Historic WWII Ship to Docked in Cape Girardeau for Tours

In this episode we cover a story by Web and Assignment Editor Taylor Slavens, who reported on the historic WWII ship USS LST 325 that docked in Cape Girardeau Sept. 25-29, offering public tours and a chance to explore one of the last surviving tank landing ships from World War II.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello, and welcome to Arrow on the air. In this episode,
we're covering a story by Taylor Slavens about a historic
World War Two ship that docked in Cape Girardo for tours.
On September twenty fifth through twenty ninth, The uss LST
three twenty five, a World War II era tank landing ship,
docked in Cape Girardo. The ship, once used to carry

(00:21):
service members and supplies across the water, was open for
public tours. Visitors were able to explore the vessel, learn
about the history and roll of LST ships, and hear
stories about the men who worked on these ships. The
stop in Cape Girardo is part of the ship's annual
River System cruise, where it visits various US port cities.
The tours are open to families, students, and history enthusiasts.

(00:44):
The uss LST three twenty five is one of the
last surviving tank landing ships from World War II. The
vessel was built to carry troops, vehicles, and supplies onto
enemy shores. After its service in the war, the vessel
also operated in the Arctic and Greek. In two thousand,
the uss LST Ship Memorial gained ownership of the vessel

(01:05):
and it was restored and unveiled for the public for
tours in two thousand one. Since its restoration, the vessel
has traveled across the United States. In two thousand five,
the ship found a home in Evansville, Indiana, where it
docked at a three million dollar facility built specifically to
house it. The vessel remains fully operational and is preserved
through private donations and volunteer crews. According to the uss

(01:29):
LST Ship Memorial website, their mission is to preserve and
operate the uss LST three twenty five as a museum
honoring the roles of landing ship tanks and their crews
in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam through artifacts, exhibits,
and educational programs. The uss LST Ship Memorial is a
non profit organization run by a volunteer board, administrative staff,

(01:53):
and part time dosints. When the ship is in port,
the board manages operations, and the captain and crew manage
the vessel when it's away. Their website features a few
virtual exhibits as well, where visitors can explore the history
of the vessel, learn about World War Two experiences, and more.
Thank you for listening to Arrow on the Air, I'm
your host Ella Tinsley and I'll see you next time.