Restored WWII ship delayed in Burlington by low water

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By Kay Luna | Wednesday, August 27, 2008 9:21 AM CDT | () comments

UPDATED: Water levels as low as 7 feet along the silted-in Mississippi River channel near Oquawka, Ill., have delayed the arrival in the Quad-Cities of the USS LST 325 Ship Memorial — but you can still go on board for tours today and tomorrow in Burlington, Iowa.

The World War II watercraft was scheduled to cruise past Burlington on its way to Moline today, but the vessel was forced to dock Tuesday evening in Burlington while waiting for the channel to be dredged, Capt. Robert Jornlin said this morning.

He added that the river is closed to navigation in that area.

The captain now hopes the vessel can arrive Friday in Moline and be open for public tours Saturday along the Ben Butterworth Parkway, near the Celebration Belle riverboat.

In the meantime, the craft is expected to open for tours in Burlington at about noon today and continuing Thursday. Tours cost $10 per adult and $5 per child younger than 17 years, free for children younger than 6 years and $20 for a family ticket. Proceeds go toward restoration and maintenance of the vessel.

For more information about USS LST 325, go online to lstmemorial.org.

Restored warship delayed by low water

By Thomas Geyer

EARLIER STORY: The USS LST 325 Ship Memorial that was expected to arrive today in Moline is being delayed in its journey to the Quad-Cities because of low water, Capt. Robert Jornlin said Tuesday night.

Jornlin said the ship is docked at Burlington and he hopes to get underway sometime Friday.

“They told me it would be a couple of days,” Jornlin said, adding that the problem is

20 miles north of Burlington where he was told the Mississippi River was down to seven feet. He said he was told the river in that area is closed to traffic.

This particular LST, or Landing Ship Tank, was commissioned in 1942 and originally known as LST-325 during World War II, and USNS LST-325 during its Arctic operations in the 1950s. Later, the ship was called L-144 (A/G Syros) after the U.S. Navy discontinued its service, and the ship was transferred to the Greek Navy.

The ship was launched for the first time Oct. 27, 1942, from Philadelphia, participating in the invasions at Sicily and Italy. On June 6, 1944, it became part of the largest armada in history by participating in the D-Day invasion at Omaha Beach.

On its first trip back to England from France, the ship hauled 38 casualties back to a friendly port. Ship volunteers say Navy records show that over the next nine months, the ship made more than 40 trips back and forth across the English Channel, carrying thousands of men and pieces of equipment that troops needed to complete the liberation of Europe.

The ship continued to run supply trips between England and France before returning to the United States in March 1945. LST-325 was decommissioned in 1946 and sent to Greece in 1964.

Thomas Geyer can be contacted at (563) 383-2328 or tgeyer@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.