WW2 landing craft restored

[Panzer 3]

Hi,
this old craft is at Utah Beach museum Normandy, up close to it you can see that it is made of Plywood and metal. the body is of ply, I dont think they had much cover from the rounds that were coming at them. They were made in England before D day,
This one is a sorry sight.

Dave.

[ArmySailor]

Since only about 2000 total American soldiers were killed on Omaha, the claims that Severloh actually killed that many are highly unlikely and widely disputed. Still, it took artillery to displace him and any army would be proud to have a soldier with as much courage. From what I have read, the burden of memory weighed heavily on him... as it would for anyone with a conscience. That is the price all soldiers pay for serving their countries in war.

Whoops, I forgot to include the obligatory on-topic content. The Higgins boats, termed the LCVP (Landing Craft Vehicle and Personnel) had an oak bottom and skeg with plywood sides and a steel ramp that was relatively bulletproof to small arms. It was 36 feet long and was powered by a Grey Marine 6-71, 220 hp 2-stroke diesel. I don't know that any were built in the U.K. To my knowledge, they were built by Higgins in Louisiana, USA, near New Orleans. I have operated one of the later version of the boats, which were built in fiberglass into the 1970s, and they are handy and durable, if slow (which is surprising because they are WAY overpowered).

[Reg]

As I recall the Higgins boat had a revolutionary gearbox which helped to its suitability in the landing role, I think it could be put into reverse very quickly or it managed the prop rpm in accordance with the power very efficiently....or somthing like that!

theres a great example in the New Orleans ww2 museum, went last year but only for a very quick visit, worth going if anyones in the area! I think theres a new pacific theatre building opening soon....Im sure someone state-side will provide more info.

Cheers
Reg

[yosipanji]

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Landing Craft Tank (LCT) for bussines purpose, boats and seagoing vehicles are used to carry container cargo on the deck and liquid cargo placed in tank under the deck from the sea to the shore. Most renowned Landing Craft Tank (LCT) for bussines purpose, vessels are developed to almost all shipyards in balikpapan - indonesia.

Landing Craft Tank (LCT) developed in Balikpapan-Indonesia

Landing Craft Tank (LCT) for military purpose, boats and seagoing vehicles are used to convey a landing force (infantry and vehicles) from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. Most renowned are those used to storm the beaches of Normandy, the Mediterranean, and many Pacific islands during WWII. This was the high point of the Landing Craft, with a significant number of different designs produced in large quantities by the United Kingdom, United States and now operate almost of all countrys.

Because of the need to run up onto a suitable beach, WWII Landing Craft were flat-bottomed, and many designs had a flat front, often with a lowerable ramp, rather than a normal bow. This made them difficult to control and very uncomfortable in rough seas. The control point (bridge was far too fancy a description for the facilities of the LCA and similar craft) was normally situated at the extreme rear of the vessel as were the engines. In all cases they tended to be known by an abbreviation derived from the official name rather than by the full title.

USA Military Landing Craft Tank (LCT)

rgds
yp

[ILH]

here's a link to info on Higgins and his boats- quite a character!

without him D-Day might not have happened.
92% of US craft were designed by him (at the time of Salerno) including the PT boats.

One thing that sometimes gets overlooked... the origional eureka boat had no ramp- you got out over the side- not ideal in combat.... the bow ramp idea was copied from the Japenese- someone saw one when the Japs captured some US boats in a Chinese Harbour on the same day as the attack on Pearl Harbour (if i remember right).

Higgins Memorial Project

[David James]

Yeah, great tribute and feeling here! I would love to see one of these Higgins boats up close! Thanks for the pic!!


Thanks
_____________

[stboos]

Hi,
I'm from Switzerland and webdesigner of the website [Challenge LCVP Higgins Boat]
A french friend founded in 1996 a lcvp sunked in France and decided to restore the vessel to floating condition.
After more than 12 years of restoration, the LCVP found the water in may 2008.
She participated to the Big Armada in Rouen (France/Normandy) in summer 2008.
In summer 2009, she visited the landing beaches in Normandy (Sword, Gold, Juno and finally Omaha). She was in front of Omaha Beach during the ceremony of the 60th anniversary of the DDay and the helicopter of President Obama flaw over it.
This summer 2010, she was in Carentan (Normandy) and navigated to Utah and La Pointe du Hoc (Ranger assault on DDay).

All details on [Challenge LCVP Higgins Boat] (website only in french... sorry !)

In our knowledge, it is the only LCVP completely restored in state of origin in floating conditions in Europe.

Sorry for my poor english...
Best,
Stephane (Geneva/Switzerland)
sboos@infomaniak.ch

[Steve T]

Many thanks for sharing this story. A remarkable achievement by all involved. The Higgins looks as good as new !

Steve T

[petehi]

There are two fully restored Higgins Boats on display at the World War Two Museum in New Orleans. The Higgins shipyard was located in New Orleans.

[stboos]

We know this museum. The president of the association Challengelcvp was in touch with the Museum and travelled in 2000 to New Orleans to visit them and to meet the Higgins Boat Project. He came back with all the plans of the ship and could began the restauration.