This ship survived Omaha Beach – now it’s coming back to Clarksville

On June 6, 1944, a 328-foot steel vessel dropped its ramp onto the sand at Omaha Beach and began delivering tanks, trucks and troops into the heart of the D-Day invasion. Eight decades later, that same ship – LST 325, one of the last of its kind and the only fully operational LST left in the United States – is sailing back for a return visit to Clarksville, Tennessee.

The LST 325 didn’t stop at Normandy. In the months that followed, the ship made 42 more round trips between England and France, ferrying tanks, fuel, ammunition and supplies to Allied forces, and carrying wounded soldiers back to England when it was needed as a floating hospital. On one of those crossings, the crew pulled 600 soldiers from the freezing waters of the North Sea after their ship was torpedoed and sunk by the enemy – a rescue that remains one of the ship’s most remarkable chapters.

Built in the Philadelphia Navy Yard in 1942, the LST 325 stretches 328 feet long and 50 feet wide and today looks almost exactly as it did the day it left the shipyard. Its original equipment remains intact and functional, including the 20 mm and 40 mm anti-aircraft guns that once defended its decks. Standing aboard the ship, visitors won’t just be looking at history; they’ll be standing on it.

That living piece of history docks in downtown Clarksville at McGregor Park along the Cumberland River from Thursday, Oct. 8 through Monday, Oct. 12, open for public tours daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Crew members will be on hand throughout the visit to walk guests through the ship’s story and honor the men who served aboard LST-class vessels during the war.

Bringing a ship of this scale to Clarksville took months of behind-the-scenes coordination. Visit Clarksville’s sales team worked directly with the LST 325’s planning crew since the fall of 2025 to orchestrate every detail of the ship’s docking, from securing the McGregor Park location along the Cumberland River to coordinating tour logistics for the five-day visit.

This is the first time since September 2017 that the LST 325 has stopped in Clarksville.

“The unique opportunity to see a true World War II-era ship in Clarksville will be a truly remarkable and memorable experience for students, locals, and visitors of all ages. The ship’s visit to Clarksville is extra special given our city’s meaningful military history. I hope everyone who visits the ship appreciates its beauty and historical significance,” said Angie Brady, executive director of Visit Clarksville. “I also encourage everyone, while they are downtown enjoying the LST 325 ship, to visit our local attractions, shops, and restaurants.”

Tickets will be available onsite at the ship and online at www.lstmemorial.org. Adults: $20. Children 6–17: $10. Children 5 and under: free.