MWSA Book Review

The Marvelous Maverick - The Saga of LST-325

Author:  Vince Corbett

Publisher:  Tablet 2, LLC

Reviewer: Bill McDonald – President of the MWSA

The Scuttlebutt – This Book is of Historical Value!

I could not help but compare what we did in 2002, with what these men in this book did, to when I flew with a crew of veterans across country in a restored Huey helicopter (Old 091).  That Huey adventure became a part of a giant 11,000 mile long homecoming event.  (Subject of the award winning documentary film “In the Shadow of the Blade”) This book records a similar journey of the heart.  It shares the experiences of how a small group of old sailors searched for an old LST, worked to make it ship shape then sailed on it as crew members in late November 2003.

“Marvelous Maverick – The Saga of LST 325” captures a wonderful story of how this group of WWII sailors restore (with great love!) and make operational an old LST (Landing Ship Tank) and then sail it from Europe to America and around the country for more homecomings and celebrations.  (There was a History Channel film made about the journey and these men.)

The author Vince Corbett writes with obvious pride of that journey and of the devoted labors that these veterans (and some non-veterans) undertook to preserve a piece of our cultural wartime history.  These ships were one of the main reasons we were able to be successful in the war in both the Pacific and in Europe.  They are unique and so are the men who originally sailed on them, as we learn from reading this short but very entertaining book.

I fully recommend that you not only read this book but that you also find a way to visit this ship in its dock or on tour.  This book is a tribute to those who served on them and the author fully honors them all with his story of LST- 325.