LST-783, like the majority of LSTs, was scrapped long ago. For decades it wasn’t possible to have a firsthand understanding of the ship that took our young men into the Pacific and European Theaters. That changed in 2001 when aging WWII veterans bought an LST from Greece and brought her home. LST-325, the only LST left in America is moored in her home port of Evansville, IN.

I first visited LST-325 both in Alton, IL and Hannibal, MO in 2008. In April 2009 I lived and worked 13 days aboard LST-325 during Work Week. I have since sailed the Ohio River in her 5 times. I am technically assigned to the Black Gang, below in the engine room, but I've also welded and patched the ship's hull and otherwise worked on the ship with the deck crew. I fell in love with LST-325, became a card carrying member of the living memorial and then became an active crew member with over 800 hours of service to the ship thus far.

Albeit not under fire or in war time conditions, I have lived in close proximity, in crowded conditions, among those you didn't necessarily like and were stuck being with. Short of fist fights, anxiety over life and death situations and subject to military authority, I've pretty much experienced nearly everything those boys did back then. I experienced firsthand living on an LST affectionately known as a “Long Slow Target.”

I have stood anywhere on LST-325 and know that my father in all probability similarly stood on his ship in the same exact spots on his ship LST-783 several decades ago during WWII. To this day I love the feel of the ship and more than anything I miss her unique smell of diesel fuel and oils when I am away. The ship is now in my blood. I have become brothers for life with the crew of the 325 and while they were alive I similarly became brothers, through my experience aboard LST-325, with my father’s shipmates that I tracked down and visited personally with them. Every time I step aboard LST-325 it's like I'm stepping back in time walking about the LST-783. Given the hundreds of photos I collected and were given by my father’s shipmates, I feel very much a part of both ships.

It's an honor to step aboard LST-325, www.lstmemorial.org and I am proud to have an opportunity to serve an active WWII ship that made 44 trips across the English Channel, standing and sleeping where countless thousands of men stood before storming various shores across Europe. I'm thankful every day for our Veterans, especially thankful to our WWII boys, the Greatest Generation who saved America for us. I’m also thankful for the opportunity to work side by side with men from all walks of life who are dedicated to keeping LST-325 alive, maintained and well. I’m certain the countless thousands who board her annually as she sails to different ports across the country feel the same gratitude.

My wonderful wife Linda shared my desire to find information and she and I drove to the Archive Center in Maryland to retrieve deck logs and whatever else we could find there. Since we had to drive toward Pittsburgh anyway, we decided to see if we could find the old Dravo Ship Yard, where the 783 was built.

On the way, as long as we were improvising, we called the deceased Skippers son, Jack McAlister, Jr., who lived in Erie, PA. We were lucky to find him home and diverted north to meet him for the first time. We were blessed with a very nice visit and were allowed to digitally photograph more than 1500 pages of love letters that his father had written long ago to his recently deceased mother. Each letter described where his father was on any given date, the action taking place and his life aboard the 783. Wow, they freely shared letters they themselves had not read. I am forever indebted to Jack McAlister, Jr. Thank You!

I found the old Dravo Shipyards and wandered on the property, uninvited. We were eventually noticed and asked to leave, but not before I took a hundred plus photos of everything still there. At the Archive center we copied everything available before seeing the sights around town. With my wife and I pulling and copying files, we finished in record time, explored D.C. all we wanted and were on our way. One of the key bits of information collected were files of Muster Rolls identifying ship members. That helped us pull shipmate records. On a whim, I called Sylvester “Biggs” Fetner, an RM1C shipmate, living in Williamsburg, Virginia. After a three hour wait and increasing doubt, we heard from him then drove to Virginia. We were very pleased to have enjoyed a very nice visit with him and his wife Jackie. We were delighted to receive more photos of the ship, as well as shipmate information.

By now I’m feeling my oats and called a Gaylord Humble, S2C and 20MM starboard gunner, credited with a Mitsubishi G4M Betty Bomber in Leyte, who was living in Cleveland, TN. That was a tremendous visit. I now have more photos and video tape of his life and exploits both on and off the ship. He reminded me that his best friend Lacy Adams, and first loader in his gun tub, lived in Kentucky ten miles off the interstate, on my way home to St Louis. Could it get any better than that? It was another opportunity for more pictures, more stories, another handshake and a new friend. You can meet my new friends and read a portion of their visit to Iwo Jima via this link to The Midway to order your copy of LST-783 Cruise Book, A WWII Journal. 

A look at the atlas revealed that we were 120 miles south of Evansville where LST-325 was moored. Why not? I couldn’t have planned the trip better if I had tried. I had yet to see the 325 with her bow doors closed, but more importantly I just had to see the ladder descending into the underway swimming area between the ramp and doors, under the bow bofars, that my dad spoke of so often. In my first foray through the starboard side of the 325, I saw the rack with my name on it, reserved for work week later that April. I enjoyed walking through the quiet, empty LST during afterhours when tours and activity had ceased. I left Evansville with anticipation for the opportunity to work and live on the 325 during the soon approaching work week.

On the way home I received a phone call response to a letter that I had mailed to a hopeful address of another shipmate that I had mailed before I left. I was not only rewarded with another lost shipmate, Harry Sonnefelt, but coincidentally, he was the gunner of gun 24, the same gun tub my father was in on the port side of the ship. How lucky was that? The very next weekend we were in Chicago listening to Harry’s stories about my father and the 783. Like all my father’s shipmates he and my father have since left us, but his family assures me how much he and they enjoyed our time together. The same could be said of Lindy and I. In addition to photos and amazing stories he also laughingly told us some whoppers, most of which he fessed up to. He was a fun, funny guy fersure!

In late April, I completed LST Work Week and sailed the 325 to Paducah, Kentucky where I had the opportunity to give tours of the ship and speak with the general public about my love for the 325. As an Ambassador of Goodwill, I had the privilege of extending a welcoming hand to many, including new members that I had the pleasure of signing into the 325 family.

Work Week was exactly that, WORK, but I did have a good time. As a Seaman Apprentice, I wanted to know how the ship operated and what it was like living on a LST. My mission was accomplished and then some. The first thing I learned was how to pressurize the Fire Mains and seal off leaks, just like back in the day. The second thing I learned was never take anything out of the damage control locker when you cannot find it anywhere else. Ha!

After taking care of the leaks, I assisted in making monkey poop (A-788 Underwater Epoxy) that was used to seal off a hole that allowed runoff water to invade the Dry Provision Compartment in the fantail, Not Good! Next I was Safety Watch for welding done under the Starboard, lower Bow Door Hinge.

Of the four plates that were torched and welded around that hinge, I personally cut two of them. The second plate had an extra 1 inch tall by 1 inch protruding nipple that fit perfectly in the bulkhead groove. It was my first time with a torch and I cut both of them freehanded and the guys were impressed. The rest of the story is that my lines snagged and the torch tipped and started cooking my arm on the last piece. Good thing I have good reactions. I was embarrassed more than anything, but I now know why welders wear long sleeved shirts and don’t torch or weld in sandals and thongs. Ha! I also learned to stick weld and reinforced a ladder rung descending into a fourth deck hold. They saved the hardest one to get at for me, but I did it, finally. I found that I do better right to left, pushing the stick into the crack, instead of dragging it left to right as I was instructed. I always wanted to do both and Work Week gave me the opportunity to learn and do many things. I'm very thankful for the opportunity to serve.

I had the pleasure of learning how to engage/disengage the wildcat, raise and lower the bow anchor, as well as ribbon the chain back and forth as it entered the chain locker, which I personally enjoyed doing. I learned the ramp and bow door operation, tended the ramp chain in both directions and know which knife switches to throw down in the Auxiliary Room, having done such. I learned the proper sequence for operating the elevator as well as releasing the electric brake handle and pressing the newly repaired lift buzzer. But wait, there’s more. I attended the LCVP training class, attended engine room class, learning where to insert the key to the engine, how taxing it is to hand crank the lube oil pressure to 10 lbs and hand pump the fuel on both engines, whew I was tired, but I did it! Having taken excellent notes, I believe I can get those engines lit off myself, well except for remembering all those valves and some experience with that throttle.

What I especially remember was all the various dark holds and voids on the 325. Some were found during exploration, some were found because I descended into them with a sump pump. I went in some scary places in the 325, but I didn’t meet the ghost of Jonathan, which was okay with me.

During the week I monitored the ship’s fresh water tank intake, mooring lines and the sump pumping of various voids throughout the ship. I even got to help repack the shafts in shaft alley. About the only thing I didn’t get to do was drop and house the stern anchor, take a turn at the helm and spend time in the scullery. Fortunately, my remaining good ear avoided the needle guns and the noise of chipping paint on the tank deck. Again, missing those things was alright by me. What I didn't miss was the 0400 to 0800 watch, three times. Ha!

One of the most important things I wanted to do was to satisfy an age old curiosity. My father always spoke of how they swam inside the bow, between the ramp and the bow doors, while they were underway. While I didn’t go swimming, I did descend the ladder and put my foot in the water while we were underway. I just had to do it.

I had a grand time riding the twin 40 Bofars down the Ohio. I called several of my father’s 783 Shipmates, now my friends, asking them to guess where I was and what I was doing. Each of them was exceedingly happy for me. I was one of them now. I knew what it was like to live and work on the large, slow target. It was a Christmas present that came early. Riding the 325 down the Ohio River was a wonderful experience I intend to share many times over.

I didn’t get to return to Evansville with the ship because my father-in-law passed away unexpectantly, so I left the 325 early. Before I left, I spent a couple days giving tours and meeting the visitors. Many of them I signed up as new members, welcoming them into the family. I am a new member myself having joined in October.

The 325 returned to the United States in 2000. There have been many crew members since then. While I’ve only invested 800 plus hours working on this ship, I still feel a vital part of the crew, part of the family. It was fun to laugh and enjoy the ship together with my new friends, friends that truly appreciate the grand lady and each other.

Since becoming a member of The LST Association and that of LST 325 in October 2008 I have ingested more LST information than I every expected possible. With DVDs from the LST Association, information from YOUTUBE I have a wealth of information at my fingertips. I have lived on the 325, cruised with her and the incredible men that cater to her needs and worked side by side with them. I am pleased to be part of the 325 family and everyone associated with the organization.

I have even performed aboard LST 325. Now that my children have finished college and have their own lives to live, the Joey Kelly Circus no longer exists, having folded its tent symbolically speaking. Now Lindy and I enjoy performing for Veterans. I met LST friends and sailors that I have had communication with but never in person. I likewise have had the pleasure of speaking with more Gold Crew Members who sailed the ship from Greece while entertaining everyone both on the ship and at several banquets. More than anything, I enjoyed being around the ship for nearly a week and noticed that I miss walking her decks, listening to her sounds, the engines, and more than expected, I miss the smell. I have become a snipe and the ship is in my blood now, as well as in my heart.

LST conventions accord me opportunities to speak with different veterans from different ships and duties. I heard valuable insights into an era so long ago. I wish I could have spoken with each one in more depth, but I equally enjoyed mingling with everyone and enjoyed the moments. As WWII Veterans dwindle in number I am left with photos and the memories they shared.

I would be remiss if I didn't share my most treasured memories of sailors at the various LST conventions. During those Receptions, I had the pleasure of seeing the joy in the eyes of the women sitting next to their men, watching the joy in their husbands faces as they swapped stories. Even more memorable when those receptions were held on LST-325 when I observed the men standing about the ship lost in their own thoughts of being on an LST one more time. It was very touching indeed.

When I set out to write my book, LST-783 and The Men Who Sailed Her, I never imagined I would love the 325 as I now do. Nor did I expect to explore every nook and cranny of the ship or perch myself atop twin 40s, cruising down the Ohio River. I cannot impress upon you how much I value having talked with WWII Navy Veterans and my father's shipmates, many who became personal friends. I cannot tell you how blessed I am to have found so many wonderful, Navy Veterans all because I wanted to delve into my father's past, some six decades ago.

After living 24/7 for thirteen days aboard the 325 that first time in 2009 I arrived home to find a box from one of my father’s shipmates that I had met in person. In it were letters my father had written him over the years. Having just spent two weeks living aboard LST-325, those letters become all the more real.

As a Veteran who served in The United States Air Force 1969, 70, 71 and 1972, during the Viet Nam era, I also make it a point to thank fellow Veterans for their service. I hope you do too. Thank You for your interest in reading about my association with LST-325. There are several YOUTUBE videos of this historic ship available to view online.

Additionally, if you want to experience what it was like to live aboard an LST during WWII you can get a firsthand account of very detailed ship Deck Logs and my father’s and the Captain’s daily accounting of life in the Pacific theater via my Book LST-783 Cruise Book and Journal.

Please visit The Midway to order your copy of LST-783 Cruise Book, A WWII Journal.