"Come Walk The Decks of History"

Tuesday - September 7: The WWII LST 325 ship made its second trip past Wellsville in the last eight days this past Tuesday evening. While Wellsville Historical Society President Robert "Brassy" Beresford rang out a salute the ship passed the River Museum around 7:30 P.M. This time there was enough daylight for several of us spectators lining the shoreline to get some pictures.

The 68 year old ship was first launched on 10 October 1942. The hull for this ship was probably built on Neville Island near Pittsburgh. There is a sign hanging on the rails, on the starboard side, that says "Come Walk The Decks of History" and states the LST 325 is a veteran of invasions at "???", Salerno and Omaha Beach at Normandy in 1944. We couldn't make out the first location mentioned on the sign, possibly Utah Beach. The LST was used to land troops, equipment and supplies on enemy beaches. This particular ship was used to land troops at Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944.

This LST is one of two that have been preserved and was recently restored at their home port in Evansville, Indiana. When passing through Wellsville last week it was headed for Pittsburgh for Labor Day week-end tours. Coming back this week it was headed for Marietta, Ohio, for more tours this coming Friday, Saturday & Sunday. After that it will be on its way back to Evansville. It is now a museum ship listed on the National Register of Historic Places. While anchored at its home port it is open Tuesday through Sunday for tours.

It was a piece of history passing through...

ole nib