LCVP (United States)
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. Typically constructed from plywood, this shallow-draft, barge-like boat could ferry a roughly platoon-sized complement of 36 men to shore at 9 knots (17 km/h). Men generally entered the boat by climbing down a cargo net hung from the side of their troop transport; they exited by charging down the boat's lowered bow ramp.
LCVP side elevation and plan | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders | Higgins Industries and others |
| Operators |
|
| Built | 1942–1945 |
| Completed | More than 23,358 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Landing craft |
| Displacement | 18,000 lb (8,200 kg) light |
| Length | 36 ft 3 in (11.05 m) |
| Beam | 10 ft 10 in (3.30 m) |
| Draft |
|
| Propulsion | Gray Marine 6-71 Diesel Engine, 225 hp (168 kW) or Hall-Scott gasoline engine, 250 hp (186 kW) |
| Speed | 12 knots (14 mph; 22 km/h) |
| Capacity | 6,000 lb (2,700 kg) vehicle or 8,100 lb (3,700 kg) general cargo |
| Troops | 36 troops |
| Crew | 4: Coxswain, engineer, bowman, sternman |
| Armament | 2 × .30 cal. (7.62 mm) Browning machine guns |
Designer Andrew Higgins based it on boats made for operating in swamps and marshes. More than 23,358 were built, by Higgins Industries and licensees.
Taking the last letter of the LCVP designation, sailors often nicknamed the Higgins Boat the "Papa Boat" or "Peter Boat" to differentiate it from other landing craft such as the LCU and the LCM, with the LCM being called the "Mike Boat".