June 27, 2024
(Pictured above is the USS Boise crossing the bow of LST-325, firing its guns inland to clear a path for the landing)
Source materials for this series of postings are: Defense Technical Information Center.mil, Britanica.com, navsource.org/archives, uslst.org/history and navytimes.com and The Naval History and Heritage Command/history.navy.mil. This and other remaining postings will have a primary source of Mosier’s Raiders the Story of LST-325 1942-1946, by David Bronson, ©2004 iUniverse, Inc. Gracious permission to quote from Mosier’s Raiders was received from the current copyright holder The USS LST Ship Memorial,Inc., Evansville, IN.
The LST-325 landing ship was launched on October 10, 1942, sponsored by Mrs. C.G. Wells, just one year after the initial ship design was submitted for approval by naval architect John C. Niedermair. LST-325 was one of the first seven ships of this type built in the Philadelphia Navy Yard. It was 328 ft long and 50 ft wide, and arguably one of the most elegant and efficient designs in all of shipbuilding while also being quite likely the homeliest of vessels afloat. Considering the speed at which these ships were built there was no time to incorporate frills or creature comforts of any kind. Historically, the LST classes of ships were never adorned with a name primarily because amphibious supply activities were long considered a minor function by navies over the seafaring centuries. Although the LST ships of World War II attained major importance in the overall victory, they still went without names until after the war was over, and only then did a relative few receive names of U.S. counties (i.e., LST-819 was later named USS Hampshire County.)
Just as a reminder from the first posting, Electricians Mate 3rd class John G. Roberts, affectionally known on board as “John Bob,” reported to LST-325 on February 1, 1943. John was assigned primarily to duties in the auxiliary engine room. This was located just forward of the main engine room on the “hold deck” in the aft half of the ship’s belly on the lowest deck aboard. John’s personal description of this assignment read: “I was an Electricians Mate in the auxiliary engine room, the generator room. My other assignments were on the repair party and, as a last resort, to pass ammo on the guns. My division officer was the Engineering Officer Stan Barish, a good officer.”
The auxiliary engine room was equipped with “three electric generators, each powered by its own 8-cylinder diesel engine. Rated to 440 volts at 1200 rpm, having just one generator on-line was enough to supply the routine electrical needs of the ship, but in times of increased demand, a second and even the third generator would also be brought on-line. Along with the generators, the electrical distribution panel, ballast pump and fresh water and fuel oil transfer pumps were also located in this compartment.” More to the point, the “three diesel generators created the power that would be used for the Bow Door, Bow Ramp and Stern Winch motors. Because of the requirement to control the speeds of the electrical motors, all electrical equipment on the ship was operated with Direct Current (DC). The Bow Doors were opened, the Stern Anchor was let go and the Bow Ramp was ready to be lowered 20 minutes prior to the beaching.”
In contrast, the main engine room created the force to make the ship move through the water with two 900 horsepower diesel engines most typically found in railroad locomotives.
Amazingly enough, the captain commanding the LST 325 when John reported aboard was Lt. Ira Ehrensall, himself just 22 years old at the time. As fate would have it, the date of John’s arrival was also the same day as the ship’s commissioning. The ceremony was begun by Capt. Ehrensall and made official by Lieutenant Bailey, a material aide to the Chief of Staff of the Philadelphia Navy Yard. At the order “Hoist the Colors,” John became what is known as a “plank owner” of the LST-325 along with the rest of the crewmembers aboard on that day.
It was February 17, 1943 when Ensign Clifford Mosier reported on board to take command from Lt. Ehrensall. The rank of Ensign, however, was fairly misleading since Clifford Mossier had been enlisted in the Navy since 1920. He was now 42 years old carrying with him all of the experience of a Chief Boilerman. He was commissioned an officer from the enlisted ranks in June of 1942 and then just following his arrival was promoted to Lieutenant. The LST-325 was now officially ready for shakedown and preparations for future war time operations. However, some shakedown efforts had already begun under Capt. Ehrensall.
Earlier on February 13, the LST-325 had been officially assigned to “LST Flotilla 2, Group 6, Division 11 of the Atlantic and Mediterranean Amphibious Fleet.” The balance of its preparations, calibrations and adjustments took place at the amphibious training base at Little Creek, VA. They remained there until receiving orders on February 25, to weigh anchor and proceed to New York City “for final preparations before heading to the Mediterranean and North Africa.” They then traveled there with a small fleet of seven other LST ships destined for the Mediterranean as well. In New York shakedown activities continued until March 19, 1943 when the “lines were cast off and the LST-325 slowly pulled away from the pier.” Many of the men with duties topside could see the Statue of Liberty through the drizzle of the day as they proceeded out through the busy harbor. “At precisely 0900 the ships passed through the submarine nets guarding the entrance to New York harbor and formed into a column formation.” Next stop Bermuda, to join the protection of a convoy with whom they would cross the Atlantic.
LST-325, along with her small fleet from New York arrived and anchored at Bermuda on March 24, 1943. By the 27th the rest of the convoy had arrived and they were ready to form up and get underway.
As the new fleet proceeded across the open ocean the LST-325 began to experience a number of problems that would begin to challenge the grit and metal of young EM3 John Roberts. “Throughout the morning of April 2, the auxiliary engines kept shutting down, causing the generators to kick off-line and the ship to lose power.” Although John had successfully assisted in getting all auxiliary systems up and running again, “by the time repairs were complete, the convoy was nearly ten miles away and it took several hours for the ship to rejoin them.” However, within just a few days one of the main diesel engines failed. Obviously not able to keep up with the convoy yet again, LST-325 had to pull away and was forced to be towed for a period while repairs were undertaken. The new problem was an overheated pneumatic clutch in the massive port diesel engine. However, this particular repair would inadvertently result in a complete revelation in leadership. Chief Motor Machinist C. J. Mitchell explained it this way: “I remember when we left the States on our way to the Mediterranean, we were at sea about two weeks and our port clutch broke down. We could only go about four knots an hour, therefore the convoy we were with off and left us without any escort. The Skipper called me to his quarters and asked me if there was anything we could do. I told him that I had no idea what the problem was. But I had a little training on the clutch, so Captain Mosier told me that he would come down and help me repair it. The first thing we had to do was to stop the port screw from turning. We took a long crowbar and put it down into the shaft alley and jammed it into a coupling where it hit the catwalk, which stopped the rotation. We then went to the engine room and removed the cover off the clutch and found the air tube had broken, so we disconnected the reverse tire and plugged it off. This finally gave us power on both engines and we could return to our regular speed of twelve knots.”
Word of course would have traveled quickly throughout the ship that the captain himself had rolled up his sleeves and dove into the repairs alongside his men to get them all moving again in dangerous waters. Motor Machinist Mate Dale MacKay put it this way: “On our way to the Mediterranean we had a serious clutch breakdown before we reached the U-boat infested Gibraltar area. The captain was in the bilge area working on the clutch along with the Chiefs and others. We had a tug alongside us to try and keep up with the convoy, but we felt really vulnerable.”
It may truly have been this one impactful event that fostered the beginning of a crew to captain bond that would propel LST-325 forward together now as a proud, confident and entirely cohesive unit. A family that would work tirelessly with one another through the excessively demanding battle years to come.
By 0825 on April 8, repairs were complete and LST-325 could release from its tow and return to the convoy. However, the protection of the convoy was still hours away and would not be rejoined until late on April 9.
All together moving as one now, the convoy passed through the strait of Gibraltar near midnight on April 11, with ship and crew North Africa bound as they entered the Mediterranean. They had another 275 miles remaining to their next stop the Algerian port of Oran. From there they would proceed further east to Arzew for some minor refits.
While ported in Arzew, Algeria, April somehow turned into May. During this time the LST-325 and other LST ships could move east along the North African coast to a location called “Beach 11.” That was where the crew could perform and perfect their beaching operations in preparation for the real thing, which of course would have to go off without a hitch while most certainly under fire.
On May 7, the essential and strategic staging and operating ports of Bizerte and Tunis in Tunisia had been captured by American and British troops ending the North African campaign. These ports would eventually become the re-supply locations for all beaching operations for Operation HUSKY or the invasion of Sicily. Until the new ports could be prepared for use the LSTs remained at Arzew loading armory, vehicles, tanks and supplies as they continued rehearsing and perfecting their landing skills.
By late June the port of Tunis was nearing readiness and the convoy was ordered to that location where they would remain anchored just off the city of La Goulette. Now the ever reliable military phrase of “hurry up and wait” came into play as the fleet held steady under the hot summer Mediterranean sun waiting for orders. John Roberts described this time with the following memory: “Of course it got lonesome after a while. You miss your home and the old things. But I had a girlfriend for a year or more before so I guess she was what I thought of most. But also family too. Dad and mother, two brothers and two sisters. Both brothers were in service, and my dad too.”
Throughout the last half of June LST-325 was almost continually loading up Army vehicles, equipment, supplies and ammunition. On June 23, both the 1st Armored Signal Corp along with the 1st Armored Corp Reinforcements, consisting of 31 officers and a total of 242 enlisted men came aboard. Although the LST was designed to deal with tanks and equipment just fine, there were no accommodations for an extended stay by a large number of troops. However, the capable and inventive crew was able to weld together metal framing to build temporary bunks for the soldiers until they were off loaded. The fact that the troops were considered “reinforcements” begs an explanation of the invasion plan, especially for LST-325.
Operation HUSKY was to commence on July 10, 1943. “The invasion plan called for seven allied divisions to go ashore along a hundred-mile long beachhead along the southeastern coast of Sicily. Four division of the British Eighth army would land south of Syracuse, while at the same time General Patton’s Seventh Army would land three divisions in the Gulf of Gela.” The American Naval Task Force would be responsible for delivering Patton’s troops to shore. The three divisions were referred to as the JOSS, DIME and CENT forces. JOSS would be transported to Licata; DIME would be delivered to Gela and CENT would be taken to Scoglitti. These three divisions were to go ashore with the primary objective of capturing and securing all of the airfields throughout Sicily to protect the British 8th who would secure the beachhead and then advance north “to the city of Messina and cut Sicily off from the toe of Italy.” The LST-325 was included as part of KOOL force and would be nearby at the island of Malta ready to deliver reinforcements as necessary.
Early in the morning of July 8, the KOOL force came together and formed up with forces DIME and CENT as they all left the Gulf of Tunis. Rather than heading straight east to Sicily, they headed south and later in the day east to Malta to give any enemy reconnaissance the impression they may be headed elsewhere other than to the south eastern beaches near Syracuse. As the groups approached Malta, the KOOL LST force peeled away from the main body while the other forces began a northwest heading toward Sicily. Unfortunately, at dawn on July 9, the weather took a very bad turn and whipped up gale-force winds which would make it nearly impossible for flat-bottomed ships to maintain convoy positioning. As John Roberts put it, “When the ships were all loaded and ‘sealed’ they all went out in some or the roughest seas you could imagine. The GI’s were getting so sick you would wonder how they could go on an invasion. It was also rough all the way. When we got there I could see some of them were almost green in the face, I bet they wanted off! We were happy to unload and leave the area, back for another load.”
By 0200 on July 10, the day of invasion, the KOOL Force was “circling on station fifteen miles south of Gela, while the DIME Force continued on toward the assault beaches.” Still well before dawn, as the forces began landing on the beaches the crewmembers of LST-325 could see tracer rounds and bright flashes on the horizon from the explosions as well as the moving enemy searchlights scanning the sky for planes delivering American paratroopers. The invasion had begun. The German aircraft were in the air by dawn in an attempt to repel the British and American troops. “At 0520, the LST-325 went to general quarters when a large twin-engine bomber approached the reserve task force. Some of the bombs fell within a couple hundred yards of the LST-325, the explosions reverberating through her hull.” Amazingly enough, none of the reserve fleet ships had received any damage from the attack, outside of perhaps some traumatic moments of wild fear that would last a lifetime.
Meanwhile the rest of the invasion forces remained under heavy fire and bombardment. The troops that had successfully reached the shore were “in desperate need of their tanks and anti-tank guns, most of which were still sitting aboard the LSTs,” but as soon as the first landing craft delivering the equipment arrived it was blown up by the defending Italians. LSTs struggled with getting their causeways set up under heavy German artillery fire and bombs but a number of tanks and anti-tank guns were able to begin the fight. “Late in the afternoon the LST-313 was attempting to rig another causeway when a German fighter plane came streaking in from out of the setting sun and released its bomb, striking her amidships.” Explosions wracked the tank deck of LST-313 and the entire ship was in flames. Witnessing with horror what had occurred, a number of sailors and soldiers from the beach swam out to the LST and were able rescue several of the crewman. By the same token Lt. Robert Coleman, skipper of LST-311 heroically maneuvered his ship to the stern of the 313 and as a result 80 men trapped near the flames there were able to be saved.
The beachhead assault continued as LST-325 held to her position with the reserve forces. But at 0650 the next morning they again sounded general quarters, manning their battle stations as 15 “Italian bombers attacked the ships anchored in the transport area.” Then came the call to action for LST-325 when at 0900 they received orders to begin heading to the beach. However, just as they were beginning their run forward the USS Boise plowed through the waves just ahead of 325’s bow firing all of its five and six inch guns inland, taking out a group of Nazi tanks that had just arrived, effectively giving LST-325 a clear path ahead.
Unfortunately, in spite of the valiant efforts of the USS Boise, LST-325 along with other LSTs advancing to the beach were ordered back out of range as German artillery had begun firing from inland to zero in on their positions. On top of the artillery fire, the fleet was also coming under fire from German Junkers Ju-88 bombers who attacked them twice that afternoon, scoring a direct hit on the Liberty ship Robert Rowan. Within just a few moments the flames onboard reached the ammunition hold and there was a tremendous explosion throwing fragments for up to a mile. That left the ship helpless to burn and eventually sink.
It wasn’t until after sunset that LST-325 along with the other transports were again ordered to the beach. Through the night several LSTs moved cautiously into the beach and this time were successful in attaining their goal. “As the crew prepared the ship for unloading first thing the next morning, the transports were attacked by the largest German air raid of the day. The gunners aboard LST-325 joined in as the fleet opened fire on the bombers. Just as the last aircraft of the raid were passing in the distance, the sound of more aircraft engines droned overhead in the night sky.” “The gunners on the ships below, exhausted after nearly two days of constant alerts and repeated enemy air attacks, opened up on the aircraft now over them in the dark sky overhead.” What the gunners onboard the LSTs could not have known and did not realize until the following day was that the second round of aircraft they began shooting at were sadly American C-47s flying low over the bay to avoid enemy gunfire from inland. The foray was sadly especially effective and deadly. A total of 23 C-47 transports were shot down ending in the deaths of 60 pilots and crewman as well as 40 paratroopers. Mistaken situational awareness or what has been referred to as the “fog of war” in this instance became one of the worst examples of friendly fire during the entire war. John Roberts memory of the incident was: “The worst thing was one night all the Navy ships tied up together started shooting at the aircraft going over. They were U.S. paratroopers in C-47’s. I don’t think we hit any, but when we went on liberty the next few days we got some awful looks from the GI’s we met.”
LST-325 had successfully unloaded all of the supplies and troops onboard, retracted from the beach and returned to La Goulette at the port in Tunis on July 13 to begin the process of reloading and returning to the beaches of Sicily. The skirmishes and fighting along the beachhead had settled down to some extent yielding some operational options. So upon their return on the 16th, with orders to unload southeast of Gela, but the beach commander at their new arrival point ordered them back to Gela. They turned around and headed back to a point on the western side of the assault area where they could dock and unload entirely the following morning. After finishing their work LST-325 retracted from shore and pulled away to a safe distance where they could remain anchored until the morning of July 18, when they received orders to proceed to Scoglitti. Upon arrival at this new destination, they found that they were to bring aboard 310 Italian prisoners-of-war to be taken back to the port of Tunis. As John Roberts remembered: “We took many Italian prisoners back to North Africa. They were such a sad and beaten looking group of young men. I’m sure they were glad to be through with it.”
Between the dates of July 19, and August 15, the LST-325 made a number of loading, unloading and reloading trips back and forth between Tunis and various locations around Sicily including Gela, Licata, Syracuse and Palermo. They carried supplies, equipment, vehicles, firearms, ammunition, Allied troops and Italian prisoners all in the support of the continuing military operations. Following these assignments, LST-325 was ordered to join a convoy of 22 other LSTs and seven LCIs (Infantry Landing Craft) along with five protective escort ships and head to Bizerte, Tunisia about 40 miles north of Tunis. They arrived at Bizerte for minor modifications on the night of August 17 and within minutes fell under attack from the largest air raid they had endured to date. A group of German Junkers Ju-88 bombers had descended from above and begun runs on the harbor as all of the ships in the convoy opened fire. “The harbor facilities were hard hit during the raid, an oil storage facility ashore had been set on fire and the glow from the flames lit the harbor for hours until brought under control. Three ships were badly damaged and an LCI was sunk.” Also, one of LST-325’s ship supply men, Storekeeper 2nd class Haynesworth was hit from flying shrapnel but fortunately his wounds were miner and he was able to return to duty.
Also on August 17, 1943, after slightly more than a month from the onset of operation HUSKY, the city of Messina had finally fallen to the Allied troops which functionally brought an end to the Sicilian campaign. From here on out for the most part, the new focus of LST-325 would be support for the troops on mainland of Italy as the Allies pressed through the country pushing the German forces back to the north. However, before that would begin, LST-325 would more immediately take on the wounded from the air raid of that night along with a team of doctors. In total, 66 Navy officers and men had been seriously wounded. When all of them were secured onboard, the ship got underway for the port of Arzew in Algeria some 1,200 km (745 miles) west of Bizerte to be transferred to a base hospital there. They arrived on the 20th, docked, offloaded the wounded and were entirely reloaded for a return trip to Bizerte which they reached once again on September 3, 1943. In spite of the time that had passed air raids had continued in the area and LST-325 on arrival was met yet again by sirens and a number of alerts to battle stations.
Then on the evening of the 5th, a large group of bombers descended on the harbor. All of the ships opened fire and lite up the sky with tracer rounds and shell explosions. An unfortunate problem associated with the attack was that a shell unexpectedly exploded in the ship’s No. 4 20mm gun tub “sending red-hot chunks of steel into the legs and feet of the gun’s three-man crew.” The men injured were John MacPherson and two of uncle John’s “best buddies” 1st class Machinist Mate Richard Martin and 2nd class Machinist Mate Lloyd Mosby. Both MacPherson and Mosby had to be hospitalized, but Martin could return to duty. Immediately following that incident, Capt. Mosier ordered all of the 20mm gun crews below decks since the bombers were out of their range. However, the 3 inch and 40mm guns were allowed to continue their fire. After an hour of fighting, the bombers left but not before causing a great deal of damage to port facilities.
In spite of the incessant air raids the LSTs in Bizerte harbor continued their preparations for the Italy mainland western shore amphibious invasion now known as Operation AVALANCHE. That is where we will have to leave our John G. Roberts at this point and finish the action associated with the mainland invasion of Italy in the next posting.
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