Crowds of people in one Mississippi River town raised their phones to take a picture and record a piece of World War II history as it made its way up the Mississippi River on Saturday.
The LST-325, a World War II vessel that played a pivotal role in the D-Day operation in Europe, is traveling up the Mississippi River to its home in Evansville, Indiana, after spending several months dry-docked in Texas. Every 10 years, the boat travels back and forth from Indiana to Texas to get crucial inspections and maintenance to keep its operation status.
On Saturday, the vessel passed by Natchez, where people lined up along the riverfront and the high bluff to catch a glimpse of the boat returning to its home.
The boat is scheduled to return to Evansville by the end of the month and host a solar eclipse party on April 8.
Information about the LST-325
LST-325 was launched on 27 October 1942 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and commissioned on 1 February 1943 under Lt. Ira Ehrensall, USNR.
The ship operated in the North Africa area and participated in the invasions at Gela, Sicily and Salerno, Italy.