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LST-125
USS LST-125
"JINSEN, KOREA, FEBRUARY 21, (DELAYED)-- FOUR D-DAY BEACH HEAD LANDINGS AND TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF OTHER EVENTFUL WAR TIME OPERATIONS MAKE THE LST 125 A VETERAN EVEN AMONG HER HARD WORKING SISTER SHIPS. STILL GOING STRONG, THE "125" IS NOW IN THIS PRINCIPAL KOREAN HARBOR WITH ARMY CARGO WHICH IS BEING PEACEFULLY UNLOADED BY A KOREAN DOCK CREW INSTEAD OF BEING DUMPED HASTILY ON A HOSTILE SHORE.
SERVING ABOARD THIS LARGE LANDING VESSEL WHICH HELPED PUT AMERICAN TROOPS ASHORE ON MANY OF THE STEPPING STONES TO TOKYO AS WELL AS DOWNING THREE JAP PLANES, IS JACK L. SILADY SM2/C, OF PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY. HE HAS BEEN WITH THE '125' SINCE AUGUST 24, 1944.
SILADY, WHO HAS ALMOST ENOUGH POINTS FOR DISCHARGE, EXPECTS TO LEAVE HIS SHIP FOR RETURN TO THE STATES APRIL 20TH.
THE '125' UNOFFICIALLY CHRISTENED "DRAGON LADY", WAS COMMISSIONED IN SEPTEMBER, 1943 AT NEW ORLEANS AFTER A TRIP DOWN THE RIVER FROM EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, WHERE SHE WAS BUILT. IN LESS THAN TWO MONTHS SHE WAS BOUND FOR THE SOUTH PACIFIC, AND SHE HAS BEEN IN THE PACIFIC EVER SINCE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ONE TRIP BACK TO SAN FRANCISCO FOR REPAIRS.
HER FIRST DUTIES WERE IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS WHERE THE "125" TOOK PART IN OPERATIONS AT BOUGAINVILLE, GREEN, AND EMARU ISLANDS, BEFORE TAKING TROOPS OF THE THIRD MARINE DIVISION TO GUAM AND LANDING THEM ON D-DAY, JULY 21, 1944. THE DRAGON LADY AND HER CREW SHOT DOWN ONE OF THE JAP PLANES ENROUTE TO GUAM, AND ANOTHER ONE ON A RUN BETWEEN SAIPAN AND ENIWETOK.
AFTER THE GUAM OPERATIONS, THE "125" RETURNED TO PEARL HARBOR AND EMBARKED ARMY TROOPS FOR THE INVASION OF LEYTE. ON D-DAY, OCTOBER 20, 1944, THE SHIP WAS BEACHED UNDER ENEMY FIRE THE TROOPS WENT ASHORE AND A CREW MEMBER WAS WOUNDED BY ONE OF NUMEROUS JAP SNIPERS IN THE VICINITY. THERE WAS NO SERIOUS DAMAGE, HOWEVER, AND THE SHIP MADE A SECOND SUPPLY RUN TO LEYTE.
CHRISTMAS, 1944 FOUND THE "DRAGON LADY" READYING FOR THE LUZON INVASION AND SHE NARROWLY MISSED DISASTER WHILE MAKING THE TRIP WHEN A JAP MIDGET SUBMARINE SENT TWO TORPEDOES AT HER, ONE OF WHICH PASSED DIRECTLY UNDER HER SHALLOW BOW. THE THIRD JAP LANE FELL BEFORE THE "125" GUNS ON THAT TRIP ALSO. THERE WERE OTHER AIR ATTACKS, BUT SHE LANDED HER ARMY TROOPS ON THE LUZON BEACH, WITH THE FIRST WAVES WITHOUT CASUALTY, AND MADE A RESUPPLY RUN TO LUZON, AGAIN WITHOUT DAMAGE.
APRIL 1, 1945, EASTER SUNDAY, WAS D-DAY AT OKINAWA, AND THE "125" WAS THERE ON THE BEACH WITH MARINE TROOPS AND TANKS. THERE WERE FREQUENT AIR ATTACKS, BUT ONLY TWO OF THE CREW SUFFERED LIGHT INJURIES BEFORE THE "DRAGON LADY" RETURNED TO THE WEST COAST FOR OVERHAUL AND READYING FOR THE INVASION OF JAPAN WHICH FORTUNATELY WAS NOT NECESSARY.
SINCE LEAVING THE STATES IN AUGUST, THE "125" HAS CARRIED SUPPLIES TO SUCH PLACES AS GUAM, IWO JIMA, SAIPAN AND JINSEN, KOREA. AT SHANGHAI THE "125" PICKED UP THE 71ST NATIONAL CHINESE TROOPS AND TOOK THEM TO CHINWANGTOA, CHINA. SHE IS SCHEDULED FOR INDO CHINA, HONG KONG AND THEN SOMETIME IN JUNE SHE IS TO BE DECOMMISSIONED AT SUBIC BAY, P.I. ENROUTE TO CHINWANGTOA THE "125" GOT CREDIT FOR SINKING A MINE BY GUN FIRE."
Submitted by Susan Bloom
This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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