The Three Lives of USS LST-393

Landing Ship, Tank (LST) vessels were among the most essential—and least celebrated—ships of World War II. Join us as USS LST 393 Veterans Museum Director Ryan Lancaster tells the story of this ship, which lived three distinct lives: first as a WWII amphibious warship on the beaches of Normandy and across the European Theater, then as a postwar working vessel on the Great Lakes, and finally as a museum in Muskegon, Michigan. Drawing on crew accounts, archival research, and ongoing preservation work, this presentation will explore how LSTs operated, what daily life was like aboard these ships and why preserving USS LST 393 matters so much today.
Tickets are free for Museum members and $10 for non-members. A virtual lecture pass is also available. Doors open at 6 PM. You can purchase tickets for this event online, over the phone, or in-person.
This lecture series is made possible thanks to the Nielsen-Wells Grant Fund and Mike & Susan Smith.
About Our Presenters:
Ryan G. Lancaster is a historian, educator, and the Executive Director of the USS LST-393 Veterans Museum in Muskegon, Michigan. He serves as a professor of history at Muskegon Community College and is the Head Coach of the Grand Valley State University Wrestling Club. Lancaster specializes in American military history, public history, and museum-based education, with a focus on connecting historical scholarship to community engagement and veteran storytelling.
Tickets and Virtual Lecture Pass available:
https://michiganmaritimemuseum.org/event/mmm-lecture-series-the-three-lives-of-uss-lst-393/