The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.

Friday, August 24, 2012

LST-325 Visiting Pittsburgh-- Part 1: Large Slow Targets

From the August 30, 2010, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "World War II landing craft due on North Shore for b-day appearance" by Torsten Ore.

Stanley Barisg, 90, served on LST-325, the last functioning Landing Ship Tank (what the LST stands for)  during World War II.  The ship was at the invasion of Sicily and at D-Day.  Today, the ship is based in Evansvlle, Indiana, but goes out on cruises to bring World War II's heritage to people.  It will be in Pittsburgh until September 7th.

Barish, a former engineering officer, is an amateur photographer and took many pictures of his old ship while aboard.

During the war, over 1,000 of these ships were built with the purpose of delivering tanks, trucks and troops directly to the beach through a pair of giant bow doors.

As far as I know, they were never named, just numbered, which is strange for a vessel the size of these.  Because they were built to move large cargoes, they weren't very fast and earned the other name of LST: Large Slow Targets from their crews.

I've Visited This Ship.  --GreGen

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