93-year-old WWII veteran completes epic US coast-to-coast run

While most people in their 90s are slowing down, Ernie Andrus embarked on a journey that most people wouldn?t contemplate undertaking even in the prime of their life. Andrus ran over 4,000km from the US Pacific coast to the Atlantic Ocean.

Andrus was a medic on a similar ship during the war in Normandy, France, and he saw with his own eyes how vital the LST 325 [1] was during war time.

His plan is now to help to restore a World War II ship in Indiana[The LST 325] and return it to Normandy for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, in 2019.

https://www.rt.com/usa/356638-veteran-completes-epic-run/

An incredible feat for his age. And it would be great to see the LST 325 in Normandy.

Of personal interest, my late granddad, George Barnes was in between being in the Royal Marines and Army, according to his RM record[2] and stories he used to tell, spent 2 months on The Royal Navy's LST 320 during Normandy Landings, as the invasion was short of men[5]. If you follow link [3] you see lots of nice photos of LST 320 during Normandy invasions and of LST 325 here [4]

So I for one hope the LST 325 can cross the Atlantic once again, to Normandy. Its currently in river sailing order at Indiana, USA.

[1] LST325 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_LST-325
[2] George norton barnes RM service record, http://forum.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/3577.page
[3] Photos of LST 320, http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/16/160320.htm
[4] Photos of LST 325, http://www.navsource.org/archives/10/16/160325.htm
[5] National archives on using RM as landing craft crew. http://forum.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/4289.page