After nearly seven years, the LST 325 is returning to Chester for a visit as an additional attraction to the events at the annual Popeye Picnic.
LST, of Landing Ship Tank, is an oceangoing ship capable of shore to shore delivery of tanks, amphibious assault vehicles, and troops. LST were used mainly during World War II and were key vehicles in the allied forces' arsenal.
LST 325 will be docked at the Port of Chester Sept. 7 through Sept. 9 and be open for tours from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. each day. General admission visitors to the ship will be allowed to tour the vessel at their own pace, with members of the LST crew located throughout the ship to explain the story of the LST 325 and answer any questions. Group Tours will be guided by ship crew members.
The vessel last visited Chester in Sept. 2011 and was a popular attraction at the time. Brian Congiardo has been instrumental in securing its return. He is a volunteer crew member on the ship and each year spends one week living and working on the vessel.
LST 325 was launched Oct. 27, 1942 and in March, 1943, it was part of a convoy which sailed to the Mediterranean Sea where it was used in the invasion of Sicily. It landed at the Bay of Gela, unloading men and vehicles of the 1st Armored Division. It would return five more times in support of the offensive before Messina fell on Aug. 17, 1943.
It sailed as part of the Northern Attack Force in support of the invasion at Salerno, Italy on Sept. 13, 1943, making three trips to the beachhead carrying infantry regiments. On June 7, 1944, the day following D-Day, it landed on Omaha Beach with backup forces unloading men and vehicles.
LST 325 made 44 more trips between France and England from then until April 1945. The vessel was used to rescue more than 700 men from the troop transport Empire Javelin that had been torpedoed off the coast of France.
LST 325 returned to the United States in May, 1945, to be refitted and was on its way to the Pacific to be part of the intended invasion of Japan when news came that Japan had surrendered.
It was decommissioned on July 2, 1946, only to be reactivated in 1951 for service in the Military Sea transport Service Arctic Operations. That operation was involved in constructing radar outposts along the eastern coast of Canada and Greenland. It was again taken out of service in 1961 and became part of the National Defense Reserve Fleet. In 1963, it was reactivated and transferred to Greece in May 1964, where it was renamed Syros (L-144) and served the Greek Navy until 1999, when she was decommissioned for the third time.
In 2000, she was acquired by the USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc. and was saved from the scrap yard in Souda Bay, Greece by a crew of 50 Navy veterans. The men made major repairs to make her seaworthy and on Nov. 14,2000, LST 325 made the 6,200-mile voyage home, arriving in Mobile, Alabama on Jan. 10, 2001.
The average age of the crew who brought her home was 72.
She eventually became a museum and memorial ship berthed in Evansville, Ind.
The mission of the USS LST Ship Memorial, Inc. is to educate all to the role the LST played to keep America free and to preserve the memory of these ships and the men who served and died on them. Every year, LST 325 participates in a river tour to bring the ship's mission to a greater number of people, keeping alive the memory of one of the World's greatest and at the same time tragic eras.
Congiardo has been working on this year's visit since early last year. He spent one week last May working during the engineering repairs week to prepare for this year's voyage.
In addition to seeing the LST, visitors will see a World War II living camp and historic military vehicles on display. The colors will posted in ceremony each morning at 8 a.m.
Tour cost is $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6-17, and free for children under 5. five. VIP tickets are $60.
Parking will be available along the waterfront on both sides of Water Street up to Smith's Landing. The underpass from Kaskaskia Street will be closed to traffic and the only entrance will be from Buena Vista Street. Visitors are also encouraged to use the free shuttle provided by the city.
There will also be a gift shop available with a wide selection of items and mementos to commemorate the event.
Congiardo encourages everyone to visit this historic vessel and see the many displays. Representatives from all five branches of our military will be present along with the Corp of Engineers and National Guard. There will also be members of the Honor Flight coming to visit as well.
