Each person who visits LST-325 during its stay in Hannibal with likely leave with a different impression of the ship. Robert Jornlin, captain of LST-325, hopes people go away realizing just how truly distinct the vessel is.
“It’s really a unique ship,” he said. “It’s the only ship ever designed by any country that can go up on a beach, off load 20 Sherman tanks right on the beach, then back off and get more.”
LST-325 is unique because of more than its design.
“This ship is original, just like it came out of the yard in Pittsburgh in 1942,” said Jornlin. “It’s got the original guns. It’s got the original engines. Everything works on this ship from the bow anchor to the stern anchor.”
Also making the ship special is the effect it has on many of those who board it.
“I’ve had sons and daughters come back after their dad toured the ship and went off and they tell you, ‘You don’t know what you did for my dad.’ This is the greatest thing for him that he’s ever had since he got out of the war,” said Jornlin. “That’s the pay. You can’t buy it with Master Card. We get paid well.”
While the LST’s crew may be well paid in “emotional currency,” none of the 40 people on board is financially compensated. The money generated through admission fees goes toward ship upkeep and travel expenses.
“Every man serving on here is a volunteer including the pilots who brought us up the river,” said Jornlin. “It (serving on the LST) is a hard job. You’re standing on steel. You’re talking to people sometimes at the top of your lungs because it’s noisy with fans running and a generator running.”
Most of the crew consists of former members of the U.S. Navy, who represent a number of states.
“They come from all over. We have them from Arizona, Florida. Illinois is where I’m from,” said Jornlin. “We’ve got one from Pennsylvania, several from Ohio and quite a few from Indiana.”
A total of 17 states were represented among the crew that traveled to Greece in 2000 to bring LST-325 home. The ship became a melting pot of strangers, according to Jornlin.
“Nobody knew each other. We all volunteered to do this, but we weren’t friends and hadn’t severed on the same ships before. But we wanted to bring an LST back to show everybody what one is like,” he said.
Since that time the LST has sailed to an assortment of destinations east of the Mississippi River. This, however, is the LST’s maiden trip up the Mississippi River.
“This is the first time an LST has been up the Mississippi. I don’t think there’s been a Navy ship up the Mississippi, although I’m not sure about that totally,” said Jornlin. “I know Quincy made some landing craft, some small boats. But there weren’t any ships built up here.”
Jornlin and his crew are happy to have the chance to let people set foot on a piece of history.
“It’s a lot of fun and we’ve met a lot of great people,” he said. “We love to come to cities like Hannibal and show it to people and school kids.”
Jornlin believes seeing the LST, which earned battle stars during the World War II invasions of Sicily and Normandy, is more than just an educational outing for students.
“Young kids that come around, they don’t know too much about the Navy, Army or World War II in particular,” he said. “You can tell them some things about what this ship did and how it did it. I think they go away with a little more patriotism and understanding of what sacrifices were made by these men when they were only 17 or 18 years old. Most of the sailors, that’s the age they were. I think they grew up real fast when they got out and made an invasion in one of these ships.”
LST-325 typically makes one “major trip” annually, with this year’s being to Hannibal.
“This is going to be a 2,400-mile trip. It’s going to take 32 days,” said Jornlin. “I have a volunteer crew. They don’t want to leave their wives, kids and grandkids for any more than that.”
LST-325 is scheduled to be in Hannibal through Monday, Aug. 25.
“I sure encourage everybody to come and see the ship,” said Jornlin. “It was built in 1942. How long we can keep it running... Not only the mechanical things, but also with the new safety regulations which put us in a bind sometimes getting them accomplished. But we try to do that the best we can. I don’t know how many more times it will come up the Mississippi.”
