LCVP (United States)
Also known as: Higgins Boat · LCVP
- 1Commonly referred to as the Higgins boat.
- 2Constructed primarily from plywood to facilitate mass production.
- 3Designed to carry a platoon-sized complement of approximately 36 men.
- 4Capable of reaching speeds of 12 knots.
- 5Features a lowered bow ramp that allows troops to exit directly onto the beach.
The landing craft, vehicle, personnel (LCVP) or Higgins boat was a landing craft used extensively by the Allied forces in amphibious landings in World War II.
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Primary landing craft used to transport troops to the beaches
These specialized landing craft were essential for the amphibious assault, allowing troops to land directly onto the shallow beaches of Normandy.
The LCVP, also widely known as the Higgins boat, was a specialized landing craft essential to Allied amphibious operations during the Second World War. Constructed primarily from plywood, the vessel was designed with a shallow draft to allow it to navigate close to shorelines.
U.S. Navy sailors stream minesweeping gear behind an LCVP off Chinnampo, North Korea, on 5 December 1950 during the Korean War.Wikimedia Commons: File:LCVP_off_Chinnampo.jpgUSS Darke (APA-159)'s LCVP 18, possibly with army troops as reinforcements at Okinawa, circa 9 to 14 April 1945.Wikimedia Commons: File:Darke_APA-159_-_LCVP_18.jpgMen disembarking from an LCVP.Wikimedia Commons: File:LCVP-1.gif These boats were highly effective at transporting troops directly onto beaches. A typical craft could carry a platoon-sized unit of 36 men at a speed of 12 knots. Soldiers boarded the craft via cargo nets from transport ships and exited by charging through a lowered bow ramp once the boat reached the beach.