it was a 40 MM.
Thanks Dave for the correction
---Chuck.
The huge tent in the background gave some relief from the heat.
Most of the long line was not in the shade.
The line waiting to board the ship was very long and
wrapped around three times under the tent.
Helen & I were in the line waiting to
board the ship for three hours.