Nearly 80 years ago, hundreds of thousands of military personnel embarked on one of the most dangerous missions ever — the D-Day invasion on the northern coast of France.
Many of these men were carried to their destinations via Landing Ship, Tanks, or “LSTs” — ships designed to support amphibious operations by carrying tanks, vehicles, cargo, and troops.
One of these crafts is still operational today. LST-325 is normally in Evansville, Ind., and open for tours.
Currently, it’s on its annual “cruise” and making stops in the Midwest.
I recently had the opportunity to view the ship, inside and out, during its stop in Dubuque, Iowa.
While I’m just an amateur history scholar and I’ve never served in any branch, I couldn’t help but make a few observations.
What I saw
While the ship isn’t a total time capsule to June of 1944 (there are a few modern “upgrades” such as florescent lighting, new laundry facilities, protective padding over low-hanging metal bars, etc.), one still can’t help but stop and think about the thoughts, actions, and emotions that were taking place as the craft was making its way toward Omaha Beach.
The LST once transported a group of men who were heading to their proudest moments, their greatest survivals, their moments of heroism, or their ends.
The ship, and others like it during those war years, represented a country that was coming together to defeat an enemy and bring freedom to many parts of the world.
Could anyone who served on “325” know what it would look like nearly 80 years later? Probably not, but it would be interesting to know what they’d think about it.
The A.D. 2023 sights and sounds on the vessel included families with members of all ages coming aboard.
Everyone waited in line before they paid their admission via card or cash.
Many of the people were decked out in the colors of Iowa football or Iowa State football, and much of the conversation within was related to that big game of the young college season.
There were many veterans volunteering on the LST that day. Many of them served during the Vietnam War. This was a sign of a later generation taking over from those who came before them and serving as the caretakers of their legacies.
There was a time for joking also. The “admiral” was aboard, a plastic skeleton proudly wearing his uniform for public view.
Many of the items aboard were authentic from the era, such as radio equipment and weaponry. There was also a jeep that was used in the MASH movie — a 1970 film about a 1950s war, another merging of generations.
As the tour ended, it was time for one final stop on the ship — the gift shop, complete with baskets in case anyone was going to buy more than an arm’s load of items. There were lots of military-related kids’ toys for sale as well as books and T-shirts.
What it looks like
Is LST-325 a memorial, a tribute, and a museum honoring those who served, or merely a tourist curiosity?
I’ll let you decide that one, but I do think it’s a chance to celebrate all that was gained on D-Day and in the months and years after.
Let’s be thankful we live in a time and a place where such a craft like LST-325 can devote some of its space to a gift shop (where the money goes to support the ship and its preservation efforts).
Let’s be thankful we have the freedom to take the time to visit a place like “325” and either be a kid beaming with happiness at being on a “cool” ship or be an adult and try to experience what life was like for those who fought for us.
Let’s be thankful we can talk football with total strangers and not have to be on the defensive too often against oppression and tyranny.
Let’s be thankful a ship like that has areas where people are encouraged to take pictures of themselves and remember the day.
Is this what they fought for on June 6, 1944? I hope so. I hope they fought for a freedom we could enjoy and still remember where and who it came from.
So, for letting me tour your old ship, for allowing me to take pictures of an old “entertainment radio” on board, for giving me a chance to look through the cross-hairs of a deck gun, and for letting me check out the price tag of a stuffed bear in a naval uniform — thank you. Thank you for these freedoms.
And, thank you to those serving on vessels, bases, and so on that are still active today.
Do we take our freedom for granted? Of course, we do, but I do hope that’s what all the fighting was about.
While we should always be vigilant in case a new enemy wants to attack us, should we not be able to look forward and bask in our God-given freedom to be free?
Thank you for reading.
I’m praying for you.