Bringing Back A Hero: Return of LST 325

"Ahead I could see the storm clouds growing as the wind continued to increase. We were close to Sicily where this hero ship had made her first landing with Patton's tanks and officers on July 10, 1943. The LSTs had been hit then also by a blistering storm coming out of the southwest which lasted for several days. I could see the lightning streaking across the now very dark sky, with streaks coming straight down into the sea. Rain began to pelt our windows in the conning station and we found out the windshield wipers did not work." A true story (not a Sea Story) of 29 American Navy Veterans average age 72 finding, restoring, and attempting to sail a 58 year old WWII Landing Ship Tank back to the United States. A task never accomplished before by a military ship loaned to a foreign government. A ship that made landings at Sicily, Salerno, Italy, and Normandy, France (D-day June 6, 1944.) The story is told by Captain Robert Jornlin as it happened in the winter of 2000 -2001. Not only was the LST they found in Souda Bay Crete, Greece in terrible shape, with no fuel or batteries on board, a mutiny took place, the State Department was dead against them having a working ship and out of 72 crew that signed up only 29 were left. The odds against them getting the ship away from the pier went as high as 27 to 1 at the local bookie joint. Adding to this, the Captain could not get the LST registered as an American ship but was told they could bring it back unregistered - a pirate ship! In telling this tale, the Captain has received many standing ovations in the over 700 talks he has given all over the United States. A movie is in the planning stage. Military background or not, old or young, you will enjoy this story of Veterans who will not give up the ship!

Robert D. Jornlin, Captain of LST 325 was born in Illinois raised and schooled in the small town of Earlville. Graduating from Monmouth College in 1961 with a major in geology and minors in Math and Chemistry. Entered Navy OCS in the fall of that year graduating in April of 1962 and assigned to LSTs at first a Damage Control Officer and then ordered aboard LST 825 as Engineering Officer, helped restore the 825 out of the moth-ball fleet at San Diego and sailed her to Little Creek, VA. Left the navy in April of 1965 and the navy reserves in 1969 as a Lieutenant. Worked for several major seed companies for 30 years achieving many sales awards, retired to take over the family farm in 1998, which had grown to 1,200 acres. Was asked to help bring back a WWII LST from Greece in 2000. He is married to his wife Lois now for 50 years, They have two children and five grandchildren.