Evansville's LST 325 now on fall cruise to Iowa

Folks along the Ohio River may have gotten a glimpse of a floating museum going past over the weekend, and they'll get another chance to see it at the end of the month.

The LST 325 left its dock in Evansville last Wednesday and began its annual fall cruise. This year's trip will take it up the Mississippi River to Muscatine, Iowa, then to Alton, Illinois for several days on display.

The LST is a WWII-era amphibious ship designed to deliver tanks, troops and supplies directly on enemy beaches. Dozens of LSTs continued to serve in Vietnam.

LST 325 was first used in World War II. Now the ship’s mission is to preserve the memory of similar ships and the servicemembers that served aboard them.

Visitors will be allowed to explore the ship’s deck, see original equipment and hear the stories of the sailors who served on the ship.

On its way back home to Evansville, the USS LST Ship Memorial will visit Cape Girardeau’s Riverfront Park from September 25-29.

The ship will be available for tours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily during the stop in Cape Girardeau.