Through his journal entries, von der Osten takes us with him to war, from his training days in the newly created amphibious force, to practice beachings on the Chesapeake Bay; from the ports of North Africa and the United Kingdom, to the hostile shores of Sicily, Salerno, and Normandy. All the while serving as a radioman aboard this new kind of ship, the landing ship, tank . Yet LST 388 is not just a sailor's story but the story of a great landing ship, a ship that would sail with the largest armada in history during the invasion of Sicily. A ship that would take three tries to beach at the hostile shore at Salerno, under heavy gunfire. A ship that would land troops on both Omaha Beach and Utah Beach at Normandy. LST 388 is one man's honest accounting of the days leading up to war and what he experienced and witnessed while there. Part narrative, part journal entries, this is an account of history as it was being made. --Reader Reviews-- "Great book and historical profile of the writer and his time with the Navy aboard a great experiment that changed the course of the war and how military forces are deployed." "You don't need to be a history or military fan to enjoy this book...it is a tale of an exceptional man in extraordinary circumstances." "Outstanding account of a young sailor's life aboard ship during WWII" "Providing a unique insight into both the role of LSTs in the Allied landings in Europe, and the personal account of a young member of the crew, LST 388:A World War II Journal is a great addition to the literature of World War II." "Barbara's done a great thing, bringing her dad's memoir to print. Robert's journal entries are honest and thoughtful, and give us a wonderful sense of what it was to be a young man on LSTs during the war." Living on Staten Island, NY and commuting to work in Manhattan, Robert von der Oste n, a second-generation German-American, struggled to find his place in the world.With the attack on Pearl Harbor, he soon found it with the United States Navy,serving in the newly created amphibious force, on board the USS LST-388. Following the war, he served on the NYPD police force for twenty years, then as a high school and college instructor in Alabama. An armchair historian, von der Osten never forgot his WWII experiences, and continued to compile notes and articles to add to his war journals to eventually turn into his book, LST 38 8. Barbara von der Osten , an international traveler and scuba diver, earned her Bachelor's Degree in International Affairs at Florida State University and worked for a government consulting group in Washington, D.C. for several years. Tired of living inside the beltway, she eventually moved back to Florida. Her post-Washington, DC career has spanned various roles, from marketing specialist, to research analyst, to paralegal, yet writing is her first love and one she has finally returned to.