USS LST Ship Memorial - Progress Report

This page was last updated 02 OCT 05, 1540Z

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VISITOR INFORMATION

USS LST 325 is now open for public tours in Evansville, Indiana.

Mondays - Closed for maintenance work
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays - Tours 10 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Thursdays - Tours 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (this may be seasonal)
Sundays - Tours noon to 5:00 p.m.

Ticket sales will end one hour prior to closing time.

Tours: Under 5, free; ages 5-18, $5; adults, $10; family (mother, father, minor children), $20

USS LST 325

840 LST Drive
Evansville, IN 47713

Need a map or directions?

Mosier's Raiders: The Story of LST-325 by Dave Bronson	Discount accommodations for crew and volunteers	An Inside Look: Landing Ship Tank by Michael Smith
Evansville Rivercam	Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau	Radio Room Project

USS LST 325 TO ARRIVE OCTOBER 3RD IN EVANSVILLE, INDIANA
From the Office of Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel
Posted 30 September 2005
.

USS LST 325 TO ARRIVE OCTOBER 3RD IN EVANSVILLE, INDIANA

(Evansville, IN) – Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel today announced that the U.S.S. LST 325 will arrive in Evansville, Indiana, on Monday, October 3rd, at approximately Noon, making the city its new permanent home.

“We encourage city residents and downtown workers to take their lunch hour on Monday to come to the riverfront and help us create a patriotic display for the LST and her crew as they come around the bend in the Ohio River,” said Mayor Weinzapfel. “Those who witnessed the arrival of the LST for its visit in 2003 will remember that seeing the ship come around the bend is quite a sight and one that should not be missed.”

Volunteers will distribute U.S. flags to the crowd along the riverfront, between Casino Aztar and the Kid’s Kingdom playground. Spectators are also encouraged to bring their own flags and to dress in red, white and blue to add to the colorful display. Although it is difficult to pinpoint the exact time of arrival, it is anticipated that the ship will sail past downtown around Noon.

TOURS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE ON OCTOBER 3rd. Due to the length of time it will take to secure the ship to the new municipal dock and set-up for both ticket and souvenir sales, tours will begin at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, October 6th. Hours of operation and ticket information is as follows:

Mondays:	CLOSED
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays:	10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Thursdays:	10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Sundays:	Noon to 5:00 p.m.

* Ticket sales will stop one hour prior to the ship’s closing.

Under 5:	FREE
K – 12th grades (ages 5 to 18):	$5.00
Adults:	$10.00
Family (parents and children):	$20.00

An official ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony is planned for 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 15th at the municipal dock. Mayor Weinzapfel and other dignitaries will be on hand to officially welcome Captain Robert Jornlin and the LST 325 crew. Special guests for the day will be the families of local military personnel currently deployed.

###

"A HOMECOMING OF MEMORIES" by Susie Bloom
Posted 29 September 2005

Growing up as a child in the Heartland of America, celebrations in my family were spent much like thousands of other families. Time spent together, cherished “traditions” of a special meal, favorite games, and certain customs. Upon an occasion of a birthday or Christmas, there might even be a beautifully presented package - a special gift. The gift might be an amazing “store bought” dress or pair of trousers. Others might have received a carefully crafted rag doll, a home-sewn skirt or a wooden toy made with care by a special father or grandfather. The gift might be the simple artwork of a child on a handcrafted card. New friends or family, cherished old friends who visited from afar were treated as treasured guests, welcomed with genuine affection and given a place of honor.

A voyage to the past is complete with memories of other times, other places. A way of life that for most no longer exists in our hurry up, on the run world. A bittersweet memory of family members long gone but never forgotten in our hearts and minds. We recall those times, realizing that we are indeed a product of upbringing and our physical environment.

A few years ago, undertaking a “voyage” of my own, I experienced a certain yearning to see this ship that I had read about. An LST that had just been brought back from Greece. A ship like the one my father had served on. The opportunity to visit one of the last remaining Landing Ship, Tanks in the world beckoned me. The ship was on a River trip and would be close to my home. Like the sea sirens of long ago, I found it an irresistible call.

I had corresponded via email with two of the LST 325 volunteers, but did not know them. They had provided valued help in my own voyage into my father’s service time. I did not know if they were currently working on board the ship or elsewhere. They had encouraged me to make a visit to the ship so that I could experience a taste of what life was like for so many Sailors during WWII, Korea and Viet Nam; to see the place that housed a shipyard that crafted my father’s ship, LST 125.

At the time of this first visit to Evansville in July of 2003, I was alone, a stranger in a strange town. I knew no one. After a day of travel, like those days of the past, I was a stranger - welcomed and treated as an honored guest. From the time of my arrival, the people of Evansville were welcoming. The desk clerk at the hotel not only gave directions but provided a map as well, marking the best routes of travel. The waitress in the restaurant who took a moment to welcome a stranger and offer information on local attractions that one might want to visit was so kind. The store clerk who, noticing my LST 325 T-shirt, said “We’re glad to have you” and thanked me for a purchase with a genuine smile of welcome. Another Evansville resident, volunteering at the Ship’s Store, invited me to have lunch with her and shared much more than lunch, giving a history of your community. The Director of the Convention & Visitors Bureau paused in her hectic day to ask what brought me to visit LST 325, genuinely interested in the response. She then asked what she could do to make my visit more enjoyable. My personal experiences were echoed many times over by others that were also visiting.

These small kindnesses to a stranger form a picture of your community. From the varied pieces of experience, a marvelous mosaic of history is formed. The history that is surfacing is more than a memory of the past. The mosaic comes together to form a picture of a community that is eager and enthusiastic about a new museum, a new opportunity.

Today, many LST Ship Memorial volunteers are pausing - like those now-grown children of the Heartland - we are remembering the past; those times spent with our friends in Mobile. The citizens of that city welcomed our proud lady back from Greece, gave her a refuge and escape from the cutting torches that would have reduced her proud lines to scrap metal. Mobile provided a haven to rebuild. It was an opportunity to come alive again and look to the future. We will be forever grateful for their hospitality, kindness and contributions to the preservation of this living, breathing ship that is much more than “just” a museum.

LST 325 will soon arrive in her new homeport of Evansville. We, the volunteers, are elated and honored by the reception of the people of Evansville. Our Evansville brothers and sisters have prepared for this homecoming and have done a spectacular job. Your dedication and support for this proud warship, along with her crew and volunteers, has been a “manning of the rails” in grand style.

The people of Evansville have offered their best - some “store bought,” some hand crafted, some elaborate, some humble - but all that has been offered has been given in a spirit of family, and of friendship. What a marvelous homecoming it is.

Thank you to the people of Mobile. Thank you to the people of Evansville. We look forward to seeing old friends and making many, many more new ones!

~ Susie Bloom (“SeaBat”)

The crew of LST 325 proudly salutes Evansville, Indiana,
Home of the Nation's Champion Shipbuilders

IN MEMORIAM, KENNETH E. KNIGHT

Posted 28 SEP 2005

The entire LST 325 family is saddened by the loss of its great friend and shipmate Ken Knight. Ken passed away at his home on Monday afternoon, following a long battle with cancer. Ken was one of our earliest LST 325 volunteers and he crewed on the 2003 River Trip. He was held in the highest regard by all those who worked with him. He will be truly missed.

There will be a viewing and visitation with the family at the Arcadia Funeral Home, 4800 East Indian School Rd., Phoenix, AZ (602-840-5600) on Sun., Oct. 2 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Ken will be buried with full military honors at 11:00 a.m. on Mon., Oct. 3 at the National Memorial Cemetary, 23029 North Cave Rd., Phoenix, AZ.

Ken's family requests that in lieu of flowers a donation be made to The USS LST Ship Memorial, c/o First Nat'l Bank of Danville, P.O. Box 1010, Danville, IL 61834. Cards may be sent to The Knight Family, 4234 N. 18th Pl., Phoenix, AZ 85016.

Following is a wonderful tribute to Ken from his LST 473 shipmates. It tells the story of a man loved and respected by all:

Ken Knight (l.) in the main engine room
December 1943

Back at it again, 58 years later
December 2001

MEMORIAL RESOLUTION
OF
THE USS LST 473 ASSOCIATION

HONORING ITS BELOVED FORMER MEMBER

KENNETH E. KNIGHT
_____________________________________________________

WE, THE USS LST 473 ASSOCIATION, DO HEREBY RESOLVE, THAT:

Our Ship’s Association deeply mourns the loss of Kenneth E. Knight, a highly respected and valued member of The USS LST 473 Association. Ken passed away on September 26, 2005 at the age of 84.

Ken served his country in the U. S. Navy during World War II . He was assigned to duty as a Motor Machinist Mate aboard a new type of American amphibious warship called an LST (Landing Ship Tank). These ships were as long as a football field, carried a crew of approximately 150 and were designed to land men, tanks and equipment on enemy held beaches.

Our ship was the USS LST 473. After our ship was launched and commissioned in Vancouver, Washington, we were assigned to “extra-hazardous duty” with Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s VII Amphibious Force in the Southwest Pacific Theater of War. During the assault on Lae, New Guinea on the afternoon of September 4, 1943, our ship and 9 other American warships were attacked by 12 Japanese torpedo planes and 15 dive bombers. Two 500 lb. bombs hit our ship causing severe damage. 8 of our shipmates were killed in action and 14 others were seriously wounded. Soldiers aboard from Australia’s famed 9th Division (The “Rats of Tobruk”) also sustained heavy casualties. Ken, although injured, remained at his battle station and shortly afterward valiantly attended to many of our most seriously wounded shipmates. One of Ken’s closest friends aboard our ship, Johnnie David Hutchins of Texas, although mortally wounded, remained on our ship’s helm causing a Japanese aerial torpedo to narrowly miss us. Johnnie was awarded the Medal of Honor. Ken and several shipmates were able to get to Johnnie and give him aid and comfort during his last moments on earth.

Ken also played a major role in damage control work that saved our ship from sinking and helped with the burial of our dead. Ken continued on as one of our great leaders after our ship was repaired in Australia and we returned to combat in 5 other bloody Pacific campaigns. Ken was given many critical assignments aboard our ship because the officers and men knew he could always be counted on to come through under the most difficult circumstances. We have never forgotten how much Ken meant to us during those days of intensive training and combat.

We will also remember Ken for his great sense of humor and love of life. We experienced some great times with him on liberty adventures on the West Coast of the U.S. and throughout the South Pacific. We are unable to reveal the details of many of our exploits due to a mutual vow of silence we swore to over 60 years ago.

While our ship was being repaired in Australia, we remember Ken meeting and courting the love of his life, a beautiful Australian young lady - Betty. We knew their love was deep and special and it has been a pleasure to watch their love bear much fruit. Ken and Betty always put their family first and the love their family shares for each other has been a great example to all of us.

Years after the War ended, Ken spent countless hours locating old shipmates. Ken then organized the LST 473 Association along with a number of wonderful ship reunions. One was in December 2001 at the National D-Day Museum in New Orleans on the occasion of the Grand Opening of the Pacific Wing of the Museum. Ken had helped the Hutchins family with the placement of Johnnie Hutchins’ Medal of Honor at the Museum. The Hutchins family, Ken and his shipmates were special honored guests of the Museum that day.

We last saw Ken and his beloved wife, Betty, in September 2003 in Eagle Lake, Texas where we celebrated a ship’s reunion and honored brothers killed in action 60 years earlier. During that great and very moving reunion, we once more enjoyed Ken’s smile and warm embrace. Ken had a tremendous love for all of us and our families. We all loved him and his family in the same way. Our love was forged by blood, sweat and tears together with great happiness and joy over 60 years ago.

Ken loved the U.S. Navy and all LST sailors. He was an active member of the U.S. LST Association for many years. When a group of Association members were able to secure a former U.S. World War II LST from Greece in 2001, Ken was fully supportive. Ken and Betty on several occasions traveled to Mobile, Alabama, where the LST was being restored. They spent weeks helping with the restoration. When that LST was finally ready for a tour to the Mid-West up the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers in 2003, Ken volunteered as a crew member. He helped sail her and gave tours to hundreds of Americans who turned out to see and explore that historic amphibious warship from World War II. It was truly a labor of love for Ken.

Ken lived a wonderful life and was a great American. He served his God, his family, friends, shipmates and nation to the fullest. We all know that when Ken got to the gates of heaven last Monday, God walked over to the entryway and stated to all present: “This is my beloved Kenneth, in whom I am well pleased. I have fixed a special place for him in my kingdom.”

The USS LST 473 Association wishes to note with deep regret, the passing of Kenneth Earl Knight, a beloved shipmate, cherished friend and exceptional man. We bestow our sincere sympathy to his wife Betty, his children and grandchildren and great-grandchild, as well as his other family members and friends.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this RESOLUTION be entered in the minutes of The LST 473 Association, made a permanent part of the records of the Association, and that copies be presented to Kenneth Knight’s family.

Signed this the 28th day of September, 2005.

/s/
__________________________________

Donald G. Lanes, Presiding Officer

The USS LST 473 Association

It can't be said any better than that. Fair winds, Ken, fair winds.

LST 325 DEPARTURE DELAYED
Posted 22 September 2005

The planned departure of LST 325 from Mobile has been indefinitely delayed. It is not known at this time whether this postponement will affect the planned arrival in Evansville on October 1. This decision was due to the fact that Hurricane Rita veered slightly northward today and changed the forecast model. At this writing, the mouth of the Mississippi River at New Orleans is predicted as having a Tropical Storm Watch. The situation is being closely watched by the officers and crew, who will make suitable and timely decisions primarily focused on the safety of the crew and the ship.

Please continue to monitor this website (and this page in particular) for developments.

MORE PHOTOS OF DOCK CONSTRUCTION
Posted 12 September 2005

Below are some more photos taken of the dock construction on Sunday, Sept. 11.

One of the gangways. These are wide enough to allow golf cart access and allow two-way traffic of people boarding and disembarking.	Side view of smaller gangway. Longest gangway is 150 feet long. Gangways are painted to match LST 325.
More dock construction.	Dock tavern and restaurant. Tavern on ground level; restaurant on upper floor.

TENTATIVE RELOCATION PLANS
Posted 09 September 2005

We're on the final countdown to our long-anticipated relocation to Evansville, Ind. The scuttlebutt is that Evansville is just as eager to see us as we are to see them, and that they're planning a big welcoming party. More details will be published as they become available. Please continue to monitor this website (especially the Progress Report page) and the Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau's website.

The last day for tours in Chickasaw will be on Sept. 19 and we plan to depart on Sept. 22. We may pre-locate to Mobile as we did prior to the East Coast Voyage. Arrival in Evansville is scheduled for Oct. 1, and we'll most likely take the Mississippi and Ohio River route, as we did in 2003. The first day for public tours in Evansville will be Oct. 4 (although there are other special events scheduled prior to that).

We're really looking forward to seeing all of our wonderful friends in Evansville again!

PHOTOS OF NEW DOCK CONSTRUCTION
Posted 05 September 2005

Below are photos taken Sunday, Sept. 4, of dock construction in Evansville. The two giant mooring cells are almost finished. The main dock platform has been delivered to Marina Pointe and is in the photos. We will move the platform into place Monday. The platform will be painted to match the 325.

The two giant mooring cells the color of LST 325 (very close anyway).

The main dock platform. This will be painted the same color as LST 325.

This dock will sit between
the mooring cells.

Ticket-Gift shop garage door now installed. This door to be used for handicapped access.

Ticket-Gift shop.
Another electric garage door.

Small boats can access the dock.

PLEASE SEND US YOUR SUBMISSIONS!

A personal note from the WebSkipper: I'd like to encourage absolutely anybody and everybody to provide material for this page. By no means are submissions here restricted to just certain individuals. The whole purpose of this website (and especially this particular page) is to share information about our LST Memorial with the entire community. If you have any news to share at all, please just send me an email: WebSkipper@LSTMemorial.Org -- all of us would be very appreciative, and we all want to know what's going on!

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Archives:

Archive for September 2005:

30 SEP 05 - USS LST 325 to Arrive October 3rd in Evansville, Indiana
29 SEP 05 - "A Homecoming of Memories" by Susie Bloom ("SeaBat")
28 SEP 05 - In Memoriam, Kenneth E. Knight
22 SEP 05 - LST 325 Departure Delayed
12 SEP 05 - More Photos of Dock Construction
09 SEP 05 - Tentative Relocation Plans
05 SEP 05 - Photos of New Dock Construction

Archive for August 2005:

31 AUG 05 - Captain's Report on Hurricane Katrina
30 AUG 05 - Evansville Preparations Coming Along in Style
28 AUG 05 - Ship's Store Update
28 AUG 05 - Call for Evansville Volunteers
28 AUG 05 - Anticipated Ship's Schedule in Evansville
19 AUG 05 - Moving to Evansville
05 AUG 05 - Call for Volunteers
02 AUG 05 - Evansville's Getting Ready

Archive for July 2005:

20 JUL 05 - East Coast Voyage, from Ron Maranto
08 JUL 05 - Mobile Arrival Pictures, from WPMI (Mobile NBC 15)
05 JUL 05 - Concluding SITREP
04 JUL 05 - Independence Day Reflections, from Susie Bloom ("SeaBat")
03 JUL 05 - SITREP
02 JUL 05 - SITREP
01 JUL 05 - SITREP

Archives for current year


Archive for June 2005 (second part)	Archive for June 2005 (first part)
Archive for May 2005 (second part)	Archive for May 2005 (first part)
Archive for April 2005	Archive for March 2005
Archive for February 2005	Archive for January 2005

Archives for previous years

Situation Reports from XO Jackson Carter
for the period: 17 JUL 00 - 09 JAN 01 *(see below)*
Complete index of archives, 2004	Complete index of archives, 2003
Complete index of archives, 2002	Complete index of archives, 2001

CDR Jackson Carter was LST-325's Executive Officer before and during the voyage back from Greece. In addition to his normal duties, he was an avid ham radio operator and enjoyed communicating during his down-time with other hams all over the world. He also maintained a website for LST-325 which included all of his situation reports, as well as many photographs showing the hard work done in Greece getting the ship seaworthy – that site is a must-see for anyone who hopes to understand what it took to bring this ship home. Most importantly, Mr. Carter was one of the finest human beings one could ever hope to meet. He passed away just five weeks after finally realizing his dream. This website now carries on the work – and the dream – where he left off, and in his memory. Thanks, Jack ... for being you.

Fair winds!

In Memoriam
Jackson Carter