On a brisk October morning in 2025, the last operational World War II Landing Ship Tank, known as LST 325, sliced through the waters of the Midwest, making a memorable stop along the Ohio River. For many, this was more than just an old ship passing through—it was a rare, living artifact of history, a vessel that some credit with helping to win World War II for the Allies. Over the course of four weeks, the LST 325 visited cities throughout the Midwest, including Muscatine, Iowa, as well as locations in Missouri and Illinois, offering the public a unique opportunity to step aboard a piece of the past.
According to NPR, the ship’s arrival in Muscatine drew an impressive crowd. Approximately 6,000 people paid to tour the ship during that weekend alone, each eager to glimpse what life might have been like for the sailors and soldiers who once called the LST home. The tours, organized by the museum that maintains the vessel, are more than just educational—they support ongoing preservation efforts, ensuring that future generations can continue to experience this remarkable piece of history firsthand.
“So right here, we see this map. What is this map? This map shows you every location the ship went to during World War II,” explained crew member Zach Shaw, guiding visitors through the ship’s storied past. The LST 325 looks much as it did in 1944, a testament to both its careful maintenance and the dedication of its largely volunteer crew. During the war, these ships were custom-built for a very specific—and critical—purpose: delivering troops, tanks, and heavy equipment directly to enemy shores, often under heavy fire.
“All of the major turning points—in school, you kids may have heard some of these names, like North Africa, during Operation Torch and Salerno. This ship was there when all of those big events happened,” Shaw told visitors, according to NPR. It’s hard not to be awed by the ship’s resume. In 1944, LST 325 delivered troops and tanks to Omaha Beach on D-Day, one of the most pivotal moments of the war. The ship was one of roughly 1,000 LSTs built for World War II, with an astonishing 167 constructed in Evansville, Indiana—its usual home port.
The ship is powered by twin 100-year-old locomotive engines, each about the size of a passenger car. When fired up, they produce a deep, resonant hum—a sound that, for some, must have signaled both hope and fear as the ship approached hostile shores. Despite its formidable presence, the LST 325 is no speed demon. Its maximum speed tops out at about 14 miles per hour, earning it nicknames like "last ship there" or "large, slow target." But as University of Evansville history professor James MacLeod pointed out, speed wasn’t what made these ships so vital.
“I think it’s very easy to say that this was the ship that won the war. Obviously, it was a much more complicated story than that,” MacLeod said in an interview with NPR. “But if you think about the American landings in France and Sicily and Italy and North Africa and all across the Pacific, really, they were successful because the soldiers and Marines that landed were able to be supported relatively quickly with heavy equipment and tanks, and that was primarily done by LSTs.”
Walking the decks of the LST 325, visitors could see firsthand how the ship was designed for its mission. During wartime, the upper deck was packed with lighter vehicles like Jeeps, while the cavernous tank deck below could hold and deliver 20 Sherman tanks straight into enemy territory. For MacLeod, this feature is especially powerful. “And you think what that must have been like during the moments before the ship hit the beaches, when there would have been dozens and dozens of young men in the 20 Sherman tanks that would have been lined up in that tank deck, just waiting for the bow doors to open and for their war to start,” he reflected.
Preparing the ship for its tour is no small feat. The mostly volunteer crew spends hours ensuring everything is shipshape, from untying the vessel to checking engine pressure and prepping the decks. Onlookers waved to the crew as the ship slowly turned in the Ohio River, a scene that echoed the past in the most poignant way. Children called out, “I see you,” and laughter rang out as the ship motored away, a living memory gliding through the heartland.
Artifacts like the LST 325 are growing rarer by the year. As the number of surviving World War II veterans dwindles, the importance of preserving such relics—and the stories they tell—only grows. MacLeod emphasized the significance of these efforts: “Because so few World War II veterans remain, such artifacts are important to learn about the history and to remember their sacrifices.” For many who toured the ship, it was a chance to connect with the past in a tangible way, to better understand the courage and ingenuity that helped shape the modern world.
The LST 325’s journey through the Midwest served not only as a moving tribute to the men and women who served during World War II but also as a reminder of the power of community. The ship is maintained by a museum, but it’s the volunteers—their sweat, skill, and dedication—who keep it afloat and accessible. Their efforts ensure that the lessons of history aren’t lost to time, and that the LST 325 continues to inspire awe and gratitude in all who step aboard.
As the LST 325 continues its voyage, cutting through the rivers and memories of America, its legacy endures—not just as a ship, but as a symbol of resilience, ingenuity, and the enduring human spirit.
