HMS Thruster took part in the Salerno landings, then was refitted as a fighter-direction ship for Normandy and handled ground-controlled interception. In 1944 she carried British troops into Athens, though whether they staged from Egypt remains uncertain. The Royal Netherlands Navy acquired her in 1947, renamed her Pelikaan, and kept her in amphibious service until sale in 1973. Her long Dutch career shows that the fast, ocean-going hull retained value after the original British LST concept had been superseded.
Notable Point · 26:11-27:03
Thruster shifts from landing ship to fighter direction
Thruster served at Salerno, became a fighter-direction ship for Normandy, and later formed part of Dutch amphibious capability as Pelikaan.