OSPREY· VANGUARD 45

AMT ACS: SAMPH BIO S

ASSAULTVE CLES '4l1li

Steven Zaloga Colour plates by Terry Hadler

\'A:,\(;L' ,\RD SERIES

L D ITO R : ~vl ART r f\ W J :'\ D R 0 \ V

AMTRACS: US AMPHIBIOUS

ASSAULT VEHICLES

{,'%ur plates I~y 'TERR Y HADLER

OS PR E Y PL' B L J S H J N G 1.0:\ DO:'\

Pllhli ~ llnl i l l l<jg 7 hy (hll )"(, ~ ' I'ldili~llill ,l!. f .ld

.\kmlwr 1(l m p;l n ~ or tl)(' (;I'nr:-:;c Ph )i p Groll p

I 'J q L()l1g .\nc. i.(llld()l) \\T'21-: (/LP (' (:np ~ r i~ li l I I )H7 (hpl"l'\ Pu hk,hillg Lid

'rhi, hO(lk i'i ('()p: ri .~h l('(1 ul1(i<-r lhl' Be rne C:OIII(, rlti()ll.

.\11 ri g ill " fnt 'l'\'IJI. .\P:"'l irtl m ;tlll' Cair (h: a l ill .~ ICIl" till'

p l ) rjl(l~t' (Il' p r i\'a t(' '1IId~ · . I (,'i( ' ~1rch. crilici sm (Ii" )"n 'it' \I ,

d ' I>rl'll1illl'<I ullc1n l ht' C: ( lJ)~ ri _~hl .-\Cl. HI .:)11. lin P ,lrt

ill' Ihi , plIlJli .. tlil,,, 1l1~1: - ht: r('pnlllllr('d. ~lnr('d ill ; 1

rt'lril'\ ;" "YSlt'Jn. Ill' Ir;'III ' lIlillt 'd ill ;111\' 1<)l"1ll 0) ' 11\ ;1111 -

))11 ' ''11;;, ('It-nrllllic. ckclrical. c1lt'rnic(lL ilH'cilillli(',d , ujJli_ I - ~t1 . pliOil)CI'I)"iIlP,. rl'ct)rdin.~ ()r ntIHT\\i,c, \Iilllllill

lilt' prior pnllli~sillll 01 Ih,' C(lP\ ri _~-l)l OIl ncr. 1 ~ 1\(llliri('~

_<: JII,llld IH ' ;lddns"; , -(i tn till ' Plddi,hns.

I..doga . SII'\( 'II,J ,

;\ mlr<1(,': liS ;1f1)p hil)illu . (1~ .'ia u Jt \ ·vhicJn .

_ . \ "; lllgU (lr(t: -1-:) ' . I .. \r ll ll))'( ·d , ·t·l li r!c ... . ~liJil ar~' L· ni ll·d

SI 'll ('::--- Hi:l nn -2. ~d()t or , ·('hi d e, . . -\ll1ph ihitlll ' l·lliH ·<1 S(;ll("~- Hi s( ()l'\

I . Till<- II. S"rie"

li ·2:-;. il ' 7.-) U (;-j.·I_l, .:-)

I ; ilnl~('( ill (;rcal HI il ;Ii)]

Prinll 'l: Ihrollgh Hllokl)llilcin, f.ld , Hong K1.llIg·

Author's Note Thl' ;111 till JI ' \\ l)l tiel like 1 I) :' cJ'd)()\\ krl~2l' 111,' ; 1 ..; . ..;i~L;lI)('l '

1,1 sn'(')'al f'ril'lld " \\h(j~( ' ~licl m;lcl" Ihi:-. IH )t':' 1)() -~ il)I, · .

Tkll lb .~ I) 111 .Jim Loop Inr I ll;t ltTi;1I on l"~ :\rlll"

;1)))l r (lI' :- , In \Iikc Grct'}l f(lr hi :- help ill Illc;llillg

pli(II D. in IIll' )-,\1(: ;I)'{ 'hi\'(', to ,'\mll1 ;n l h'i('(h ll an Ill\'

h is 1H'lp \,·ilh L"S \ <1\'\" l)md uniO/l li .~ I)rn. ;111<1 to Sillll)l) DUll";! ,Ill. .IOt· lkrtllll(\r-Z . Kill .-\lInhd r h :111 11

C('orgr- Balill I( Jr hdp in lnt' al i ll ~ p llul():"-

Amphibian Vehicles F('w rniliLIl"\ operaLioll' ~llT i:, clilfi(ldL Clnc! l-i:,Jy ~ I".

an ( mphihirlu::\ la nding aga illsl a COlllCSfCd IH"LlclI­head, as \\ " il~ :dl 100 n "idcllL ill Britain 's ill-r;'l1ecl Gallip()li 1;)lIC\ings in \\'orlel \\' :lr I. Til the I ~)'J(IS ,-IIHl '5l:)():>. I:S \Luine plann/'rs ull1lcmplaLC'd n('w soluLiuns lo LlllS age-old laclical prohlem " ~o( surprisill"!2,ly , (he mail! j()CIL.'i or nC"vv equipll1C"lll

prngra 111 nws I,.\";)S on the dc,"t"!()pmelll of lJlod('rn landing hOdLs. This quickly ('xl\;\lls[l,d the mC ;'lt1;L"('

runclin,e: a'"~lilab lc and prc'\'(,1 I u'cl mIlch L"xpnimCIII­

atillll v, "ilb tracked lalldill .e: cr:tf"t. Th(' i l!1<lg-i 1IC:l t i \"l' a nrl i r;J 'ici hie A 111crica 11 i 11-

vt'lllnr , .J" \Valler Chrislil', proposed 3mphihiou"" Irllckf·d ,"chiclt':-i (0 hoth thc lIS Army iUHlIIlC US \Iarilll' (:orps in the l';lrly I ~)'2()S . He ofli:T('d I)is \r.J ~) '2 3 ;l1nphibious l;lllk \f) the \ "Itlrine Corps rOt,

trials. i.tnd il WC;l:-i U:-icd experimenlally during Ihe

lq2~. ;lrTlphihioll:-; C:\lTCisl' at (\1I('hra, Pucrto Ricl) .

Thl' l\l. I ~-)'2:1 amphihian could belter be descrihed as II s('lf~pr()pf'lkd gIll], ;IS it) 7SrlH11 gun V",LS llnl III rtTl-llWlllJ I ('c\' hut fi 11 cd ill lIw itu II. The \ :bri Ill'

Roebling's original Alligator, completed in 1935, bore Little rcs("lTlbla.nc(> to the taler amtracs. It proved to be too slow and '00 heavy, as well as unmanageable in waler. (FMC Corp.)

Corps, \\ hik li1l(ling the ("onccpl inl(TC'Ling. felt that lhc Cllrisli( ' alllphibii1l1 \ova., UJISCi"\\.\"onhy and Llllsatisf~1Ct()ry ill other respects, alHI (iccickcl a~ainsl 'lciopting it. II1S1c;td, the \"Iarilll' ('"()rps aclopteclthc Six-Toll SrH'ci;d Tractor (lhe US-huilt vtTsion of lhl" Frellch Rcn;ndr fT lig"ht tank). which \-vassmall

l'1\ough 10 he landed rrom Iightl'l's or barges ror

altJphibiClIIS operaLiulls . The \larilll's \\ ere COI1-

,inccd or tl\l' ,",due of armoured ,'Chicles in sllpponing beach lawlillgs , lllll in 1 he I ~U(js lacked sullicienl funding ror much cxpnim(,111<ltion with armoured or ;lmphibi()lIs \Thicl('~.

In l~n7,all (lrliclc;lppcafcd i[1/, ili/lll~lga!"int'()rll.

tracked Clllipilihioll""; ,chick, till· Alligator, 'vvhich il ;' lel bcclI dlTClojll'd for rC$ClIC opcraliolls in lhe ." ,,"amps or Florid.\. This attracted i\ brillc Corps allclltio)); am! ,din illspc:niol] of" lhl' y( ·hicle. the !\a,"y ,,"as ;1sk{'(llo sen liT piiOl Ill()(kls li)r trials , and

pussihle acqllisilinll,

The Allig:atol" was the result or private ('fforts by members oj' (llll' cd" America ' ,'i mos( illustrious

The second model oftht' AlJjgator, cOJnpleted in J937, attracted US Marine Corps attention and led to the LVT-J. (FMC Corp.)

enginfCTlng [~l}"nilie~, the ROl'l)Jing~. John a11d

Donald Roebling. lhe son and grand . ..,on of' C()lont'i \Vashington Roebling I:. builder or till' Brooklyll Bridge) had built Ihe n'hielt', usillg their OW11 runds,

after "vitnessing the disastrous results or sevcJ'J I hurricancs in the (.,wampy Okeechohce ITg-iOll or Florida. Donald Roebling atlt'mplcc! to develop a vehicle I,vhieh would bridge the gap hnvd'cn '",·I1('1'c a hoat gr()umkcl and a car flooc1t>cl olll '. The Alligat.or ''1'as Intendecl (0 serve as a ITSClW vehicle ill swampy areas I hat were inaccessihle to either bO(1h

or \'chicks; he used aluminium construction to sa\"(' on \vc'igilL dnd an lItHlslIal track sllspension (hat prm'ickd propubio[1 b()th in the w,lln' and on land. The first Alligalor \Vas completed in I ~n5 bUI its perforll1ance was disappoillting', mainly because ils ,,,'ater speed \VaS a paltry '2'::~ mph. A scrie~ (l redesiglls ClJ I In i natcd ill a \"i rL uall Y \ll'W 'T hie Ie hy 1~)37. This model \vas shorter and widn Ihall the original 1035 {()rm hut, IlIon' imporlantly, used a sllndin (rack alld suspensioll system" II ,\"cighccl 3, J nolb. less (B, 7oo1b.:1 and had a \yaler speed oUt(i mph; and it was Ihis J~.)37 model thaI SI) implT~S{'cI

lh e l'vlari II e officers. The Na\'y. \10"\ <.>vcr, \'1 <is UOI so ("nl blls("(L

4

('~pccially bf'C<lIl .... C of iLs clumsy performance al sea c()mpared to con\TlItional hoats, so the lvlarill(' requcst was njccled on the grounds or ecollomy. The ~rarinc,,, pnsistcd: and in Octoher I ~):)~) Cell. J\;losf's, the presidcnt or tbe l\'larincs Equipmenl Board, cOl"\\:inced Roehling to clc~ig'n a vcilicit­specifically Ie)}' rnilitary lise. Tlll t1C\v J ~)il"() model sometimes called thc Crocodile, \vas lighter ill weigh I and pcrl()rn1ecl bet ter tha n earlier models.

Although it 'vvas nOl as manocuvrable as a I)()at or comparable size il::; pontoon clc."igll made it more sea\vorthy in rOLlg'h .,:-urf conclitions.

The o\llhn~ak oj" Wllr ill Europ(' led 10 Lll(' expansion of the LS military hudget. The liS Na\'y Bureall or Ships finally succumbed to ~daril1r

pn's<.;urc and C()lllraClCd Roehling' to build a second

prototype wilh a nwrc powerful I Q() hp Lillcoln-

7"cphyr f'ngine. IL \va~ completed and cldinTccI to

(,2.1.1<1111 j cn inN 0 vcrnbcr 1 q4 u, a \l d "':£1." used ill Fire I Exercises ill J alluary-- february I ~H I, I he .results greatly impressillg both [\a\'Y and 1\1aril1(, ob­.... ('r\"(:I"s. The 1\ a \'Y f<.' I L h O\\'(\·cr, t ha 1 tlw a Itt 111-

illillll1 cOllstructioll \\"as \lUI rugged enough for military sen·ice. preferring' stcel. lind that the track design would not C'ndurc the ahrasin' dkcls oj"stlild allel sail ,valcr; Roehling 'Y;;lS cOlllr;1C(ed to product' ;t Tn'lsccl \Trsion illcorporatillg Ihc."<:" changT,'" /-\s Rochli ng' el iel nOI ha \.(' aeu·s." to act \.I al proelllc tinn

a ilities, IH' Lurncd lC> llle lo()d !\Lu-,hillcr~

.orporatioll ( F~J C ) \-\,110 had I;t! Jricatul P,lJ'lS for

the earlier :\lli ,2,atC)r~, 'O['his \\;l"; 111(' (irs! ILlCkc(;

military \'('Iliek proicCI Ii)} ' F\[Co " 'hidl to(by produces more arJl)()lll'cd \'('hid('~ than (l)I~ ' other

ompany ill til(-' Clli(( '{i Srat{'s,

T he I\C\\ \ 'I.' mcl{ ' \';1 ' nl'liri;ilh' duhl)l'd L\ 'T (L andillg \'('hick T";lCkl:C\;, in keeping willi thl'

Navy nOI1I(')\('I<tLun' s~'st('rn fi ,)} ' Lillding n;d't. F~/l(:

\ · (, S ;1\yarcll,(1 an illi(ial l,'1)\llr,ICl li)r ~ ()() L\'Ts b side dw L WI) I)l'OI ()l ypi ' S, a He! t he Ii rsl \\'il"

ompleLcd ill July Iq ,' ~I, The ('()Illrarl W<lS 1<11(')' incre ased, ICll ' ;'1 lotal Ill ' J ,'2'.2,-) L\OT_I, popul(lrl~

known a~ :\lli~d()I ' o

The fils t J\L ri Ill' ; 1))1 phi bi a)) l ractor 1\ ';lJ'iou"i \

'ailed lImll(/{ , am/wI, (111d rlllljJ/tIWc ' lillie tlw Amphihia]) 'l ' l't:lCl()1' I kLtchn ((') l\ 0 \\ ; lS I()rmcd ill

;\,la y 1~J41 iii I)UllCC\ill, Floridao This Ullil I()nn{'( :

lhe llUc)nl ": ie-)r the Iilln 1St Amphihiall '('('aClo)'

BaIL,lIion or (/1(' I st ~'1al'illc Di\'isioll , \\'hidl

ompk lc I ol'gall i" tllinJ1 ill F('I) r ll; lr ~ l ~ l " I '2 shortl : ~f'tn thr {Jutbn.'a L {l til{' " ' ;II' ill the P~lcifl(', The

early C()lIccpli()1l of' ;11l111 ac opn;lllolls (,Il\ 'isillncd

llsill ),; Ill(' ; \lI.i ,~'llo r .... ()Iety a~ al1\phibi ( ll l ~ ~llpph

vd il.'Ie :~ o TIH· 10\ ''['- J \ \ ';1. mack ()j' m ild ~lt'('1 \,,' jlh no

;lrnl()uJ' \ ';llllC: il \\';l ~: lIsec\ lO l)ril1~ "upplics ["rOlll

,.,hips IJlr .. sI1IJl'(' , 01111> i.lnd beyond the l)fetc.hes, T11I'

[rack S~Sl(,I11, C\'(')) \\ Ih'11 imIJro\'C'd. ,,'as ,' till \"tT y

'1I s('(.'ptil>l(' to d a fll<.lg l' \\'hnl 1I~t'(1 on hard g-round , so tlll ' IT \\'('1'(' Jl(l plill1" t () usc tlw ~lInl racs lil!' p)'(>iOllg('ci pcriods OJ) lam!. Indced , lite ea rly (l[))lr;I( :- ollly had ~l lili" ('\:P('C't , lll( y oj' ahollt '2 (1(\

hours' l'ulllling lime due to th! ' ,"trcsse~ on till'

('Ilginc. "II '''PCIl ::; ioll <llld track,

The pl,lIl~ call1'd Ii)} the dt'l)iu\ 'I1WTlt ur a sing ic amplrihi<lll [r;Klo)' lJ<lttalioTl with cal..' I , ~f:.1rin('

di\'isioll, illiliitll\' IHllllLwrillg 7:) \ ('hielt,s per

Laltalioll. The (Jr ' l LIse or allllrac~ ill il cOlnll;'ll

thcatl't.' to(Jk pLlCt' in . \ll.gU~t J ~ q'2. \\'h(,11 the 1St allel

'211d ;\ll1phihiall Tr:lctor B;lllalio!ls \\'('1'(' llsed 10

pr()\ 'id(' 1()~i~ti('(\1 ~LlPP()rt at Guadakallal in lhe

SOI()J1Wll IsLlnd s, 111 N O\TmIJCr ! ~ 14 '.2, .o\lli ga lors "'jlh thl' [-,1( ,("t ~1(LriJw Forcl' \\TrC usnl l(l brin g

"upplics ;\slwrc (Iurillg 11)(' ltlllclillgS ill French

\lorol't'o ~lS part or Operati(lr\ 'Torch', AlligillOl's

,,", cre lI:-.(·j ill a "imib r r/dc ;'1 ( ."ttl! i ll til<' Aleut iall

The LVT-I AUigator first entered service in the Solomon Islands in 1942 at GuadalcanaJ, and laler at BougainviUe and Rendova (,1 1943, As seen here dUl"ing the BougainviUc campai,gn, it was used solely in (he s upply role, .,USMC,

lslalld~ oIL\I'ISk.l ill l\'LIV [~q:), at Sb('m~'~l hLlllcl ill

11'1(' Akutillll~ ill AlIgllS\ [~H:), Jnd at R('ndO\'~1 III

the Solomol1 Island'" in ScpLcml)tT I~)~~:), 'I'll(' I'll'\\'

:)rcl Amphibi;l!l Traclor Ibllalinn \\';~~ cmpl()yu.l ill 13ougaim'ilk in the Northern Solumuns in ~()\el1l-

bel' I ~)"I-:)'

Tarawa: New Tactics

Bv I q",1 J' the amll ac" had p)'()\'Cci 1'0 tw WTy lls('liti

\'t'hiclcs in LllH:ClJ1LC",Ll'cl amphihiuu:-- landings: IJIlI fi)1' tr()op lamliug's ~lg~li!lst ('ontco.;tccl hl'<lcho, mon'

COJlv('lllioJlal ('I ;II'L like LeV [)s WtTC l1~l'lI, TIl(' utility nl'amLrll(,s a,,,, ;\ss<1l1lt vchicles to cLlrry [l'()OPS

I, ... a~ (irsl (kl11()llstrillcc\ al Tara\\'a, ill r\()\'('tllbrT

rq,f)· III r 94~) L he s\\'i LC hill I he i"<JCllS or II S l'lklrts. i'! 1,1111

Lll(' large I ropical islands oi the SUlIl!J-\\T , ltTll Pacific to lilt, rocky lillie alnlls olrlw l'(-' nL r~t1 P;lci li(',

calk .. d Ie)!' ;\ ~hill in ;lInphi hioliS laclics, Till' lill~

; 11 ( Ii i.-; d i <I ) I ( I I ( ) II ( T I I j(' I ) I )( i (J 11 () r 11 11 C () r II t' .. \ l '<I

The iirst use ofarntrac5 in an assault role took place at Tarawa in Novem be r '943, Here, one of the survi viug LVT-l AHigators is lodged again:,;r the {:oconut log st>a-walJ on Retill at Red Beach lnrcc. The irrlprovised arnlour plate added to the cab i clearly e",ident. (USMC;

Llllclill~-".'i (l~ Iud prn iou.';iy IH'Cll ti ll' C<.l~l'. \i oSI or lltei:--Ic>llch I;lrg(,' cllougl: In h(' Ilr mili tll !'y \ ,till!' It ,le!

~){'('l, I() n itll'd by the .Jap,'I J(' ~ l" L\IH.lin~s \\ll l dd

I u \'(' 10 Lak e pLlu' dinTtl > a~~'i.l ill 'it Il) rli I ini,J ~lpal H' ''' ('

po:-;itiollS irll1<' i'illlllcis wert' 10 I>t' "l'i/,cr! , III add ili())I.

111(111~ <llilc i~I([lld,,, in lile atol ls WITt' l'iJIgcd Ily coral

l{'(L \',l1icl1 \\'('1"(' LO(J shallow f()r Hi,l:,,~ill.·, I)().tl~ likr

llit' LCVP ... ,wcl LCrvfs ill ccrlain ticLd (,()llclili()ll.~,

'1'llC firo,;1 ol'thf'se lslancl f()rtrcs:--co.; to 1)(' allalkl'cI

\\';1'" Helio ill 11[(' Tdra\-\(\ atoll. Ll(,nl('lll-; ()'I till' ,21'1(1

\/l.lrille Di\'is)Ol1 \'('IT 10 sei!.c i)('lio, \\ilii(' ;\1'111\

llllil~ -;('i/,nl Ihl' ks~ lH'i.l\'ily def('llc\ed i!-'lawl (Ii

i\Ltkill. 13f'lio \\ i.\.~ <;urt'ollllckd hy il c(jral ['('({ 1)1

IIllCit:lnmilll'cl depth \\'lIicl1 greatly COIH'('['JH'(;

:\ larin(' pl:'nll(,I'~, Tht' l\(\\'Y \\'a " «(lll\'i1lc('d tlld! the

!'ITf \\";IS :-;ui'f iciclltly ;.;ubllwrged to nnllii t ;'1 l (l~ld('d

H igg i liS boa 1 I U salc'l y pct)~ ()\'l']' i t: I he :\ Lt ri ll('S \\ lTC

11 /) 1. :\ 1 ;1 i ' D;1\ -i rl \ r. oS I H ))111. tI II' '2 ! l( I \ L 1 r i 11('

11

I

Di\rision operal iom. officer ,~1I1d later one or Llw h ro ' or1 ,lrll\·\ d I \ had sen"cd \· ... ith the division on Guadalcanal and rtillembcn:d the ),cornan sen'icc provided by the mntl'acs or the 1st ancl '2nd \mphibi())) TraClor Baltalioll~. Shoup concluded

that the Llllitrac:- \\'mdd he ide,tI {(-lr lIlt' Bnio

landing. Silite Ilw\ cOllld readily surmuunt til<' f'rino-ino- reel' il' il vva s indeed 100 shl1Jlm·\'. The

di\' ional Ctlmmanc\rr. eel). Julian Srnirh , prc-nL d hi,;,: plan:-. to the \Ltrillc cOllllllanckr (II' lhe r und eleme n ts of' thc amphibi()us forc(,. 1\ bj.Gcll.

H lIand ~.1. (' H()\vlin ' j\lad·. Smith. julia!] Smith

onvinced H. J\;'I. Smilh of'tlic Ile('d Cor tIl(' ;tlTltrac". well ,IS mC'llliCluillg lh<ll the :'\a\'Y had little

Iithusiasm fCl1- I he Tlot ion . H. l\f. Smi th \'i si tcd his I\ vy counterpart I()I' Operalion ·Gah"anic·. Rcar Admiral Richmoncl Kelly Turnn, to rCCjuc"t more

mtracs lhan tlh' IOU "'I'()1Tl-OUt L V1'- I S or lht' '2nc!

mphibian Tr~lcl()r Batli:.dion al \\'ellington,

Austra lia. The C.llHallkc)'ollS Turner ('elIOt'll til!' Navy's OPPO~ili()!1 to Ihc usc o('amlracs, ,~(lyillg' thal

lhe Higgins b()als could c1t'~lr ttl(' li-illg-ill!2 r('crand thai lltt' amlrac:-. \vert' UTlsc;t\\'onil\-. Tht.' rn ; ~i()r­

gClll'l'<ll vievvccl Ihe Navy's ()lliluck a~ c;-t11()u:-,

inc1dkrcnce to the Jvlarin s rather 1han any scriou ­objection lo the novel use of a mtracs . 'Hm.\·lin·

~ lad ' Smith W~IS as ,'-;lubborn as Turner , and ., after il hilltT arguJTH'Ill, concluded ·~u amtrac:;, nCJ

Ofll'l';!lioll!'. TUl'IHT rclenteci anc! pl'Omisf'd a rUrLi1n

1(10 Ilt'V\' amtr,.lO II'om the TlaviLi base at SO!l)o<.1.

By the autumn of' 1943 the 100 I ,\T- I amI rae: or the :2l1d Amphibi a n Tr,-lClO1 Rallalion had lo ng

SiIH.T pas.'Sccllhcir theoretical lit<: expectancy duc' to tllvir lISC 011 Guadalcanal. .wIo::.l hll.d ~tlrl'ady

chalked up over -+00 hOlll. of' running- 1 [tlIC

('o mpat"t'd lo thl'ir '2ot)-llOur an-rag-e li k 'xpcc­

tall (' ~, and only 75 cOltld \x sLlh-agcd . The (OrrOSL\'C

c!T(:C1'i of'sea \vater on tiH'ir suspcllsio!1 i:lnd

The LVT-:2 Water Buffalo saw its combat debui at farawa. This L VT'2 was hit and burned along I he heach edge at Betio. It has i.mpro\Tjsed arUlour on the cab fronr. In the background are a sunken M4A'2 Shennan tank, and a number of d.i~ .. bled amtracs. (USMC)

7

propulsioll, alld lI\t"ir gcncr~tI]y \Ulrtl-OUt CUll( Ii! iOII .

were ,-0 S(' V(TC (hal til(-' ullit \,'as \\',ary or all~

rch f' arsa ls fo r the landing jAhich would further \\ (':~I" L1lem clown, Unly SO (If' the 1\('\\' L\'T-~s \\'IT('

d, )i\'crcd bel()1i' tlw operallUl1,

The LVT-2 Water Buffalo Tilt' LVT-'2 had htTl1 cln'elo[>cC\ to O\'CITnllH'

shortcomings ill llll' ini!i;l] L\']'-l desi,:,ll, Lk\'cl()]>-

1lH'l1l bc!.':an ill '1111 hy I hl' Bureau or Shi ps anci l-' 1\ I C, The L VT<' lIsed ;r II t'\\' tursi b stic sprun g

su'.pensioll \,vhich ofkrcd a In'uer rick on blld , IS

well as ~rt'aln dur~lhility, Tire powcrlrain \'\',I~

laken directly f'nllil tlw lvl:).'\r light Lank, illHI

prc)\'jckcl g reater pO\\,lT alld rc]i;:iJility, The L\''1'- '2

also ca llt.'d LVT ~dk,lr or \\'<1(('1' Bu/Lllt l , was first

ordered illlU pruduclioll i ll J UIK I ~H' '2, but did no t n(lch 1.'0 III hal ul1il s ul1til !~)4:5' It had a lil i· expcclallcy d inT I i nil's cL high as the L \ "T- 1 I t) ( (I

\'S, 'l OU rUllnillg lu)ul's l ; bill tilt' lr~l(' ks had lo 1)(' replaced ('\'cry 1:'(1 h()lIr~ or so . ,-s)Kcially i r rlllllJ\ 'l T

Il'lITI ltTr;lill,

The ('!)1l1f1l;llIdIT ()f"tlw 21ld ;\I1]pl)iiri all 'J'r:u II):

'l he Borg-Warrll'r Model A wa a paraUeI atTempt to develop an improved amtrac alongside s Un,jlar efforts by FMC, h was l'quipped with a turrel from an M3A. light tank, seen. here pointed o\'er the rear of the veil ide. The Model A and Model B later led 10 the LVT'3 BushmaSler, (US Navy,'

" "

Hall~llioll, ~ h i, Henn' Dl't'\\'t's. \,\'a~ told I,y l ; t'll.

..I1J!i~111 Smilh lhal his arnll'llCS nnrld (' -" peTI to

{'I1(,()L1I1[(T \'n~ hca\'y lire in spite () f (\a\'~ p rollli s , lo '()hlit(,),;,ltl" the Ja panese dd t.,I1 ('(· ..., un 13(,tiu, ~1I\ I

~ug!"l t's tccl d l.tI J)n'\\'('S add <lJ'l l'1()11 r p l< l (i JI g \(J III a ll I t rat's, UI'('\\'l 'S sea rdlt'd \" (, IIi lIg LOtl (( )I' a rmour.

tllid filIall y /(Hlllei som e rus tt'd ~ I rnnl pl;llt' olll ::-.ide thl' Cil~', wllicll was cut lllld prc'P;l],('(] In' Ihe

(;ellt,)"tI 1\ I()L orS pla n l in \Ydling l()11 dnd all ill'hed 10 tile LVT- [~, Tire [(:\\' ()CJicn~ \\'11" SUI'\'i\Td tile ;' I S~ ;llllt kll dl<.ll lhl' ,HlllOUJ' ~~t\,l'cl \Ii;'\ll~ ' l i \'l ' s : l11 <LlIY

()f'tll(' ('T'1'\VS tll'gu('d ntlwl'\vis(', Illl( lI('clrly all ;rgrvC'l1

t hill i! was (t rr import all { m< )r:ll(' h()llSl(T. In

addition, IIll.lchilH' g,-ull m()unts \\'('1'(' add('d In tilt'

amtl <ll',: usually il ,50-cal. in rrOlll. illlcl t\\ {I ,j(J- c . !.

m~I('lrillt' ,~Ul1S ()Il the sick (Jr I'('cll',

'1'])(' ... 1 I! )1'1 <.tgl· o f ;'llIl t rac:; [i)(, ()pcr ;1I i()ll .( ;;d­

"lillie' illt'\'il~d)ly HlClUlI Lkll ()111~ :1 pl'opot'lioll oj'

ti l(' tf()()P: \"lT C land ('cJ lI siTl ~ th('m: ti ll' lil's! IllIT e

W;I\'(' S \\'()uld Ix ca rricd in un the a nllra t'~ , Ii Jll() \\'l'd In l'l'inf i ))'l(' Il1l' Il( S ill C\'ps Hi ggi ll :-' 1)()~l l S l , T he fil':-.l \\'<l\'C Llsn \ -\,'2 ut'll1l.' a\'~liLLl) lc I ~ ~) ;l1nlr<l l' ~, Th' iltlilek ()ll lkli/) Island 011 '2() :\()\,(Tll lwJ' 1 ~I,H \ \,L\

pl'('(,(,(lr-d hy il tt-Cll'.-;()Il1(' 1],1\':.1 :111<1 flir hOll1)ilrci-

111l'11(, l()tallill,!2.' s()m(' :~,()nu [illl"; Il 111l111i1J()IiS 1)llto

aTI isbllcl llllly 2q I ant',,- ill ;Ir('a, :\n-ntl1<'kss , [11('

,Idj)alll's(' fi))'c('s kId ample lillH.' lo li))'til'y I fH' isi<llIcL

~llld Lll<' (,OllllJI<lltcin had bn<r"tnllkll il \\'OLlld f;\kr

a millioll men, a hunc1rnl years' 10 capture dl(" islllllclli-O\n his crack Sp('ci<lJ N<l\'aJ Landiug Forccs Uapantsc marill('s '

The dlll'al)iliry or the japCl1lC'if bunkers hCCiln1C

all too ckilr as tllC ,lOll racs or L11l' lirq 'v\~\\'('

appruaclH"d lilt' Iwach ;I( ~l lllnlc na'v\ I. 'Tlwy

slIrmoLllltC'd the rring-ing rcc/"\yithntlt dirJiculty, hut C;)nlC under an intense barr,lge ii'Olll heel\y 1I1 ;1(:1Ii11 l'

guns, rnunar.s and artillery ['rom the SLllyi\'illg'

bunkers, Eight of the amtrac.s were slink ()n tlie approach, ~Ind mallY mort' sulk-recl .so Il1Llch

damage li'urll I>ullet.s and shr'lj)llt"! that they lall.T

sank \\'hell a1tcm]J1 i ng' (0 return IU ~ca (<'.11' rcluading,

The' addecl <lrtll{lUr olil:rccl mod('st pro[ecLioli

ae;aillst small arm.s ~ir(' , I)ut \\ ,lS inaucqu<I[C ag;lillsL heavy machille gUll lire, The l1)(1chillC RlIlll)CTS U)l

board \\lTC particularly hard hit. sincl' 1I1l'ir weapollS \VtTC Llrgely ullproLcuccl anclthcy had to expose IIH'l11scl\'es to lire 1.1 I('m , By tIl(' cnd or the opnalion oilly 35 arntr,l(,S were still operalional. i\ tollll Oi':}'2 LVT-!.s ;'\lld 30 LVT-'2,';; had hC('TI lost to ('nem~- aClio\l, ;111<.1 ei,ght LO lIwcilallic ;.i\ f;lillircs, or thc~c, 3~) hdd hcen slIllk directly by gunfire; '2ti were

disabled I)y ,~lIllIIIT a nd ~hrapl 1(:1 .. iller 11<1 \'i n,Q:

surmCJulltcclthc rccf: lIine h<lcl burtwci onlll\,' fwach

;d'lfT I heir fl.wl 1 <-lnks were hit: and \\.vo WCTe hlowl\

lip by mines, or tIl(' 3(1() arnlrac crnvnlcl1 , :3'2:1 \A;ere

killl"d OJ' \\'utl!lckcl, including the baltalion COlll­

manciL'r \lL~i, Drnvcs, killed by ,gunfire 'vvhilc cOl11mctllding the {ir,st \\,,-\\T,

In spitt' of'tll<' lo~sC's, the ;'-lm[racs haclmanagccl to

c\cli\Tr a signi lieant 11 um her or tro( IPS to the

h('clchlwad ,sllccessrully , The S<\Jll(' was Jlot true (li' (lll' Higgill,s h(,Iltts ill the Ii.Hlrth, flf'l.h and sixlh \\ ' <1\'( ' '-;, As the t\-Lu'illc plan ))('fS hac! kareci, l he> f'; likcl [I) eivar tlll' Cringing rcrf< .. llId lbe marinC's

i Iisicle Vd.Tl' obligt'd I (J d j':;CJl) bit rk a \lei \vac! c ashore Ii 'om distillllTS or :)00 [0 H()() )',-Hds under intense

.Japal\( ' ~(' lllilchinc gUll fire, I L \\'as a -"laughter. with

,'>ingk J; tpat)(·sc lIl<lchilll' gun,,,, killillg or wounding'

('lltin' hoat-Ioad .s oj' llDl"iIH'S,

To support elK beachhead , a dOl/'ll M--1:\1 Slwrman 1~lnks or lil("· Is[ !\farillc /-\mphibiolls

C:orp,'i 'Llilk Battalioll W<Tt' hrought up on L(:1\1 1;lllcling' (T'\!'t. ,\.s \\'iLI1 lll<' t)'()(>P'i, tl\{' tank lallding

LVT(A)-IS of the Army 708th Amphibjan Tank Battalion corne ashore at Saipau on D-Day, 15 June 1944. Neither the Army nor the Marines were completely bappy with [he L ""f(A)-1 due to the small gun carried, but it continued in service through the end of the war, Notc the rear mac.hine gun tubs. (USMC';

raft \' 'l n' ' t(lPPt'd IJY till' I'ringill g rn'r. O,lly tllnT

Lan ks nnl tLl .. 11 h made tlll,j I" \\'a \ " .. tli: l, tu the l)Cach. , "

11 10: 1 hring lost in Ille \\altT clut' to (Jl l g ifJ C [i[)()ciillg,

01" Sillkill g illlO [lte .',','''pill ,l!: .';\wll cralers CJII'I'c\ hy 11 ;\\ ',11 .~lUlfir(', \\'hilt- the l:tnb \\"(TC latcr l., 11l'fl"("

im '; tiU(lhlt- ill lhl' ('Ij)lllIT or till' isla ncl , Liwir ('a r l~

dif"flc uitics n':lching tlw IJc:lch higilligillcd 1 hI' Il<'c.' d

1(11' irrllli ,<.li ttle fi re , u p port d uri ng lhe illi lial , t...,~ ,ltllr

ph ast'" prc/(Tll bly III the lill"lll or son1C S() rt () f

<l lllpltihioll : [(\Il k. :\ftn 7t) hours oj bicJ()d~' lig'hlillg, RetiC) \\':I~

t ken . T he C():-;tS \, 'CIT staggeri ng : :', +(i() :" l ar i ll c

l' a:-;ua lti cs, a lhird 01' lhe:-.(' killed ; ane! \'irtu,lliy til t '

('mi lT g <lrrisull llr '2 . [j() () ,J apa ll (, s(' S:\ LV Illari ll l'"

The lligilu Jl<t rish illlilf!,l" ()r the siall g llll'l' ()r d\(, lIlarines \\'adillg as\ton: fro m th r' lW<.lclwd Hig'gill~

hOllIS lccllU lI SMC illSi;;1 ('I 1('(' o111he lIS(' o['al1llr;)(':-;

t o carr\' o u t a ll\ ;lInphihi ( )( 1" lal'ldine; .'\ ~ l.gai ll "'L

A pai,r of LVT(A )- IS of the Marine I t Armored Amphibian BaHal.ion in action in (he Marshalls in the S UlllOlCr of 1914-There wa1'O !'iOITlC controversy Ilver the use of a,mfa,nks, llnd whether thcy should conduct Lh('ir fire fi upport rn.i!'. 'iolls while in the wafer olT· shorc, a secn here, or on (he beach it:,;('"lf. (USM C)

III

('(1II\(':-.I c:d \)e<[cl\('.'\ ill th e i'll \llrt', 'I'll(' \larinl' C orp:

Il ad cO}l('lu cl ('(1 th a I :lm t l':l l'S had made [Ill' cril ic ( 1 c\d ic. 'ITIl(,(' be \ \ \tT I) \ 'ictor y ~llld ddt'aL ~lt Tar~l \\'; l. II' ;111 t l)!' b llclil l.t.;: had b(Tll (' liIHlu l'l cd lISill ,l( 111('

LC: \'P~ ;lIld 1.C:~ b . Ihe la ndin g \\'Cildd p]'() lJa bh !l a \'c' hl'I'll a \ '(')'\' hlo()dy I;li lul'c, Thc' II('a\'\' cosIoI'

the baltlc c<Lused a ~ca ll r1:l1 hack ill the l"ni tcd Siales, TI1(' i\hrint' had IHJ tlif"licu)I', ll\'l'r thei r' n'<jllcSI I()]' l':\pilllcini pl"(Jdu('tioll or ~\!lllr C:t (' '', and

lh(' :\'a\ '> \ l'Cl ll('l a llcl' 10 \l Si' amt r (l c," ill ;llllPhihi() u~ i;rllciin,!2,"s n 'a pOri-l l(,(1. The l 'S :\ rr llY, 1'(':-;pol} :-; il'/(' II)] ' a lllp hillio llS (lplT<lli(JI1S ill the S Clu l h-\,'l'Sl I' acilic. paid l' ~ l rd'Lll cltll'lItic)ll to til(' k~~ lln:-. ut'T;lra \\, ~l, a lld

Iwg"1I1 (','pandi ng i{~ ()\\ 11 ,l n ll J'ac uni h ,

Amtanks and Fire Support

I J1 I ~q r • d uri n , rt he cJn'f i ()pmCll l )1 [he L \ ''1'-'2, 1 he

desi gn \('ams v\Tl'l' a,..,k('d 10 ill\'l'sl i,1!Jlli' (hi'

pu","ibilit~ 01" lC'\T lo pillg all arnlC'd ~Uld a rmnured \,(,I',joll or I he I \{'\'\' .. lIll t l'~lC, Til i s look pLtl'l' hd<,I)'

LIlt' Tar~lW<l 1<.LJ1(lin,gs. and Ihe rcquiremel!l appcars

to ha\,"{' he(,11 hased Oil COIIC<"Tll S [hal a mphlhi(lu~ landings might l~lC(-, Japalll's' Lank units, Stccl armour ur I let \\'(TlI 1)111 m and J '2111111 \\-as (,111pl()ycd In place or llie sheet stccl usnl on the lI(Jrnwl LVT- :2. TIll' ;\-1(; 37mm Lalli, gUll wa~ tht: br.l1,'t'.o.;1 anti-lank \\'(-'ap(lll that cOllld 1)(' adopted chI(' to

weight. and }"ccoi! reslrictiolls. Tile lurrel \v as adaptcd rr()rn the ?\I J :\ I S tu Llrt light Lallk Lurret. an I was icknLicd (,Xl'ep l l(}r the delerion urthe rcar lurrl'l radio huslle. T'\\,\) .:~()-c~!1. macllilll' guns \\- CIT

add ed (II) scad' rings lwllilld Iht' turret to pr()vide additiollal fire suppo)"l. '1'11(' (lrlllour and tUITcL

added al)()UI three tOil." l{) lilt' \\("ight of tilt" \-chide, bu t lhi,,,; did )1(11 snillusly ckgr;tck \'chicle hll{)y~IIH'Y "iller I1(J 11"1 lOpS or .";U pp l i("~ \\"("IT to be carried. TIll'

nt\\· \'('hicl.c, thl' LVT,::\ I-I. \\' as Iype clas~di E'd LIllel

CllllTI·d p),Ilc111Clioll ill Df'fTrnhcr 1943. a f1WIII h after Ihe Tara\'\'i..l landin g. Tlll·Sf.' ,,"chicks \-u'("e

usually ("illied (Illilrlllkl ': or (JllljJ/iltlllks ,J 10 disl in~'lli:-,h

Ihem f"l"Om the <ll11tracs. DUI illi!' the C\c\'cillpmlill or lhl' L VT, .\ . - I" LIlt' l" S .-\ r rn y p I ~lC( TI a )"cq 1I i I"l'IlH '111

[i.Jr ,1\1 armoured l.1rnlr~l(". This \\-~I~ dnTlopccl COIIClIfTClltly ,,-iLh 11)(' 1.\"1',:\ J-;, ;l~ Ill(' T:.):). II \\' i l'

a rross IWl\\'(-'CTJ the L\-T-'2 (I)ld Ihe L\'"j"(.-\J- f ,

ha villg' tlH' it rmoured hull ill Ie! C;t I J or I he L \- r" ,\ : - I

;lI1d L11( ,e,'l'lltTitl storage C(lll i ig u ra I ion (ll he L \/T-'2.

II fl1lcl"ccl pruduction ill I q.-I:~ fur thl' LIS Ann\ a s Iht· L VTI:\ 1-:2.

TI)(' T~lra \\"a (~xp('ri('n("e also pr()mptui I ht' l iS :\rmy I () acc(' !era t c dn'(' I( JP))l('llt of" a 11"1. ph i hi (IllS

\'l'rsiolls or normal Lanb. 'I'his L()uk. L""O directi()ll:":

I Ill" ..:k\'cloplYlcl.lt ofimpru\"('d \vading gear li)r lank.s

dropped illLn sfullc)\,\' vv,tln, ilnd the ckvdopmcllt

(II' dl'l Ltcktl lit- POI.llO()IlS <lIlel propulsiol.) S~":-:Lnns tt)

cll ahlc IClllb tn s\\-im iJsl)()IT rrom sume cii,-;taIHT.

\"a r ious I YIW:-; or wadin g .~('a r \ \"(TC \\'iclcly Ll sed ill

Jlll philli()u:-; 1(lllcJin~·,..; h~' bot h \ 1+ Shennan ,1I1c! 1\1.-):\) Stuart tanks. The IK)III()(Jn s~:~tcm s , such as

Ilw 1\·1 Iq (Ritchie T-h, SWillllllillg- D('\"ice filled 10

t\l-J- rlinlillln lanks, \v(')'(' !I(Jt j"{'ady ill Sigililic;lllt

ntlllll)(,l"s 11111 ill he lasl mil.io)' (,[wJ"ariul1 oC1.he \\';1)' (Ill

Okinil\\':I, \\'I H_IT ~() 1\larill(' She r tnans were L:lllci('cl

hy m l a ils or Ihese S YSl.l· Ill ";. The l)J) ta n ks: Dup le _" Dri\'l~:, dn'dopl'cJ in Brilain lor tIl(' ~()rl1l(L1ld\"

il1\-~ISi()ll, \\Tn: Ll~("(1 I))" l 'S 1~lllk hattalilllls ill

r,\1l'O]>c, lall tI)('v U(:'\"C)" mac/I' all appcarallc(" ill Ihl'

Pacific. TIll'J'(' \,,"as \Try lill Ie int npla y bCL WCt'lI t 11('

L\\'() Ilwclt)'('S ill terllls (I!" specialised l'quipllWl1t

At Tinian, a coral diffwould have prevented the a01.lr.u:s from advancing beyond (he beach, leading to the development of the Doodlebug, seen here. This LVT-2 had a special timber ramp to surlTIoun ( the obs lacle, a.nd six of t.hese were used during tJle Tinian landing. :USMC'.

dn"('lopnlt'llt. ],ik('\ViSC, till' ilPllliC<lllilily of LVTs I(l)" the :\O)"l1lilll(I\' ill\'a.siol1 W(l ~ hru shcd aside as

h('iIJ~ 11lll)l'CCS:-';lI·~. 'Tllc L S illCa ntry aL Omaha Reach \\"CHlld he f{)Ilcd to T'Ckarll T' lr 'I"-~l \ bl oody kSS(lil ()f'IIll' \'ulflcrahility OrU l.l pr()[('Cled inf"llIlln'

\\'adiIlQ" ashore I"rom landing; narl.

Aflltrac Organisation U llder tlte E-S Tics Table ()(" ()rgi.Llli'.lliol1 and

Lq ll.i pmclll ,TOE 1 or ,\pril J ~) " ~ : ~ . (·i.Lch \larjne J)j\·isiolJ had :-til organic ,\n1philJi~lll Trac\f l ]"

J:b II illi{)11 , \\·illl 1(1) ill11lrllCS org :H1i.'wd illlo Ihn'('

cOlllpallics. TIl!' L'S\IC nTlllllally ra ised I I

iHliphihiall tr,cll"lor 1);uutli()IIS plus ;1 l1umher' (lr slnalkrc\ct'ldlllll'lIls. III (lw spring or I Q44, bct\VlTII

lilt' K\ .... ajiLlcill lllld Saip,lll OptTLlliollS. tlte am­

phi hialJ trilclor I III 11. dions \\,(,IT ITIl1()\Tcl from

di\'lsional COlli )"01, ;\Ild rctaillcd aL corps InTI Ii)!'

beLlc)' co-()rdinalion durillg landing npnaliol1s. III

O c toher J ~),-U, tl w l iSjdC ancilhe US Army i:l('g-all

raising' their find i.IJlltallk baLlilliollS, Lhe US Army eli rist t'll i llg I h(' III .,1 llIjJ/ii/;{afl Ttlll/, jJfll/tl/iOIl \', w ltile tilt'· \IarilH's CIII('d L1lt-'ir lI.Illl~ :/I"IIIIJI"I't1 .. l J11jJli iiJirln Batlalions" The ~larirt(' am tank hallaliull s had fOil I'

c()mpanir ~ of" I g 1..\''1"1 A 1- I S. I O l~llIill g 7'2, plus thrc("

I. \ 'T'-'2~ i)) b.lllal i Oil H (·.ldq uartcrs: \\ hi k till' .-\rm~ "att~t!ions iniLI.tlh· had [(llll' cOlTlpaniC':-, or I ~

L\"l·,:,."\)-lS, pit I," /()lI.r LVT iA j- :2 illllt}"<tCS III

1);ltLalioll HC.2,.. The :\["my ballali()IJ TOE \-vas lalcl" ('lJlargccl to III clJlltanK:-; allcl IW() iU)1lrLIC.'I per

: I

("om pall y, wi th kutalioll slrnun h r1SI ng Lo r) LVf l,\) amL-l11ks and /'J LVT arn!rdCS.

The nr"l (TS ,\nny amphibian tri\ClOr ballillinJ1s \\"cre raised COIlCLllTt'lltiy \\-ilh till' 11('\\' anll.llllk battalio)}s. The /\rn1\"s burvaucr;\(.: y had b(,l"l1

:-ccplical of tht' amtracs <.ther I..'arl~ tests in )!)-!-'2,

fillrlillg tl)(,n1 \ ery ("llIms~ to Opt:ralc. HOWc\(T, U S ;\rlll\' llllilS il1 the Pacific )"CCOglliscd !lwir utiliLY ill [lit" .~\\ ,lin py cond iIi (illS or tlw S()U t h- \ ,'cst P,ICit ie,

l'\'Cll if ulll~ kl1' l(l~' islical support, and had hecll ll'qul'stillg" amtr~lC~ {(-Ir "()1ll1' time. Priority or arntrac tlrli\'(Tif'S W('IH to I h<: l'vlarillc~. hO'Wl'\"LT.

and the (irsl US ,\r!"JJY amll'i:lcs did II()[ appt'<'u ill

[11(' Pacific uillil carl\ [~) .H .. Tlw (il'-':I two i-llllllll1k

Tbehru)"'s 2Dd En~ineer Special Brigade Suppot"t Batter), modified some L V1 i A)-2!5 lDW fi re suppot"t vehicles, like this one seen here firing intll Japanese tlug-outs on Schouten Island in the Nt"therlands Indies in 1914- Barrage rocket projectors were Illounred in the cargo bay, and a 371Tlffi aircraft gun (from Ihe P-39 fi!,!:hter) was mounted on the rear. (tiS Army )

....

11

.. 1"'­....

and (Wo arnlrac ha[taliolls \-vere I·,li..,l·d at Ihc '

}\)"1TlY\ /\rnpllibiou .... Training CentCl' at Ft,Ore! , (:alilc)]'ni,\. on '2 7 October I ~H.:) Oil tIl!' hasis of"

( ' ,i~ti1)g armoured infrllltJ'\' <tnd tank UllilS. 1'1)(' US i\rmy amphihian tr,ICIOI bauali()lls W('IT o)"gi-tllisccl

slig'lltly dilkn'ntly frolTl lheir i\farinc CtHll11Crpdl[s:

lhere wen' L\·\"o c()lllpanie:-. . (" leh \\ ill"! :~) [ amI racs, alld a (olal ()I I [q 'lI11tracs pcr battalion. ,\Ithough the arnlrac is 0101'(' closely a s:o.oci;J\cc\ 'v\ · j[11 tilt: US

i\,lllJ'in(' Curp .... , it is 'w()rth 1101 il1~ thal Llw LS Anlly llclllllily 1<,lt'llwd more amphillian ballillions dtl)"illg

I1H' \\ ar (han the ~·Ltrinn: Sl'\'Cll Army alld 1111'('(' '\1~H'il1(, dll1ti:ll1k balli.llion-.:: and '2:) ,\rm~ and I I

i\ lit ri 11(' iUll! r;'lC ball,·tJ i nilS. Li kn\' is(' \ :'j :-) per C('lll (Ii" ;t11 ,ll1ltr(lCS v,:c'lIt I() Ill{' ArrllY, a[ld ()[!l~ 'I-() peT" ( 'Clll

to I hr !\ ' larill(,~.

Debut of the Amtank The .\Jari[\(' l SI :\rTlphihi~ll' '1 ri-lClor I-Lltulioll \\ as

. ...

- -, .... . ~ 'of:" --.... '

... ,

.' . . __ Ill ..

.... ,

used to provick logistical suppon during the operations at Arm,ve and Cape Gloucl'stcr on 0kvv

Britain in Decemher I ~)L~3. 'fhe next major assault landing since 'Tara\,\·a " .... ·as scheduled ror lhe Mar'\haHs in February J q~ .-1, with hoth Army and Marine a mphi bia n ba ltalioTls participa ting. K.w(~ialcin is the longesl atoll in the workL stretching ~ome 50 rnilcs vvith a :w-rnik-wide lagoon. and ideally suited lo amtrac operali()Jls . lTS planners fcaff'd anollwr TaravI'a, and Sf) prepared

to make eXlensive usc or tanb and arnlanks . /\rmy'

troop\ were as,signed to Kwajalcill and a nurnhcr or smaller islands in lhe- atoll , using' £11(' PJ'()\'isional Amphibian Tractor J3allalion ,<;upporLC'd by lhe

I\1arinrs' new ISl Annol'ed Amphibian Battalioll. The Prm-i.sional Amphibiall Tractor Battalion had been IC)rUlf'cJ around the Army\, premier amlank

battalion, the 70Btil A.mphilJian Tank Battalion. However) tlw hattalion had not J'CC(':iH'cl suC{iciellt

LV'f!:/-\:'-ls. and so was r('org'anisccl 1II all

improvised fashion \\'jlh J,VTI~/\i-I:-;, LV·I '( A )- '2 . ..;

awl LVT-2,., . This opnatiol1 marked the combat debut orthe LVT(i \ )-1 ill both Army and ivlarinc

service . The Nlarillt' 4th Amphibian Traclor Battalion \",'as spli I to form lv\() additional

An LVT(A)~4 of the Marine 3rd Annored Amphibian Battalion on the beach at Peleliu on IS September 1944. Due to rut' aJT1tanks' very light armour, the Marines preferred to land M#2 medium tank!; as soon as possible to provide clirect fire support for the advance inland from. the beach. (USMC)

balralions ) I he I Ol h and I J th Ampbj bian Tractor B(lltali()n~) causing' signif-icaut prohlems in the conduct oftlw landing',., in the J\'1arshalls a~ the units had so little time Cor training.

Usual \-[arilll' tactics /()r amlank dcploymcm \H:Tt' (0 position an arntank company in Iinc in fl'ont oreaeh W(\\ (' o/'arnlracs. l \;lIally, naval gunfire was

restricted ii'om firing jun close lo the landing beach. so the gunfire of1.lw ~Imtanks cmTrcd lhi~ gap . The

17 or 18 LV'1' (A)-I<, proceeded in the lead to lhc beach alld, vvhen in rangc, hcgd.11 to opel) fire with

their 37m!)) guns and tbree -:)o-cal. Inachine .g\ll1~.

The intention \\' as lO l()I'CT t hej apallcse defenders 10

kecp dlf'ir heads clown with suppressi\'(' fire , rather thall lo piCK oIl' particular targels. There was "orne

controversy during lhl' inilial ol-wraliUlls regal-djng

the final approach to the beach . The inilial doctrine

c1n"('lopccl by lhe amtank hattalions vvas rhat the (\ mtanks would rc-'i.IC h shallm\' \va t cr, l hen cchc Ion nlI'to tllC' Halik 10 allow Ihe arnlracs lo pro('('cc1LO the

r I) .J

Three of the new LVT-4S were converted into Bantethrower~ for the Pdcliu landings, and were used to attack bunl<ers, The Rantegun wa~ Illounted behind a large armour shield. as secn in thi" reae view of one of the vehicles,

hl',Wh. Thn \\'/lUlcl m;Jinlaill their positioll olllhc

coa~l, ill l11dl ddJl~I(k i,l tlw \\":\fer. pro\'idillg

CmTrlllg fire until lanb could be lallded III

su hs('Cj U(,)1l \\ ;:'1\'(''', The ;1 i m \\'as to kelp lhe ;1I11l;;ll1ks in lite \\'dL(T \\'IH"n' thn' \\'()ulcl 1)(' k,:-. 'dtincrahk \() ('l)cmy (lllti-tank g-UllS: on 1,-llleI LllC L.\''!' i ; \ I-1 WClS Jikr' a lw,Lchcd whale, and it ... lhill

,11111(11.11 ' o!kr('(1 n() pr()tcction a,9;ail1s1 I)('a\'\'

mju,hi!l(' gUll lire ()r anti-lallk ,!:(UIl-;, Oil I Ill' 0111<"1'

hanel, the \Lt ri 11(' illl;1l1l1'~' commallders \\ (Jlllcclllw aml;)II)...'" up Oil tI)(' I)(';l('h(' ,,, so thal llwy could c()­

ordinall' llil'ir fj),(' 'iUPP()r1 \\'ilh local unils until lhl'

unk..; ;lrri\'('d , '1'11(' \'Llrilll' cHnlank crcws nhjcc\ul

lO mallY of the illLIIl!ry r('quc"Ls, /t'('hng dIal Ill!' inbllLry oUic<T, ... II(Tcllrss l: exposed I.hfiT (i'llg-ill' \Thlck ,,, 10 hO,'-lik ("ITT in rf)k~ helrer suitcd 10

Ilorm;.)I Lalll~" , i\lall\ of 11)(' illfanlry nn,ccr~,ill1p!~

didn'l ulld(,],~Lall(1 ho\\' lhillh- ;.nJ)1CJlIl"cci LI1('

amlallb \\'('['(', .1)l(11C'11(lf'd In L1~e lhem ill lh(' ~;ln1(' \\a~ Ih~H llIl'Y \\,otdd usc ;)11 \1 ~:\.2 SIl<'rIl1dll lank ,

I ~

TIll' (,()lllr()\'Cr";.- m'('r the is~w: or ",1J('llwl' ;,mlallk"

, ... ]wulcl Il" lIsecl lu SUPP0rL !vi;)rinl' or :-\ l'Il1 \

(lch'allcP' Iv: ()wl dw imnl('c1ialc /)(';Ich ~lr(';l

lill~n('(1 lOll,!.!, ancr lhe .\ 'lar"halls Ilglllillg,

TIll' 1l(~' hlillg in the l\brc.;h ~dl~ \\d" )}()1 d repeal or til(" hlc)()ch' Tara\\'a ('\:pcricnc(', TI}(' ,J(\p;,tll( ' ~(

cldcndns \\('1"1' much rnuJ"c ~(,;'lll('r('d Ill;))) o;!

Lll';l\\',l. and the \l(1)'il1c-; ilnd ,-\r l11Y hild <1:- ,1\\ ' \1

dppr()pridlC 1e",'()llS Il'om dH' (' .I1 'li,') ck'h,')c II' , l 'llI'

~Iarilll':-' \\'l'\"" supported h~ ' 1<l11b. from til«' -I,lh 1\ [;'lrinl' Tanh. Ball<.di()11. (lnci lill' , \I'nl\' lilli,,, III

K\\';ljal('il1 \\'tTl' suppo!'u'd h~ lilc 7l) 7lh ' Llilk

Ball;ilio)), The \.IS(' oftlw llmtallK:.. in it lin' SIIl)jlO),1

n'de 1\(uilT\Takd som( ShOl'lCOlniu,!:!,'s, ho\\'1.'\ n , TIll'

:';/11111'1 "J(i .I2,'1111 \,\ ' ClS prr!('Clly adelJualc lo dc;ti \\'Illt

lltc l'<'IITIY-ClICOUlll('lTd .JaPdI1C"1' lank, ... , IHII il W;I"

II () 1 sui [; I hit' f'() r lIll a c kin g 1 h l' h U 1 ) k (' \':-. 0 I' () lit l'l'

/i)) 'ldicd [lI)SiliOl1s \-\,hieh \\'(TC' ~l 1l1{)1'l' C()lllTll(lll

L1l 'g'('l, '-111<1 so 1 line \\ 'as a d(':-..irc fi)1' a ldl'g-('r \\'('<.11 HIlI.

T\\'(J clays after lile J\..\\'ZI,ial(Jill I;lIldill.~', Ihe jlh

.\b rine Di\'i siO\1 allackt-,c1 Ill(' 1\\'0 adjacenl isl;ll1(l ...

Ill' Roi a!ld i\T;'ITlHIL ll sing the _;lh and l(lIlt

.'\1l1pltihiall TraClor Rallaliol1s . Sllppo[,I('c1 I): till'

1'iI :\rrllorcd :\ll1phihi;m Ballaliol1 ,

The LVT(A)-4 AlTItank Dn'('jopnll'l1t Of;l ilion' IW;l\ ily ~lrnwcl ~lll1la1\k, lht'

I ,\' T ' :-\ ' - +, \\" as i I) I ~l( ( a lr( ' ~ld:- Il(";t ri I1g co III P Jc Ii (HI.

,Iuq a~ Ihl' L\ ''!'I,,\ I- J hacl blTl1 ~lrnwcl \,\ith Ihe

tll)TCI l'ro[}j !lll' ['..-1 :-).-\ I light L;ulk. '\0 tilt' Ill"\\

f.\'Ti,\ '-+ \\'as ;lrlTwcJ \riill Ihe IlliTPI fr()lll Ill<' l'dH r)mrn I f(lwilZlT ~:r()lor (:;lrriag:c ! hasl'cl on I hI' \I:~),\J li ,!.!;ht Link chassis l , .-\s ill the CI~l' or LIlt' ~1 5:\r : l\tH Hi'dC , the 1....\"'1" ' :\ :-,4 required;1 Lll'~l('I'

turrel ring, which meanl I 'XIl'l1ding' thl' superstruc­ture b~ld, Oll tIl(' l ,\'T ' .. \ -", . (()\Trillf.-:, ()\ '(T the t\\'()

,carr rings cd' thl' ll}c-{chiIIC ,Q'Uli Itd)s; al til(' lime il

was no! c'vide-1l1 10 I he clr-.:ig'lwrs I ha I 1 he (\('1('1 inn or IIll'S(' lll<Lchine '::llli positio[), \\'Ollld \x (lIIC of' till" lnc),q SlTI()lIS l;t('\ical shortcomillgs or Iltt' IH ' \\'

L\'Tli\ l-+ ;\s \\TII a,' \\ 'ork on up-gulln('d \ cr.;jOllS of'tlll'

cuY}tallKs, \H»)'I.: hael also begul1 Oil other J()rm~ ol'fil'e

-uppnr! ;lmlr ;.lC~ and ~1mlallk ,-.:, Prototypes or L \"r. ,\ 1- b wi I h E 7 a)lel E 1.1--7 R'1 flamc-ll1rO\\'(')': .. ,

\\,fTC cl(" '('iopcd, hut v\"(')'(' I1n '(T acc{'plccl ti))"

ckplnYllll'nt to the Pacific, Ir(,nically, Ih,' lacK (lr Oamclhr()\\'fT amtracs hael led Ihl' :\l'Il1y'S IORlh Amphibian T,L1il-: Battalion 10 hllil<l fi\'e il1Jpl'O\'jsccl

Jla II j(' ;un I )';'ll'S h: })I ( lUll! i Ilg ()l'd i Ild),Y ill Lu 1I ry l11an­

pack \ 11 (b lIll'throwns ill a "mall ()pl'njn~ ill I\)('

!.lO\\' ul'some L\ ' f, .. \-,]S ;"t1)d L\ 1" \JI~, Thc~('

we)'c' llsul c!\lring tlw K\\'a,illlcil1 opn<ttioll, l)LIt

WCIT HOL "(T\' llsdltl ,"IIlCt' lheir ral1,~(' \\'~L';

inaduj\,ICltr', The .-\rmy 's .:!llcl En,~il1ccr Special Bri,t:;i.\c\c Suppnrl Ballery J1')odif1cC\ a t1tllllhl'l' or L\''j', ,\ '-:2~ inlO fin' support \Thjele, Lach "l1lllr<ll'

),l'CCi\Td I()\ll' J\Ik VII -+ '. l ilKl) I)~lrr~lge r()cket pr<~i('C\ors, Ihn'c Nf'l , :>()-C,ll. h( ·i.l\'Y III,ll'hill(, gllllS ,

alld a pec\c"l a l-r110 111l1('d ' ,Ik r\" 371l1Tl1 iHlI(llll;:lir

C;,l111)()11 dike that lIS( ' c\ Oil the p-, ;~) 11ghtn , The ~' Lll'iJl('s dc\'t ' lopcc\ similar rockd-fil'in ,g am!r"lCS in

the CClHr: ,1 P;' cihc r'lg-hliw2', but g('nl'1 ' ;tll~-, bllclil1g

cr;l! '1 \\c: rc US( 'rl in Ihis rt)lr r;lIhcr than amlrllCS,

\Vitll lilt' I'MTplioll or a "111,111 lIull11wl' oj' /\l"lllY

LYT I,-\ -;2S. illl ilmll 'ac~ \\: l'!'C buill un a rl11()und

dl'spite Ll1l' implic()t ions c1rav,l'! lj '<.>111 Tarawa, The Nan' was reluctant t() ;'11"l11()tll' aU arnlracs, sin('l.'

A wave of Marine LVT(A)-45 advl-Incl' towards the beaches at Iwo Jima, The- l~ast popular feature of the LVT(A)-4 was its vulnerability to close-in infantry atrack due to its lack of roof armour, and i.n:,;ufficienl machine guns. By the time o( t.he 1wo jima landing this had been ameliorated bv addin~ more machine guns and gun shielcis, as seen here. (USMCj

m all\ \\()llI d CUlllIl ll H ' to 1)(' 11"(-,( ] i ll a I()gi .... l ic .. d :\ I.IPP()J'l l'('dc \\'hel"(, more :Irm ()lll" 111<' (l1l1 1 h al !I 'S ~

(,~llX() cou ld Ill" car ricc! , I nstead , ~ l a l1 d<l n li:-,('d

arm ou r k il~ \ \ T .1T c\ n "{"l(l pn \lr) 1)t' wddn.ll () allHrac ....

u:-oc<l ill ;l··'~;1UlL 1;11l<lill.~S. Thl' kit." 1'()111 : lilll'<! ('ul

·,hl'('lS ()rklll~ aile! qlli.ll"ln-illl'h SIPt ' l. Th(' ktlj~illl"li .... \('(·1 \\'<1 :-. \\'c!ded LO III(' h l) \\ aile! {"rol ll (, ' I h. \\ ' hi!e ti l('

qll ;ll'll' r -i ll c h pane ]:.; \q' rc ,l(lded 1() tI ll' POIIIO!)I l. '.

Somc uni t:-. in Ihl' fie ld ;Lcl ckcl ;Idd iti ll li al plait'S or lilc ir ()\\I1, BC,!!,·j ll lli ll .t.: in ;\\;trch I( ll l . ;111 1.\ ·'1'- .2 .... 11;),] cll) ,1 !'mOLll' ~lrl d n l ~Illh(' t~ lCL ()l'\ · . 'I' ll(' ;l rlll(Jl.il"

11:-'1 'd () II I. \ 'Ts d 11 r i 11 g tll(' V\ ; II ' \ \' a s () III Y :-. 1I Jlw i ('III lo

prO\(' I'l ; Lg(l iIlSI : lll:LlI ;11'111 , lil'C, Sl l l'tlP)I('1 ; l lld hl ·;t \'~

JlI<IChill!' g Ull (ire c( lldel PI·IlI'll.llt' dll' POlll ()()1 1S, <lIld

l"1'('\\'S had 10 can-!"lIliy l ' h('l ' k L1l(' .'i(1t- pOl llnOlls

IWjC lr(' 1' l1lning t he \, 'aUT again tCI pr(' '('Ill lh,'

n 'hide from lill ill g- \\'ith \\ 'a l e r and sinking, C:r('\\':-. "\"('IT iss lled ;1 hag or \\ ' ()()(kll plugs 10 h:lmnHT illl()

; 111\ ' hllil 's Ihey lelllllcl,

Battle for the Marianas

T hl' In:lil) C<1 ])I]Ja igll in lhl' C"II Lra l I',,(ill('. jill' ti l(' k ( ' ~ \Iari,tll (l :; i :-- Ia lld " () r S ~lip i. lI l. C ualll alJ d T illi <1l1 .

\ \ ;IS sc hnllilt'd fi,l' ,/111 1(' ,lIll y. H)-H' Th('~(' (1 IHTCl ­

llnlls "'Tn' lo Iw 11ll' I;lrg('sl ;llTlpllihiollS lalldillg'S

IISi,,::. ;[11111";ll 'S to <1;1\( ', '1'111 ril'~l L\ 'Ti .\ -. 1 ;IJlll ililks

,11)(1 1.\'']"-+ a m l r (lC :-' \ \ (')"1' a\a ilahl!- ji ))" tlH"l'

() ]JcralioIIS , 'I'l l(' : \ r IlI Y'" j llBt h ,\ l1I phibian T~lI lk

Ball ;tlioll h;1 I If; 1.\ ''1' ,\ - ,I S, issuillg each l;!l l k

c I lllp Cl. ll ~ l i )1I 1' T ,\--{' ,-\ -.f .... ~lI ld I:' T ,\"T :\ - J''':

\\·hi lt- llll' \ h ril1t < !It ' \\' ~ 11 c1 :\ rlll llrl'd : \ mph i hi a Jl

Ibl[:'lli(lIl \\as <lI IlIOSI (, lll' in ' l~ ('<]uip]ll'll \,'ilb tll<' 1)('\\('1' ,111l1;IIlK. Opcralil.ll1 T(lr:lgl'l" , llll' a(L .it·k IIIl

Saipan, lll'g,IIJ nIl 1: ),jUIl C I~H , . ,\I)I) ll l " )()i.lmll"<t Vs

\\"('1'1' ll~('(L illl' lw lill ,e; a III [;LlI k,.' 1'l'()J1) tlte .\rllly's

7(IHlh :\ n lpltillial l T allk B all :t1 i nll Cl lld il l(' \I<trill(, '"

21ld , \r l1l()J"('d .\ mphi hi a ll li-tll al i(l n. aile! si, ' a mtr:'ll'

1) ;' l lLtli()ll~ illClllclil lg- Ihe :\1'111 <:-' ,~l:)' llll. 7 1Stll :1 11( 1

77:-;nl ;']JI(I tll(' j\\;lIint< '211c1 , .ph ill1c! IIHIJ

.\r11phil)i;lll 'I'rael!"il ' Battali()l l ~ ,

B~ til(' li llie () f lh(' Saip:lll ()]l I.'J' ~lli (Jll . Jap; l ll l' :-- ('

(~ lt"li<.: s \ \(, 1'( ' cl n llg ill g: : they had dl'( 'idnl Ln (;\ n )id

pbc ill ~ II l o:. l or t li('ir dl'kl1~i \T )J () -,;Lli ou:-. 011 th('

I)('ac\l<'" r(';tli"illg 1 h at mal )~ " 'Ollie! 1)(' losl lO LlI(' 1ll';I\ 'Y l'S lJ;I\ ' all)l)l1l'-)~lrdllh'1I1. I I1 S lf '~ td, on 1;11'.12.'('1'

is la nd:--, ddl'IIC( ':-- \\tTC pbl1 I I<'d t il l ak " : l( h ' aJ1( a,~ t' (II' 1l'IT~lill k;il11l't ·S ild<.LIHI. l'Il(' b lldill:· ··; ;-ll Saipilll "Tn' ll()t l 'Ollll'stnl iIJ tll~' S ~lllll' i:Ls ltion lls ;\1

Tdr<l\\'d , h I li t I ll' ,/ ap<-l I I (, --: (, !elfn '" l<ltl llclH'd ,I

l1umlwr (J r (' e> II11I IT-;'lll a k,' ag'dil1 <'; 1 lhl' l)('ach - h t' ad ,

ill('llld iJ1 ,~' W ll k ,1l 1 ~ ICb , T hl' 7nH tl, :\rnphihiall T ank Bat l.ll i(l1l p <lrticu b l' ly <ii , t i n .~' lli . heel it self'

The late p r oduction models of thE" LVT-2 huill after March 1914 had an armoured cab and prol<:ctcd rear .. ir intakes, This version is vcry difficull to distinguish from the Arnl)' LVT(A)-2, which also had inlegral hull and bow armour, 'This is a l\'larine L\'T-'l. on fwo Jirna, 'Nllb added g un !-.h.ields, (USMC)

during [he lighling, eamillg the Prc~idcnti,-d Unil CiLalioll, Saipan \,va~ dccl,HCd SC(Ul"C Oil 9.Juh

Iq+-b ancl on '<' .July (;lli111l ;ll1c1 Til1i;!!] \\TIT

<Illackrcl. As at S,lipan, Ihe i[lilial lalHling~ vVCIT

conciU('l('(1 llsill ,i!; arntracs. The ;:1.1 LIck 011 (; ua m Oil

'2 1 Jul y 1 ~ )++ il1\'ol\"ed :).:IH amI )";1(",-; and ,-ll111anks

[i'om the rvlarint'.'" ist <lllcl ~Ilcl :\rrr1orcd Am­

phibian fbllaJions and the '_~rd and 4th ;\lI1phibi<111

Tractor Battaliolls. The <IliaC" Oil Tiniall incllHkd

(ttl initial a.ssauit 1)\· +()S .\I'I11Y al1d i\'1aril1c arnLr,l{'::

ano 68 an1la !lb. Ti II iatl '-, heac Ill'.; prou'd 11101'(' of' ;-) prohlem due to the preSt'IIC('> or {"()ral ("liJ1~ al Lhe

ccl g:e of" (1)(' beach ,I rf'a, so a spcci,1i S('CiJc(" \'('rsio)) 01

the L\·T-:..>. the J)oodl('11ug , \-,'as 1111cd \,:illl ~l (il11l)(")"

)",IIllP ()\'('f the lop ofLiw \'chicle to pcrmil l<dtO\\'in g amlracs to ~UITn()Ullt [he barrier. TCI1 J..)o()clkbu g.'i '\"("C built by [11(' I\i'arillt" 2nd :\lllphibi~lll Trall()),

I:htlaliot1, pro\'ing to Iw quite ~IIC('CSsrllJ durin!.!:

I Ill" i r I) ri d' «:: [ll pI () Y [j l(' 11 t ell Tin i a I\,

The ALlrian(is (",II11P;ligll I'd-kneel ~ ,'~I;ldlltll

l1l(-lI11rin,~ or a.",s;lLtll amphibian doctrinc. :VlallY nl tlh." (lmlrac h;llUliol1 nriiccrs pn.',sl'l'ltecl detailed "uggL'sl ions ror impro\TI)·ll·nt~ 0\1 (\1(' \"('lJidc~ ill

Ill('i1' <d'ttT-actioll rcporh. The sirndf l1los1 Cnrl111l011

en Ltc! Sill COlletT! wcl ! Iw la (' k or a l"m () II r on tl)('

il rn 1 r{lC~. iilld II H' lac k or il rmoll r k i IS 10 prntcCl

l11achint" gun posilio1l." on tl)!' \'chicles .. .:.\~ <lI1

in terim solutioll armour ~ hi("lcJ:.. \\TIT irnpru\'isecl. or

N<l\'Y slll,tli cr~-tfi. or li.lnclin.~ tT~ln shit'lds \\TTT

oblaincd. There \"as also s01l1e clissa[isEIClioll wilh

lhe general ("ll lil i L,Ll l <LtiOll or Llw exisling L VT-'2 ~111111-ac: 10 d i~ ( ' I I \ I ) ,lrk, the Iroops had to leap OUT

th(' sides- ~1 d;\IH~"('r()llS pr()(Tdurc ill a COll[cslccl

IW£lch-IICacl. SoILlti(Jll'\ to '()lIW or tl]("sl' problem,

V,('IT alrrJ(h' lIndt'')"\\';I\' back ill the l'l1itnl SL;III'S. . .

The \.rari~lll;lS ii.t!,'hlin,g hi,~hlighl("(1 pr()hlcm~

\\'i t h I he a lnl anb. 'I 'h(" L\ '"I ...\ ,-) \,'as g<'!1cr;llly

\'iC\\'('d a~ being Ull:o.llltab!c: tlw :)/T1l111 g'UIl v,as not

\"('ry lIseCul ~lgdil1st 1)lll1k(T,'i. <tTld .Japanc'ic lanb \\-Tn' so rLlrt"I:- Ct1ClIlIt1l<.:rcd. Oil the iwach [hal 11', {lilli-armour ahililY \'\:as SC!clOlll llc("d(·'d. The OIH"

.gond f( 'a tur«' Id' tlw L\'T(A, I-I \-\ a~ tile prm'isioll or the l\\'O scarl"rillg rn(l\!Il\s l(j)' <)()-("' ,1 1. 111;I("hil1(' ,t!llTlS

on the IT;:lr hull. Tlw.J;[palll'sc inlalllry lacked an) ;lr!\'i:\IlCCc! anli-,ll"T1l('llr \\capnns likl.' bazookas, and

~o \\'tTt' obliged tn <ulde k ta n ks lIsing suicic\allaClics \vi 1 h 11l<1.r:nc[ ie mines. Close-ill defence or the ':1l111'.11Iks a~ail1 s t such ;.lltacks \\',L"; \·iL;t!.

The L\"'ri:.\,'-.q. wa~ "'('!cornecl tCl]" il s large]" ,gUll:,

the .'ill()rl 7.·Jllllll howitzer W<t.'i ~l mllch more 1I,'ici'ul

\u'apnn rhall llie :n rnm cUlti-Lallk g un Oil the

LV l"iA:,-1. Ho\'\T\'(')', Ill(' L\ : T:,:\ ) -,~ had IW(,II

cln'('loj)ccI wi1h lil[I(' apprcci;ltiOll or the Iype or

liglilill g la killg pi aci' ill the Pacific: il I,\c kccllhc LWO

Anny troops of the 7th Infantry Division in an LVT-4 move towards the beach at Okinawa on D-Day, I April '945. The LVT-4 had a large rear ,<in'lp, as seen here, which permitted easi('r loading and unJoading oflhc cargo bay lban the. earlier LVT-J and LVT-2 am.tracs. (US Army)

17

I'LLI' 1ll.1ChilH' ,~lIll lUI):; oi'lhc L\'TiA>1. (illclll,lcl

llO cO-;l:-.ial ':,)IH 'al. machilK ,~lIl1 filll 'c1 I)csi<i(' til(' 75111111 hO\\ il"l,ll, [( S olll> "dr-dc-knee \\T:lP()1l \\';h (I

,.so-ca l. \1 '2 I-IB h l'~ l\ y ll1achit il' gun liw'cll() ~ \ ril"J'<

1lI()11l1l o n I()P 01111(' tllTT(,1. From Ihis positiul1 , Iht'

m achilll' g lllllHT w as C()lllpkl("l~ (')\PO~ cI 10 ('IIl' m~

~ rna ll <I rm~ lire, The L\'T ,-\ 1_; \\ a~ thu, .. l1luch

l1lolT dilIil'lll l lo<ldl'nd lkullhc 1 . \'T : ~ \ ' - I: aue! in f; l('[ maJlY <I 1l1tallk C1T\\'S li.- It Lhat machill!' g-UlIS

\\'cn' ;\cltI,tlh' 11ll' J)I()Sl \ ' alLl~lblc ekmClIl or the

,llll!;lllb ill 1lI,lll> Cirnlll)sldlK( ." , ATI()lhcl' UI1-

P () 1 )I II (I r r(' a ( LI n ' (J n Ll H' L \ 'T . ;\ ) -,I \0'" (l:-- (h (' I a 1'1.; I) r ()\('l'hl 'ad aml()lI), ()Il (h(' lurrcl- a parli( 'ldCl),

SI)()I ' IC(lIllillg il) ,lr(';ls or hC;l\ ' Y (l)liage " ,1)(')'(' ( ())I('( ' .. lin 1,1 ap<'III(' .e I r(){)p~ ~\Tlcl sn i )In,,, COLl lei I ire 01

till ()\\' gTt'lI;I<i(''i illlo the IUITd ,

:\pClrt il'llill li:--till ,!:!.' til(' ( 'CJuiprnCI11 ,'i\tortC()llUll g:"

dw off lC<TS 0 1' 1 Ill' 708 tlt :\rnphil)iall Tallk HaLt;:tii()11

Sll,t;g('S( 'd thaI tl1l' l'(\k of £.Imtanks Ix ch a ngcd lu

(hat Il l' I\)ol;ik 'IrLillny , ;)11([ lh at furthn t),dillillg

,,,houl cl hl ' prm idcr! f()1' £l llll a nk C!'C\'\S LO p),epare

t! WIll J(I!' !lll' lise of' I h(~ ir \'L·hicles in an indirect fin'

r('de. Th(" ~ ' ,dst) n()ted lkll once Ill(-' Iwach \\';1'

S(Tlll'cci ali(I 1(lllks landt'(I, tanks would he twtln

"uilnl In c1il'('Cl-fin' i.ICliollS and c\()."c iJlf'alltn

"upport tlieLiI Iht' tllinly armoured amLlllks, TIll' ,\l 'tn-ani!)l] r('p()rt~ i'rol1l thl' (llI1lank unit-., I'('C()III-

The new L VT-3 Bushntasters were fir-Sf used in com.ba r on Okinawa where they werr: use-d to land troops of the 6th Marine Division . '[best' Bushmasters have the optional anUOur kit liul.-.cl on (h{" how, ~USMC}

1IH')llkd tltal II\(' LV'l .. '\;-1 he \\ 'ilhclr.'Wll 1'1'(1111

-:\'1'\ in', and tilat an irllpr()\'('c\ \ '(Tsion 01 lite

1.\''1''1;\ ,-I, UK C it ~ place, 'I'll(' (ritil'i.'dllS or the- L\"r ' ':\ I-.I, \\TIT l akt'll to

h( 'art , a lth(lu~1t Ilot all I lit" !'('C()lll nl ( ' lld;lIiOll 'i " 'tTl'

.lppru\\'d j( l), prucltlctioll \'('lli( I<-~ , ,\1\ impr()\ccl \('r-; ioTl or Ihe L\'TI,\ -.+ \\' as Ie \ ·Ioped, ' lll(.l (dtll()U ,~ h it \\' ,l:\ lInt giQ,t1 an olhcial clcsig na li())l. il

\\'a:-; popularly c;t1kd Lhl' 1.\''1' (, \ 1-,1 '~LI1'iall{) "

i\locl('I', al't('rllll' campaign "'hidl kl(l prompled its

cl('\'l' lop t)ll'lll. The rear or the l1I1T(' t \\ ' ,1\ rll()<i i fit'd I)y n'nt(jvillg Lite ~rtlall {lanial r()of' ;lIlcl the rirty.,

I1I()lIl1l ,d()II ,l.!, willI th(,' -:')()-Ci.:ll. h("I\': I1lclcllilll' : ,~un:

ill it" pLl(,(\ t\\'o pinlle-moullled ,:)()-( ' C\L 1I1~I('hjllC

gUllS "'CIT aclded, cnmplrll' \\ ith gUll shield" , ;\ 11;111-11l()l\llll'd -:;ll-cal. machillc gUll \\;'lS add('ci ill tlte

SlIpnSI nH'llln: li 'ollt 1 all hOl]~lJ 1 hi" fl"" tllre IJ,lcll)l'CII dn'cluj)cd heft ,lIe the ~larj(]lIa~ camp,\ ig]), allcl had

1)("('11 addld Oil ];ll<"-p1'o' iu( linn LYTi :\ 1- I ~ ,IS \'\TII ,

h ' \\ of' t!\(' 1..\'T ' ''\ ,I -4- \lariaJl<l,' \\(ld('1s \\('1'('

a\ailahk in (he Pacific ullLil r~l-l:); dlill <I" ([ l'(,~ldl

I line' \-\" l. ' a good dea l or imprO\' jS<l lioll Oil L \ 'T : :\ '­

,1\ 10 pJ'()\ 'ic\c pro(cClioll for 1!Il' tlll'rl'l 1l1<lchillC

gUIIIICI', ~lIHI tIl ,1dc1 addiliollal l1\ ,lchill(, guns, Furliwi imprO\TTl1CIHS, including a P()\\'IT tl',"\(T~(, ~~~I{'nl li)r the turre( and tl gyru-stahilise)' IClI' Ih('

I)()",il'/.(')', lecl ill Iq,{.') lo the LVT~:\)-;l ' Develop-111('lIt Of';111 amlank with C\'('II 1)('(ltT ann;ltll('lIt, llK

T)Hi :\rnphibian Gun Carria,gl' , \\ as l>c:gUII h~ lhl'

"rlll~ in )~J+ : )' TJlis \'\ClS 1);I "jcClllY.ln aLLunpl lO

de\'C·lop an amplli hian \ cr.:;ioll (JI' 11)(' l\ 118 l~lll k

ell -,I ro~ ("I , :\ C( IlTC"Pl lllci i Il g ho\\ i t7,er \crsinn \\ it h .-;

[05lnn1 hm"'ilzrl', the Ul 7, abo rntrhcd proLol "P(' fc)rm. 1-1 O\\'('\TI , by III(' t illl<' tllat these \'chicle:~ \'\"('re

ready j()1 pl'odl!!'ti()11 ill lall' 1 ~-) J'H" Liw]'c was lillJr. /-\nny or l\.Luil)(' (:()I'p:-, illt(T(''\t in amtanb,

New AlI1tracs

The 1.\"1 (:ol1ti1ll1ilL'_' Boare! had (llr(,lldv ITC­

og lliSt'd till' "h()lt("ol1lillg s ill <lJl1trac configuration ill J~q. ~ , Tht' IIced 10 lise a cr~'IH' to load and uliload carg() rr<lTlI ti l(" ('('1111'1..' ho ld orthe L\'T-'2 limited i (~

utili t y, hut due to wart ime fJl'lOl'ilie.:; L\'T- '2 prnduct. illll c()lllillll Cd, \,hile L1u' L\'T COl1tinuillg Board ;.Illcl IlIt' :\.l \'Y pl'()('('cclc'cI ,,'jtll impn)\'cd \ 'a nallls ,

III til(' sprillg oj'! ~')'1-'-2, the L \''1' COlltinuing Board

was spnll'\()['in,~ t\\'o dncl()pmcl1t progralllJ1lC; 10 impl'm'(' the <'lUt()moti\(' per/(-)rmallCC or 11)(-' L\,T-r, The pmjl'l'l by FT\-1C, wbich Icd tu II\('

1.\ / '1'-'2 design, ('11\ isioul'C1 kCt'pillg the cClltred caq.!,'(1 holcll '()\1hgLlI'~ll}()Jl, hm gr('all~ improving Ihe tr;lck

J.lld SlISpCJI Sioll . The LVT-2 "'as rt'ady lell proc\u(lioll at LIl(' cDd of I~ ) '2, and \\ cnL into s(o-rit,S

production ill ,JaIIU<lt'y 1~)+3- \\'ilh Ihe T.\,T-~

dc'-\igll completed ill th(' sprill,!!.' of T(J-l-2, F\fC t Iflwcl to till' d n't'l ()pnWlll of' a tun her ckri,"ari\ 'l'

\\'ith ;t ]'c (,OId ig lll"ccI c{l r go hold, \\'hiell \\ '(111lcl

The rollin~ coun{.:-yside of Okinawa pcrn-utted largc-si'a.l ,' mechanised operations, AnItracs and ant tank s, like t1H:~e M.a rine L VT': .\ :htS, were used to trdflSpOr{ and support th('"e Mannt> drives, (USMC)

('\cnlu;t11y hl"COI1lC Lilt' LVT-+ This Il('\\' \'l'hick haclthc (,Ilgill(' Ill()"cd I(wward LO permit the car,~() hold 10 Iw located aft.. accessihle h~ a large- ramp door. 'j his conflgurati()n pcrl1lillCc\ Ilil' LVT -,l tu

IlIaci ::))0 ulll()ad ca rg() rapidJy, ~lIlcl il l'oulc1 easi ly

t'(lrr~ \\ lwdc:d C'quipmellL :5l.1ch <1: jccps ur sl ll a ll

;Inilb-J"~ pinT:. The hr'iL ~argc vrdcl Jlli Ill<' L,\'T- ,-t Wi.l~ pLl('cd ill i\' o \f'mher I~l -I' T til{' (il"l scric:>­

prodllrtiull L\"r-~s \,:ere com pktnl in f)(' ("( 'm lw r

r~1 U, and they fir sl Clnned sClyicc' a! thl,timc of'lhc

Saipall landing' in ,June I~J +- 'The LVT- -l- \\.a :-;

]>l'I,clu('nl ill L,IJg'cl IHIITlhcT'.'ltklll any oLIier ty pe or

"lllll'at' dllrin,b!,' Ihe war, rcprcsclllillg ;llmosl 11;dr or ;t11 ;11111r~IC production . HO\-\'('\'CL il arri\'('c1 Oil dl('

"';(,('Il{' rl'lali\-cl)- late. and ~() only sit\-\' wicksprc;.Id Ll'i('

III I q"I-:-) , Tilt' ('vbrine,,> ancl Army disCll-":l'cI

1)ILl[)lIl~lcturillg a versiun l'on:--.LrUCli.'cI or a)'))l(] II I'

s lt' ('1, cPl1l p al':1hle tn tlw L\'T {i\, i -~ ,untral'. Thi s

\\, ; l ~ c1csig'[),ltcd Ihe L\"1,,;\,I-:3, hUl il \\' as 1)(' \ '( '[

illlpl'm'('d I(Jl O prod'lcti()n, and opticII1al ; trnlOllr kit s

\\'(T( iSSlI l'd in it s place to arlllou r the n :,gld a r

LVT-+, 'I'll(' S('COli el proRJ'arnmc being :o;pon 'ul'l'd 1/\ Illl'

If)

LVTC()!llillUillg B()ard \-'-;1" lO emerge a~ the L \ '1'-')'

III I q,~'2 I he N a \ y 's BLll"t'~lLl ur Sh i p~ a ppro,lciw<i lltt'

~ I ()l"<';C Cha ill Com p;'111~', ;! cI i "i~i()n uf Bor~'- \\" a rlln

Corpuralioll. to cln" lop a 11C\\' lrack and Sllspcl1si()11

~y~t(,ll1 10 replace lhl' pril1liti\l" 1 ypc llsed 011 L1ll' LVT- J :\lI igaull", BlJI"f!-\\'arlllT sLlggC"'olccl Lllal a

[IlOl'(, prude) It (·ou rst· \\'(Jldd be to }"edesi ~:n [1H' \Thielr' (,l1lirel:', lo \I'hieb tllt ;\a\'y agll'cd, Thi-, I"l'sltllec\ il1 the H()r~-\\'arner .-\mphibiall, ~l(l(kl .\. 1\ hiclt \\'d~ deli\ (Tcel [0 the LVT COlllinuing guard il1 Fluricb ill ,\ugusl 1942 Itlr trial". "The Rorg­

"'il)'lll'r Amphihian, ]\Tllcicl A ""as c1C\;c]opccl ,L~ ;1

C()lLVlTtil)k <l1ll(J'(lC,',lflllank. /\ \,"'capon~ module,

mou1lting the tllrret Iron1 ;\tl f\.-'I:)i\1 Stuart light lank, ('Ollie! 1)(" hollul 01" 1l1lbollCclto Ihe cila"sis to

COJllin it lO ancl 1'1'0111 a cargo carrier or all

el111plli hinll~ I all k. '1 'hl" ~ rockl .'\ prm cd "ll( n'.;~llIl ill

Altbough the amtank battalions had suggested that (he LVT: A)-I be withdrawn from service due to its shortcomings, il was u",ed right Lhrough rbe Okinawa caIIlpaign, as in the case of (he~c late-mudel LVl(A)-JS near Chatan on D-Day, 1

April 1945, Tht' late-model LVT"A)-Is had protf'c(ed engin(, grill~. a how machine gun, and addiTional armour around {he rear machine gun rubs. (US Army)

-,.\

t(','il~, hut it WilS not appro\'t,cl f()r proclllclioll ~i1LCl' il ()ITcrnlllo ~i,C;lli[icallt impr()\'CllH"lll m'(T [[II' l'xi~1 i 11;":-

1,\"'1'-'2 \\'atcr Bull:do, or its ·;'H1HdI1K cI('l-;\ {lli\'c. 'hl' L \ "' t' I .' \ ',- [ .

j\! CI"lT hflcss, the ~Io(k l :\ h,lel displayecl (I

!lunil)t,)" (Ji" ill 11()\ <'ltiol1~ in track and sll spc lL" ioll, alld

11)(' :\<1\) <.lulhorisccl Borg--\\-arllc r to proc(T ci 1\ ilit

,Ill impr()\'('cl I>pe, the ~loclc'l B, The ~r()eI('1 B progTillllmC "wrIed at the '<lnw lim(' lhl.lllhc LVI'

COllt i Illl i I1g Boa rei had bee)) spunsuri tH~ llH' L \-''1' "~" \\-'ith il~ ("lliphasi~ un easier ({ecc-"; to till' l',ll"i!() hulel. Likcvvisc, the l\Jodcl B \-I',l~ cicsiglH'd with <l ]"C;U'

[,~II!IP lor ,l('cess to tIlt" rear-mounted Llrgo hold. Otlt' nethe lllaill innovations in LlH' l\.-iodcl B desig1l \',IS tllL" shirting (If the t\\,O I I() hp Cadillac l'llginl'.'\

lj"rOIn the i\1.r)/'i\'ijAI tank) illlO thl' hull ";P(lllS()ll~.

Iva "i n2; lllore span' i 11 1 he int('m~d cargo h(Jld, Tri<tls

or the l\llJclel B lOok place ill C;lmp 1\'lldlcIOII.

CaliJol"lli;1. a ~'e~lI- la ter il1 .. \llg'USt l ~)'-I:). Tfw inilial

IHOI (JI ~T)e \, ' ;1. ' cons tru c ted \,'i I h a rrn our pl a ll" hut ;tlir"]" t)'j(lI~ lhe i\a\) rCljucskd tl),l l it hr

rn~lllul~l ctll rcd wit h ~h("l'l ..;tec L with a n {)ptiul1,tl

<.Irmllur kil. The modit1(:'d i\lnricl B \\"'-1:-- ,tlTCPlCd rnr

Pl"Odllctioll ill \:Ltrch I qcl.\. ;1I1d ,Ill inirial orcin \\'a~

placC'd i()r I J ~lX) \T h ie k~, I t \\' a~ t ~ ]Jc-cla:;si fled tl,'i

th~' L \'T-:"), Thl' l\iarillcs kll that productioll or ,1

\V hull Y !lC\-\ t ""pc \y as j ustif inl clll(' tn I hc stiSI H'I1SI011

<1.lld pO\\TrLr<'lill imprO\nllC111>; ()(kn:d I)), dll' LVT-:) BllslllnCl~te r (JUT the ulrkr L\'T-'2 'LVT-I \\'llICI

BuiLtlo fc.ll11ily, The L\' r-:l did not s('c comhat until

I q+,") at Okilli.l\-\·tt,

Late-War Landings

The Palaus 'I he neXI taq.;'ct ill Ill(' i~lalld-hoppin g ca mp'lign in (he Celltral Pacific \"\'(i.~ the f\dau group in the

C;IJ'olillc lslalld~, ThemaillJ<.lpancse.lM.il. a t Pclcliu wa~ a'i~igll('cll() the ?vbrilll''', while thl' Army hdpe<l [a 'kk 11t'ip;hIJOuri!1g i\Il,t;ll<l1 lsl.lllC.i. Peklill thn'lll­

(,lIul to he llilolltn Tar;t\\.t, \\'jlh h(-'a\'~'Jap(IIl(,'it'

ddc'IlCL''\ and l(lrlinea[i()Jl~, By the time or Pelcliu, Jap;ITlf'il' cld(:n,'iiv( tactics had continued lh<-ir shin ,I \ovay li'om I h(' reliallcC' Oil hl'Ll\'~ heath d('renc('~

a nd \Va~Ldll l /)(I.1I ,: O{ charp;(' s against th(' be at 11-1H".ld, JllsLr ad, Ihe Pcldlll ,g<lrrisol1 jeHU time" the size oj' Ill(-' Tara\\ ,l g;\nison -hlllTo\\TcI inll) lhe r()ck~

ridg'cs f'ul'tbt'\' inland, By this ti me p.farjllL' I ~l('[it~, tOo, kid grcatly

Illl))rO\Td, l'lw Tllain prol)ln11 \\'as th a t d]('rc \\'(:'1'('

1101 ('nmlgl, arnlrilCS 10 :,'.' , 1l1'(JLlllcl, The J"l l\L-lrine

Di\'isiOI1 hoped 10 bd\T OIH' flllltrac hattalioll pcr

rq.?:i1l1l'I1t against the three hI ~lChc~, plll'i all Llmtank

htlttalion to lead tlw \V;J\C, It had Lhe )'il and Btll ,\nlphihian Tractor BaLl(lh()ll~. and tlw :-:;rcl .\nnorcci :\rnphiIJian lbltaliun \\'ith L\''j' .\ -Is

(Jl1d I ,\·T,:\ I- .. IS' ,\t the L:tS1 momellt, ;] sl,ipnll'llt Ol

ahOUl 50 or 11](" II['\\' LVT-p.; arrivcd; tllCS(, \Yt'IT

LI.'i('(1 t[) fell'Il1 a prm'isiullal hatlidioll, causing a

certaill amuunt of di sruplion. since one uf lhe h(tl(~lli()rL~ \\ <I S r('l<ttj\.'(·I~ Ill'H ane! incxperiellced, .11)(1 rTldll> o{'tlH' (I\'\\S ill the prm'-isinnal unil were

CO III I )l(-'[~'I Y U Illl'ai I It'd , On I:) S('p!(-,11llwr Iq,I._I. Ihe three LUlllrac

hatL~tli()Il'> \-,'('I'C pn·'ceded 10 the b(,;ICh 1)\, Lhc

~IIlH~lllk IJatt~tli()ll alld by rO( kCl-ialll1chill,~ lallding <Talt to '>ollt'n lip .JapalH'sc PI)SiliollS, 'I'll(' illilial

(lpPl'(\~ldl \-va.'> far ks'> custly thall at Tara\·\;1; hUI (1I1C(-' tlw ~llIT()lIlldillg n:eC \\'a~ rcaclwd (',l~ualti('''

Itlfllll!l('d, ('\(,Illllt l ll y tot a lling '. .. dJ ~lmphibialh, The tnrain ()~'Ih(' hcach (11'(';\ \\' (-\S h,Hll~ torl.lu]) hv llll'

lld\',ll hOlllLardll1Clll. and \\as Ihus unslIil.tl)k for l Ill' usc 01 ami all k.'i. /\s a rest! It or I he (';.11'1 jer call ti()llS

Il'i(' nLllllt<.1tlL,> nil Saipatl. th(' 1st l\,·Illril'll' Dl\'lsion ill..;i:',LUI thi" liTllC '111 ha\'ill g tanks lan cl a" .'i(lUIl as po.",sihl(, ralhtT lhan depclld c1Hin'l~ (lll the ~ lInl all ks f(ll i Iliti;d fire .'-ill [JPOI'I, !\boll t ,)() SlltTIll<.lllS

The LVTP-X3, designed by FMC in 1947, was one ofa nUDlber of experim.ental aDll rae!> developed i.mtnerliately after the war in an altentpt to Exaln.ine new approaches and configurations, None of I hese enlered production until the Korean Wa r forcc-rl [he Navy to replace rhp LVT-3G. :FMC Corp.)

'21

The L VT-3C Bu~l1Jna!> ler had rhe rt:ar cargo uay covered over, and a [urre[ added in th e fronl. This r ear viE'"" show~ Ihl' d("laiJ changes on (he LVT -JC. (Author)

() f ll l(' l sI T a n k B~ll l< tli()ll \'Tn ' LU leln!. Cl lld 1))"0 \("(1

illst rtlll1clll a l ill securill g til<." h('ach,

P)-i()r J) till' IcUlding:-. , thrc (, ()f {ill' 1lL"\' LYT-,l' had I )f'('U mocliJicd ,IS 1l ~Itl l('thn )\\" IT "('hick" IllOUllIiJl ,!!; :\ (l\" ~ ). Lk, I I R OIli'OII '-1,1I1It' gllllS. TI \l' : stood IlIlll:--Ct! ii»)" thl' (irs! [\\'0 da ys (l li t;h ti lU;: 11111 Clll d w third da y tlwy I)('gan u) he hroughl fC)r\,' aro In r(lllt (jIll japillll'SC i()r( if!(';!1";OTlS. ~l lld ll l1'Y \\T IT

Llsed lalcT i n the campaign \\ hell a slllall ~Lllllrac allel

<lllllank t~lsk j(lJ'C(' W~l S sellt oil" 10 IJcig ld)()urint?; ~ g(, s\ JllS i_ 'laIld t (l <.u ta l' k t ht' .J <qnJl(-,~I ' garri'oll 111t'T"c. '1'\1(' LUldillgS ill Al 1,1.;'11:1)" j',,,ltlllci 011 17

Sq)(('m l)(T wcn: l ·(fIH\W·tcd hy lI lt' .-\ rlll\ \ 7,2( )th

:\mphil>i;lIl Tr;IClo}' B;1((a\i(lll., supported b~ (lie

77()t h .\ rn phi l ian T~u lk Batl~dion .

f\L.irill(, c aslI<tllil'" ()II I\·klill \\('1'(' c\Olti)\t- th().'W

Oil T ara\\·,!. ;ll ll l it pro\'( 'd 10 l)(' a \Tr~ COlllr()HT.'iial

()lll']'iUioll. IIu\vT\·tT, c!c-knd(")'s ill l(lUr lillKS ll1('

sln: ll ,£; lh of till' BC' l io g;l )" ri s() 11 had 1)(,l'1l ( l\ tTCtlllH" ,

<llid tlll' Ltlldings hac! lWl'J) conducted \\·itlllltiL

_'( Ti()lI ~ 1) ]U I Hlc ]" 'i , III lJlallY ['('spect ..; , Pd e liu lIlark(,d

111(' l'llhllillillioJ) ill tile dn'('l()jllll(,llt <Ji" l1l,ll"ill('

,l lllphibi a ll aSSrll Ji l oPt-TCl I iOl1s i ll \\' odd \\' ,t r I I. B\ Lhis stage, tlie n'lllra l ["(')Ie of' tht' a mlr;lCS in t Ill"

illili~t1 la ndin g had b -Tn \\T li est i.d)li sfwd b~ till' SllCU'ss('s ;ll (;U <.I Ill, Saip<1I1 a ll cl Pcklill, all(\ tlw )"r)k oJ" a mla llks ill IH'()\ 'iding- il1 il i ;d (i re SIlPT o n \ \' (1" ill ... ,) :lcccptc I. T he importance or ;llTl t itll ks in ~1I1i­

piI i b iolis landi ngs \,'as \ ' i<'\\'t' d \ \'itl l sonw a mhi\ ­

a kl H T\ 110 \\1'\ '(' 1'. ] )o th i ll [he , lnl tallk ba t[alions ;\11(\

2 :2

I II ti ll' .\1 : l l' i llC di \ ·i .' iuil :-' (hc ' nb(' I\·c "; . \\'il]) lil t'

i lllpr(l\TIlH'llt in lall k \"acl illg equipmellt. ("url­

\'( 'Ilt itli lal tall ks could I)t" landed on the ])cach ("

\\ 'ith ill h,lI!" ~111 hOll)" or the initia l b lld ill g s. l\'o (lilt·,

( · ~ p l't· i < dly Lll(' a ml ;lIlk C)"( ' \\ 'S , q ll csri()I!(,c1 11)(' ! ~ l ' l

tku Ilw ~l--l"\ ~! S l ll'nn <l ll ~ \\ '(,), t· m uc h bC:IIlT Sllitccl

to p rf) \id in ,~ cln~t' -ill di rect tire su p port I()]' th t'

)'I arill(,'i 0]]('(' a"hore. T he iUlj)(l!' t<:L lln' 0 1' ; I InL<.tn b

il l ampli ibious ( Jj)(' r ali () lI ~ tit (' ["d()IT c Ollti llul'd til (\crli lH' as l Ilt' r()I(' ot' C{)Il Y(,Tlli() l1a l l<.lllks i lHT1J<l:--nl.

Once ;I",hur('. IIH'Y wen' Il s'('(illl il inl y illti\(" illd irc l"l

<Lrl ilkn Il rc .,u pport n')l !' \\'hil (' c t)ll \ '(' nli(J lI <d t <l nK. ·

\\,(, 1,(, (Iscd /()I' dircct lire SUPP! 1I·t.

The Philippines . [' he l;trgt-Sl ~ingk li se o i" amtr;ll· ... . 1Ild c.trntalLks in LI Il'

P;,l(,:ifil' \-\·ar. tilt' JJYl l' l(lilclill g-s nIl ',2() (klo\)(']" I ~) .H .

<lIT jl('rilap" he l l.' <.l:-il l ~\IlHlU ~ . T he Li ,' ;\ I'm ,' uSl'd lIillC ililltrac ;illc1 I\\() , l[ lIt<tllk I) .. ll( ' llio]) s I{)r 111('

lanciing, but tl1('f(' \\ as 110 c Oll tc s liur lite bctl.: i1l's . ,\ :-, ;1 result. the :\n1Iy ill11t!'<lCS \o\"('J"l' !'('(Illcnl 10 [Iwi!'

init ia l ["( ' l it- or lugi:-.t ical . Ilpport , aw l lit de 'U l ClHioll

\\';l,'i Jlilid to Ill(' blldillgS. Thl' .-\rmy )"I'laillul <llargc'

11 11 m 1)( "1' of a rnl rac. [()r li St ' in bnd il1 .l2;~ (Ill t hl.mall ~

i"lands ill til(' Philippill('~, usin g l\\'() ,.tllllr;)('

hatt, Ll illll: ill l lll' la no illg al ()rIlloc h.bncl u n J

IkcI'll11)l']' I~J'l-'+ : llIci 1()l11" ;ll Lill g a vcll (~Lllr Oil

l. UZOll nil ~t .Ja n llilry I~H:) '

Iwo Jima rr there \\"('I T qll CSLl Ull :-- a huut tilt' ll l'l'cI to u kc I) l'!ciiu. t1 lt" )"(' \ \,('1"(' I lO sll c h d<Jul>lS a bou t ,I\\(lji m il.

'I'hi,-; sm ~tll , '() lca llic island \\ ' (1\ \ 'invl'cl ,1 :-- ('ss{'llli ;t1l( I

help 'iuppnrt b(l1l11lCr ()pcr~llioJl~ ;l,g-ainstJapan"" ami the n"l'ntucll mainland landing's planned [(II I ~)4.f>.

:\ l o tal or ":l-R2 LVTs m ac k tllt' inilial Iflildillg"",

incllldi ng the _pll {tlld .llil ;\rnphihian '!'I"i ctn ]"

13(lllrtlj()ll~, allci Lll(' LYTL/\ 1-,-1-" (,rlhe ~Ild :\I"1l1l>]"(:cl

Alllphilli;1n Bi1lLdiull" A,~ al Pell-liu, the japanc"(' hac! S h d'tce! tu cl 111 ( liT ca lit iOll ary cI CkLlCC", P rdc'l'ri ng to wage ro"tl~ c! "(l'llSi\"(' action, I"rom 1(.II"ti /1C<:lli(]rt"

and bu 11 kcrs Cl \-\, ,\ Y l"rom tll<' I )("~lcll rat her t h;~ Il I ;[L"<' Il

hailsl()1"Ill orrin (1) lIlt"" hc'cH 1-1 il'i('IL As <l I"l"Sldl, (Ilt,

;lITII }"flCS \'\-"('1'(' a h II' 10 1n,I kl' 11){' I )(:';}(' h \-\'j 1llClIll

su fkri ng scri ()U~ lms('~" OllCl' I h("~ \\' crt" on I Ill'

I )('a(' h, hOV.,T\'Cr. (he j a pa lJ(''>C d rt i J I('r~ and 1110!-u'r:-­

took lheir loll o[ "l'hiell' ," and m en; so lank :-' Upp01'l

\\ .. 1" LIllckd ,-Lim()Sl immedii.lkl>, and pla>nl ,I

U'IIIl',ti rtllc ill roillill,~- OUI j,tp:tIICS(, hunk('rs" 1\\"0

.lima \\Ll_" ulld()lIl)1('(II~ Ih(' (oIJ .l!,"IIC~l !\-1flrill(" hallll'

01 Ill(' \VaL IOLl~"hl rlgainsl a ga rri:-;ol1 ll.'11 linlt''' l lll "

"jl.(" 0/ Tarawa ,Inc! ("\"('n b 'un l(JrlificcL hut. tllC

Cl"sauh lanclin,=,> did Hot malC]1 T;u"(lvva ill 1)lnod,

/Cr()ci 1 y, The T'()lc of'arT1(anks C(JIII i 11IWcl to di Illi I usll:

\\"il h a n adequale supply of LlTlk: .. Oil [\\"o.Jilll<l Ihey

""('IT rcl egal('cI (0 <lTlllrlillcry Sllpport rtlle, [()[- \\"hicll

I lin" ""n"C' hCll cr S II i lcel,

Del.-'c1optncnt of a snlaUer alntrac, the FMC LVTP-6, paralleled dcveiopnleJit of the Borg-Waruer LVTP-S' Based on the Army MS9 APC, the LVTP-6 never entered quantity producrion" lFMC Corp")

Okinawa Okill;-l\-Va pr()\'l"d 10 1)(' the ('lim<lClic bauk or Ihe

P;::l/'ill(" \\"<.H\ pLtCln,!.!; l S {(wee's Oil dl!" doorstep or thC.J;lPt.lIWSl" Homl' I slancl s, The lnili;i.l Janclin,~_" Oil

1 :\prl! Iq+:) \\"IT(" prccnll-'(i by <l num!Jt'l ur 'llllphibiollS ass;llllls rtgflill~l sm;tllcr islallcls ill Ill(' R~'IJkyll~ h~ US Ar1Tl~' I)"OOPS \vho s('izecl ,l1lchor­

ag"l'!'. /(lr Ihe LOS ~;t'"~' and cl('l-lrcd OUI ,JapaT[(,S('

"e:aITI"(»)lS on till' Okina\\ ,I ~lp proachcs , The

Okin<"l\\ a ];-Illdill~~'. \\ hich "..-cre 110t C()l1lC C lCd-

'HTe (:lITicd OLll hy li'lUI di\"isiolls, lWO Arm) and t \'\0 \'Llrin('. sll]lporlcd hy Il(,~lrly a dOl,CII arnlr,ll" rtlle! dnllallk hdllfllioll<;" :'\nHr,ICS pl£l~('(i all

un (11) lie i pa lcd rtlk i I t l hI' fl glll j ng , bf'i ng 1I sed h~" I he ~Llrillc s t(-l)" pro]oll ,t(Cc\ mech<.tniscd inf~l11(ry oper­

a(ions, a kin to the Army's lise in Europe of ,ll"lIIOUITd jld~llliry Il,tlf"-tr;:lcKs, Okina\\-a\ ]'nllill!.S hills IHTrHiuerl Ihe lISe or ,~ml}"llC." ill Gl.IT'- troops

decp ildfltld"

OJ,;ill<t,,";1 \\ clS 1101 I he lasl 11:-.(' nj' ;}1l1Ir:1CS ill t lw

Pacific, though it \-vas cer[ainly [he lasL major operation. Thc·y \-vere used in the "t\!Iindan(lo

landings in the Philippines on J 7 April I ~H5; at Lake SantCTllC on l\l'\\' Guinea on ~+ April I ~)4:); at the Bongac Channd on Sull.l on :2 7 Apri I; at Ct'bu in [he Philippi l1es 011 2() 1\,/1 a y I Q4."): a nci finally, ina large operation invoking t \,,'0 US Army amtrac

hattalions al Balikpapan in Bornco on I J Illy 194:')­'I'his last operation also marked onc or the only uses

(If'amtracs by other Allied troops during tile Pacific fighting. The Australians had /(xl1lcd the 1St

Amphibious Armoured Squadroll using nt'\dy

arri\'(:"cl LVT(/\~'-/ls, ;lnd !he 1st AU'itralian Tracked /\mphibious Vehicle Platoon /\ASC in fehruary

J ~H<). The US supplied a total 0('30 L \,'T(A;,-+s and ahuuL 300 L VT -4s to /·\ustralia ancJ China in I ~4~).

Although ncither ullit 'vV;1.S to scc aerion, Australian troops im'olv<:>cI in [he Balikpapan lanclings did ust..' LVTs in srnall numbers; as did Bri[ish forces in

Burma.

Amtracs in Europe

Although amtracs arc rnueh more closely as:>octa[cci \-"ttll the (ighLing in the Pacific, t.hey \"'(:TC used ill a numher or operations in the European theatre a~ well. Howe-vcr. priority \V(lS aJ<.\:ays given to the

PacifIC units, and LVTs ciie!llot become <l\'ailable in Europe in signlllcant numbers ulltil the late summer or 1944. The C-S supplied :.200 L \.''1'- "'I to

Britain in I~·j43, which \"WI'C used mainly for training­

allel cxp{-Timcl11 (;l[ion. These wcn: {(>llowf'd by I no L V'1'-2s and '10:) LV1'-4s in 194+, and :")0

1. ... VT(J\)-4S in Iq4,) under the Lend-Lease pro­gramrne. These v\'ere callecl Bufblo I I i L \,"'1'-2) and BUn~11o 1\/ (:LVT-4:) in British sen'ice (or Fantails, in Italy:,. I\ot surprisingly, the IInit most clo~cJy

a<,sociated with amtrac t'mploymcllt ill tht' Eur()­

pean thcarrc \vas the British 7S)th Arlllournl Division, \vhich was already rCIlO'vvned 1'or its work \vith ~pecialiscd armoured vehicle". In October

[~.)44 the 75)(h Armoured Division """as as.;;ignecl the messy task or dislodging German ror('(~s in the Sclwldt estuary \-vho \VCI"(' bl()cking the approacht,:-; to the vilal porl OrAlltvverp. LVTs orLhc lsI AS~;ll.llt Brigade, Royal Eng'i Ileers were ll;;ed to la nel L roops on South Bn'clan cI lsi anel on ~ :-$/14 0(( 01 )('r,

:·24·

followed \)\. all attack O[l \Y;llclwrcn. V\'alduTcl1 was protcc[ed hy dike-so \vhieh the AlIie~ ruptured LO

complicate t he defence of the German". The I 1 til RTR and the sth As,~ault RegimenL RE \\,('1"(" fittecl OUL ,,-i[h LVT-'2 ancl LVT-_~. Bumtloes 1'01' the

operation, 10 carry troops anu equipment in [he

assault. Alter the [ 1\"o\'Cmhcl" I ~}.:14.1allcling·, it look a 'vveck of hloody f"i2.·hting to seclire the island. The I I th RTR I was again employeel \vitli Rufbl()e~ aL

the Rhine eros.sing on 7 .tv-larch I Q4S. Bfsicifs Llsing

the LVT-4s ill {he conventional rt>k, the di\'isioTl dcveloped some spcci(liiseci dcrivati\·('.o.;, including a

mal-laying LV1'-+ which coule! place a carpet or win-'-linkeellogs on the muddy shore-hanks to belp DD tank:, alld other amphibious \"Chic!o transil !lw river approaches \virhoul be-corning- hoggecl clo\Vll~

anc! the Sea Scrpent, an LVT-4 filled with two small turrets and Aame guns. In \·iew oj" the possihility or Liw British ;\rmy b(~c()l11ing mure

invoked in amphihiolls opercuioTls in the Pacific at the cOllclusion or l he Europc;lll \\'ar, a rcq llirc:mcnl j()j' a Bri tish arn [r<.lC hecame' appareIlL a nel d{"\·clop­

ment began in the spring or 1 Q44. Designed by ~lorris Cornnwrcial Cars, it \"(lS heel"i I y hased on the L\'T-4., bll[ \·vas somewhal larger. It \-\'as

clubbed the ./.! mj;!libia17, /wc/a)t/, 4 lOll GS, better

kn()\\"ll as NqHUl1C. A total ()r 2,000 were orden"d, along with a recovery version r Sealioll'l alld

\-\-"or1-:~hop \"Crsion ~Turtk); but with till' C'l1ci oCthe

\\"£11" the con [raet 'i were cancelled ann on I Y "I

handrul had hccil compkted, The US Army u~('(1 LVT-:2s and L VT- .. l.s in small

rt 1I III hers in J 94-1- allci I Q4,1 (I)}' ri\"(~r cros~ing

opcr(Hiom. One or the laJ',~;(':;t JOilll tiS l) K operations using am[racs in Eur()pe took pIcHT

along ([1(' Po Ri\'Cr in Ital) in ~lareh·-April 1945 uncleI' the control of" the British ~)th ,.:.\rmourec1 Brigade. The lJS 7;")](h Tank Battalion \vas COll\TrtccJ [0 a Fanrail IIni[ with 1 I~) L\ "Ts for Lhe ()pt"[";llion. Liknvisc, an RASe unit and the 2/'71.11 Lallcers \"ere outfitted with LVTs (i-om US sources. The I .... VTs wcrc llsed to cross {looded areas ~()utb or Lake Comacchi() a~ part or Operation' Impact' un

I [ April 1~)4:1' j()llmH'cl by Operation 'Impact Royal" I W() days lau')": and OIl ~:q-·A1 April, Corllpany c: of' [he 75;,)lh Tank Battalion wa:\ used ill landing operations acrnss rhe Po RinT.

1

- - -- - -- - - -- - - ------

J: LVT-I, FMF Atlantic; Op. 'Torch " Fedala, Morocco, 4 Dec. J942

2: LVT-l. US Marine 2nd Amphib. Tractor Bn.; Tarawa, 20 Nov. 1943

A

1: LVT-4, Il th Royal Tank Regt.; Elbe River, Germany, 29 Apr. 1945

2: LVT(A)-l. 708th Amphib. Tank Bn., US Army; Saipan, 15 ,June- 1944

B

1: LVT(A)-4, US Marine 2nd Armd. Amphib. Bn.; Tinian, August 1944

2: LVT-2, US Marine 4t.h Amphib. Tractor Bn.; £wo Jima, 1945

1

2

c

I: LVT-3, US Marine lslAmphib. Tractor Bn.; Hungnam Harbour, Korea, Dec. 1950

2: LVT(A)-4, French Amphib. Asslt. Gp.; Port Fouad, Egypt, 6 Nov. 1956

o

1: LVT(A)-4, I" Grollpement Autonome, 1 rt RECj Annam, Indochina, 1952

2: LVTE-l, 3rd Amphib. Tractor Bn., US 1st Marine Div.; Vietnam, 1967

1

2

E

1: LVTH-6, Taiwanese Marine Div.; Taiwan, J983 2: LVTP-7, ROK 1st Marine Div. ; Republic of Korea, 1984

F

1

2

1: LVTP-7, Transport Co., Battaglione Marina 'San Marco'; Italy, 1984

2: LVTP-7~ Argentine 1st AJlIphib. Vehicle BIl.; Falklands, April 1982

G

1: LVTP-7, US Mari.ne 2nd Amphib. Asslt. Co.; Grenada, 26 October 1983

2: LVTP-7, US Marine 6th Amphib. Bde.; Italy, 1985

H

Post-War L VT Development

By! the end o1'(h<: war the Navy had ordered :2'2,683 amtrac~ alld amlanb 0(' I he standard proc\uctiOlI models. 1-10\·\,('\,('1' , in late J q45 the Navy cancelled many 0[t11<''';(' COlllract ~ , and a tOlal or I B/) '2! LVTs ,,,,,ere delIvered . The accompanying charts provide more comprehensive dct (lils of the wartIme

production of LVT~. Fullmving the ",aI' , lhe Army gradllally withdrn\

from amphibious assault \Thicll' dcn'lopmcllL and cli~ballded its amphibian tank and 1T(lctor hat­talions. l\·'lany oCtht' amtanks and amtracs that had been supplied to the I\rmy \-",ere turned over to allies, not-abl'y to China and francC'. ~/laI1Y ~larin('

and /\rrny amI raes localed OVt'rSfi;lS \'.'fTC' slrnply broken LIp 1'01' scrap .

The US ~/larinC' Corps, realising' that budget limits mack thf acquisilion ornevv amtrac\ unlikely, decided to hold on to the newest production

vehiclc~, notably the LVT-3 amtracs and L \ 'T (A)-:,) amtallks , most of' \vhich had not beell shipped (i 'orn the US before Lilt' war ended . III (049 plans \-\'('IT

begun lo modernise the LVT-3 h)' adding OH' rhcad

armour LO prolC'Cl the lroop bay; and thi~ was carried out In ) ~)50 on I,..WO LVT-:-)s hv

Continental i\\'iation & Engi.n('ering (CA&E .;·, rcsllltiJl,~ ill lilt' LVT-3C. These formed dll'

hackhonc of l\1arinc amI rae ulli r:-. in Korea. Tlw)'(:' \-vere plans LO c\n'C\op it lwa\'ily modernised

LVT ;\ )-:), and l\\'O \'cry c1i1krCllt prototypes \-\·'('IT compicrccl hy C/\&1-: alld FMC ill (~).+~) . 1n I~F)! a :;mall Humber of L\''1' (A ''-j~ \'\'('I'e modified b~

FNfC wilh a II("W bo\\:, ll.llTCL r()oi' armour, and other changes ; allcl SOil It' or lhese saw scrvict, in

Korea. i\part !'rom thC' modcrlli~atiol1 progTamme OIl

existing LVT:-, in tilt' itlVCllU)r), the US Navy Bureau oj' Ships wa~ abo l'ngag'C'c1 in an actin' programme or L VT tt'e hnolog:y d t'vdoprnClll. 1n the !a tc I 9'i.os a .<;ni ( ' ~ or L VT prOLOI yp('~ were bu ilL by \'arioll:-' matlUfactLlrtTS ullcln Navy (OnIract to exam\llc 11('\-\' hull, ~Ll,:,pcnsiol1 aIld propulsioll

concepts. ~11any prototype vehicles, including 11('\"'"

arrHanks, ,Ulllri.lC':-' and spf'ci,tlised cargo vchicles , \'\-TIT buil! allel l'c'i(cd , none or them progrc~sing

beyollci the protolype slage. 'he intelltion being merely to ('xaminc nn,,: 1.V1' t(,chllologies . Funding t()r actual productiun was -;ilnply not ll\·ailahlc .

The LVTE-J 'POlato Digger' was lIsed for engineer support and mine-field breaching. It is fitted with a combination bulldozer blade/mine rake jn the front. The large stTucturc on the roof is the launc.her for the rocket-propelled demolition line charge. (FMC Corp.)

33

LVTs Return to Combat L VTs \\"('l"\, I )~l<." k ill ("Iimhi.ll :-.ll()rrh- afr !.T LllC' ('11<1 ()I

ti l(' Sccond \\"()rld ""(11"" T hc C o m JT1uni Q a nd

:'\a lio ll alisl (:hill (, ~ (, \\ "~lg('d l.l bru l<I I ci\"iJ \'";11". lil l <.dl~

cu lmi ll<ltillg i l) 1l 11 ' (' XP 11 1...; iol) or \ll(' :\at ioll a li:--l

Chill l"S(" IClITes Il"()llllht" 11l;)inllll1d Oil to Llw i ~":]a nd 1)1 "j "a i \ \ "ll ll" "1"h(' !\ ati()l1ali:-'1 Chinl'"T fi)] "(( '" \\ "1")"("

pro,"jck cl \\"ill1 ;1 1111111fH"r of L\"T~" IYI"illl~ tlj~'

1,\ '"]"! .'\ '--i ; lIl d L\"T-I" ir()1r1 l"SA\nl1~-;l1Hll\I<lri1l1'

'Iockpik" \, hit II \-\IT(' ll~ccl ("xtr')l~i\Th" ill ("oIYlb<ll"

1l1;UIY btn Iwill.L!, t"<lptlll'cd I ,mel 1.\.~("(1! 1)\

COIlHllI III i..;( (:11 i I 1(,',1" 1<-mTs"

Thl" (l1lll)]'(';-lk Ill' war ill Korea caLl,~hl til<' L;S

l\ lar-ill(, (:()rp"" ;lllcI :\rm>" 1IIIpr('par('d" :\()t "l1lvri~­

i l1 g l~ " , t1H' U S \L\ ri lll" j( I],C{"!'l ill E.IJl'CL1 ITCjUC"l<.."cllh,11

d ll'ir ;1l1l 1J' 1lC" iJ a ll:liiolh 1)(" hrl1l1gh l back up lo

sln: J1 g1 !t, ,we! t ill' l SI :\nlphibiaTi T r au())" BZllta l io l l

\"\"as ("q uippcc\ \\"illl Ihe 11C\\Jy ll lf)(I ("TJ1 i,,,;('d 1.\"'1'-:)(: ,

Oil 15 SI: pICmlH"J" Ihi s U11i l. ~u pp()rt ("cl l-n J,\"T :\ 1-:") " 1)1' Ihe :")! ) lll ;\mphihi an T ank a lit!

1" 1" ~ ll" t()J" B ~\ Il" tli() ll, \\ ("}T LI.'i ( 'cI ill {I ll' Ll i ld ill "&.!. ;11

The LVTll-6AI "e;un carrier wa~ fi[(ed .... 'ith a I05lTIm howitzer to provide artillery support during amtrac operations. If could carry 151 rounds of amnluni'lon iI"racks, plu" J50 cao.islcred round,; in t he cargo hold, during land opera lion 5i but for 3lTIphibious use a total of no ITlorc than 100 rounds wa,; considered safe, (FMC Corp")

""\ !

lIlt h()11 which dJ"all1dlicllly alkC1t'ci {he ("OlllSI' of'

11](' \',11"" L\"T-:-1(:-" also li "~ lI)"('(l p],()l1lilll'[llh in

~LLrill(' (I ll acb ()\"l.T lhl" H elll Ri\TI" LU I"!" ill lh e

11l() lllil, ;tIle! ill "Il<" n~l("ll(tli(;ll oi" J-iUll,!..!,I)<UlJ

l-i;lr lH II I l" li dl () \\"ill g Ilw Chill(":--C 'III}"~ illlO 11)(" \\~Ir.

l~l:-) () ;d,,[) m arked tlw CllIT~ (Ji" thl" l.\'Ts inlu

,ll)(lthcr .\:-.ian \,"ar" French forces in Ind ochilla had Iwell ll~ing CS l\I2~)C \\'c asc]:.;, 1--))0\\"11 ~I~ crabfs to

tht" IITIKh. in tilt" waItT> terrain of" Ihe cl('lta~"

1)(")"h;1 ps t hI' IK"-.;t kllOWl1 ur l 11(:,(" fortllal iun,-; "a," Ill('

lMlLtliull ["<li::-l"d by the J" Rf!~lJnml 1~"t}(I1IJ!)rl' dc (;oml"}",,, in 11)'IB" Unlil I qj(), Illl' r IS had Iwcn tlllwillil1,~ 10 support llJt" Frel1ch dlc)J"\ ill 1 llciocilil],l

Illili1;'lril~", \"iC\,ing it a~ (1l1 ul1d('~ir;1hl(' ITfnll<llll or ,In"hilil cld(JniL!li~m, OTlc(, 1h(' SU"lCS hccllme ('I I 111 ( ,!Jt'd in the \, ar in K.OIT~l" hO\\"('\"I'I, the Illd oc h ina flghling \,"a::, sudd('nl~" ,inH"e! ill a new

lig"hl : a: another C'·lf'TT1 Cllt ill the C() Iltllill I1W[I I or C(1I11Tnllllism" "l he US hegan sllprl~"ill g- the Frcllch

\\"ith ('q uipnll'I1L tha t had prc\"iullsly IW(,}I dcnied, illCluclill g LYT--l- and LYTI A '- ~~ all1phibian~" 'I'he

first of thest-' arri,"C'd ill No\"("rn\)et" I ~i5(), and \\"~T('

usr'd hy I he Fon"igll Legion ca \";'Ilr~" I () li})"n I 11](' J

SII /1"I-grnll j)(J1lm l amj)h ibif. Lhe fir.-.t ()f" a llumtWI" of"

;lmphihiollS as",nlil groups" The LYT<.; prm"('cl (() be i<i(,(llly ,..;uitee! lo the delta; prO\'icling \\ ater-horne

l rall~p()rt i 11 decp \'\-;-Il('L Glllel clcccptabk l1lohi Ii l ~ 011

Lhc nHlrk> SOli or ri(('-]>(Jclclit"~ and ri,'nh'-lTlb. I II [~).11, when rnorc "l'hicle', IwcalllC t:\\'ailahlr, l he ," fU';C f()1'Jrwd [lAO.: m ph i hi()ll~ !--!rou ps, com pri~l'cl or I \,,'U Cr. d) sC!llad ron.'> \,'i til T) mac hi ne-gu 11 a rnll cl Crahs ('aeh. three ;\Iligalur squadroli~ [c)r t ron]>

rransp(j1'1 \\·jth : I L\'T-+" l· i:tch. anel ,1 SlIppnr\

pililOOIl. ,\jlh "ix L\'T I,,\,I-. .p-i. T I1<.: FOf('igll Lq~ioll

CiI\';tll'Y \-\"lTf" particularly S\llTc~.,;flll in I heir lIse 01

tlw"l' Illliqlw ullilS, cmpl(» illg- them imaginali'Tly

in spil<' or Lile poor terrain. To pl'Clvide (,\'L'1l l110re

lin·pO\\'l..'l". some LVT-.l~ \\l.TC mllclif'icti LO carry ~.()11l1ll BoloI'''' anti-aircraft gUl1~ kJl inbn l r\

"lIpP(1rL \los[ or tlie Frellch L\,'1"-_1-" WCrt· al"llll"d \\ il 11 shi('ldf'ci rnacltiTll" gUllS, ()r I"('coilk':i rifles III HI morl;l rs. I

The elld or LhC' I lldochina \\"ar did not <;ig'nal (hi'

l'nci oi' Frcnch amtrac npnaliolls. During Lhe I ~)')(-; plallnill,~~, I'll)" the "I.'izurc (Jr the Suez C~lILII. til(" ,\llg t() - .Frcll ch planning l"(>lflTllill(''(-' decided to 1I :-.1' ;llll [)"acs to ["ll'cct a l;[ nd i 11 '~- ;ll Port Lwd .. -\s R,-i t iLi II

no IOllger had any Lcnti-Lt'~\s('" amtrac.~ £\,'ailaIJIt-.

lh(" French Na\'y imp rcJ "isccl all amphibious <1:,'llull

The LVTE-7 wa~ accepted for servicc, but rlid not enler production. 111(~ de,.:jcc on the rear of till' ""cbjcle is the rockct launcher assembly wbich was used to launch demolition line chargps for minefield breaching. (FMC Corp.)

.~·r()up Ii-on; the former :-\l1lphihioIIS CCIll(T al

.\rzc\\. thcll ill lht' proce:-.~ orbeil1'.~· rc-ii-)rmcd as tIll" \ [arine Brigade. They \vere llsedll I lanell he 1 Rl-:P and ,.-('" JJmw( COlilmando oppo,..,iIC lhr police and coaq-guarri SI~ILi()IlS at Por( FLUId during ttl<" landings. BOLli L\T-·~ Cll11lraCS illle! L\'T, \1-1

dTl1L<lnk .. \\'TIl' (·mpIcJycc1.

The LVTP-S \\"ith tile C()llclusi()n of lht' war III K,OITi __ 1. ~tarinL'

aml-lhibi:lll Il"aclor units WCIT ill pOOl conclitioll '" ith Zl loud or ."'):1~) LVTs or ,·;\I·iou!-, m()del~

returning li'om Korea in a parlicularly had \V;l>.

The~ \\'( 1"(' n'huill yet again at the i\larc Islan d :\an Ydrd. Illlt \\('rC bst approaching lhe end or tlH.'ir Llschd lik. 'r'hc L \ ·Ts Lll a.t were in be-un sha pe \\Tr(' dcliw")"cd I() allird nlarillc forn',", llnder till" !\:JAP pr()gr:lnlmc notahly In lile T;liw;tllCSe and Soulh KO]"Ulll m:lrincs. Il \,',IS dCilr that a lie\\"

LVT wuuld be required.

;\[ thl (l utbn'cd, ur the K(IJ"('an \\·ar. Ihe \: a\ \

l~ll r(" ; llI ur Sh i ps had decided to pn" ,'i a hC lld wit h ,I 11('\\ LYT programrll t' b a~("(! (JIl lil t" lcc llllOlo .!.!,.

dC\"l'lo[JlllCIll dlC)ns it had [W(, ll (" ()UciII Clillg: ~iJlc( '

I ~q() . Illlkcf"l1lhn l~ ).-)n il i:-: ~l )(" d ; l CIlTlt)";l t"[ 1( 11 )('

111 ,~' (')"so ll Prclclu('( ."; i)i \ ' isioll (Jr BClrg- \\';ll"IlcT C()rp­o rati! III to dcn:l () p a 11t'\\' Llmily or .an1LLll"S .. [ 'IIC

.1 i m \\'a.· 10 dc.'iign .\ In 'il l' (n I! IJ ca rrier' L \ '"1" 1'- :-) . ;111 anjlln~ ' lire :-\u ppor\ \'ch ick L\'TH-( ; . ,I ("()11 1-

11lellle! ;11l(1 raclio \"(·hicll' 1l,\·TCI{-I .I. ,m :Iir (kkllce \"('hick I.\·'I"A .. -\- I '. :1 n'(" O\"(T~ \T hil' lt ·

: 1.\'TR-1 I ;IIH! (i "()mlnl cn g-iTll'('r /minc!iclcl lHT(l( hill g "('h ic k 'L\"l'E-1 . \\'ha l \\ ' (\ ~ remark­;,[Jk ;1 1 (lUI [he 11("\\' ;ll111ra<: \,';IS il" : il.(,: it \\"C ig!l\ 'd

:-i .l 1ons 11 n[oaded . i.I nd wa'i dl'"igned to (, i.lIT~ :3 " :-;_\. C(lInl)(:lI-;IJ'I11Cd tr!)op:-. n(,;lrly d()llilk Ill(' l'()I1I­

pl t'lllClll or prn'jo ll s <lllllracs.

T It{' fi r.' 1 pfOlOly pl', or a ll I .\ 'T H-(; .l;1.I1 1 cilrri( ']" ,

The LVT-7A r new productio[l "chid s are easily di ' tingu.ished from the LVT-7 sen e and the LVT-7A1 SLEP \'cbjcles by the squ~re hou. ings for th(' f.-onl headlights and the rai5ed comnu . .nder···. cupola. Thi!-o is an LVTC~7AI. evident from the cxtrd. r:adio antennae anrl rhe lack of a ma('h;n(' ~n turret. 'FMC Corp.'

\\, {1:-; Ct >l ll p l('[ccl III .-\ U .~U~ l I ~ I :)[. 11 )lITf':o; tillgly

cllougl l. ill 1 ~)~) I F)'I c: su ggt's\t 'c1 1 he d( '\'c lopm(,lll (II'

~ l s11la lkr ;'llll\r~l(' 1~ 1l1 1 il~. calkcl the ?\kdi lllll-\\'(' i.~ht

L\'TP-\:' ~ _ Tlw F.\IC l'l lll'~ \\'£1 .... 1' .:-;seJlli a ll~ a

n:l \-;discc\ \'( T:-;i oll oj'ttl(' arllloli red troo p (';t ITier il "',,IS <ksi.l.!,'lIing· /()l' lhe Army. awl \",Iliell \\'ollid l ' \·cll \u(l ll y(~m('r.~l' ;I S the \1 :)~l. \PC . T lw .L\rmy \\ ' a~

il l:-i .... ti ll g lh a l all ()f il:-' 11('\" L\'(HlP carrin's 1)(' amphil)i(lu :-, . 'lllcllhc J\t) ~ ) wa:-. (';lpabl( ' ol s\\'imming

;l('J'OSS sllledl ri\Tr~ or bI...TS. I-! O\\'(' \'l'l' , Lhl' Arm\' n 'qu in ' I1l ('[ 11 1( 11' ~1l 11plt ihi(l tls capahil it y \\'a~ I ~lr k s:->

d(,111 ,lIldill g Ihall Ill(' 1\;\\'\' rCCjllin'llwl1L. The Nan' :-. la nd cll·cJ:.; rot' (l1l1tracs i\lsi··jCc! 111;11 11](·\· 1)(' ,tlJI(' 10

Jll'g nli~lll' lH'~I\ - '.' sllrrancil() stllyi\· (" sllhmcr~c t)('(' in

hcm ~ .... l·a c mciitilll1:';: li'll'Y (ll ·o l' \pc('tt'd br hi g-hn \\,un spl'cds, and hC\'ll' l !1lclll()('ll\TahililY ill \\:;) UT.

.\s a result. L1w J\1 .. )~) had t.o be .. ub .... la llli ally r(' hlliit 1(1 illlp r()\'(' it. · "l l( )~ - Cl n(' y alld its " ' a l lT prnplIlsil)ll ( haraClnis\ ie .... .

Tri;!ls Ill' IIw Bllrg-\\'arllCl' ;lmtracs \, ' lTC SllCCCSS-

1i.1I. and in lQ ,=-)2 produnioIllwg<lllOlll lw LVTP-.1 I roop 1';l r ri rr t1 l1 rt t i1l' L\'TH-( j gllTl ca rri er. I II spil t'

(,rIlle d(Ti .... i()11 lO press al1L'ad \\'ith produ Cl iull o[ ' the

I.\'·I·P- -).11)(' J\Li rill cs ckc idcc\ 10 COllI illlll' c1c\'('lop-

-

ment ol'tl1(' "rnalkr ;, and cheaper;1 FIvfC LVTP-':\"2. feeling thai such a design mig-ht complemellt 1!1l'

LVTP-;-)" As ill d)(' LV'1'P-:) farnily, a gun curicr and air defellce \'('rsinn \\Trc clnTlopccL as well a" a

troop carrin" rill 9,5(i tile F 1\"1 C design \,"as accepted ror }darine service as tllC LVTP-b, but by this time the produclion or liw LVTP-:-) 'Y<.!S almost compluc and so the L VTP-() \"vas lW\"C1' placed inLO

prod uCliol1" :\ total or I, I 2-\ LVTP-5s and :l J ()

LVTI-I-(is \\"('IT huilt durillg- the plTiod lip to 1~) :")7"

Once prod l1uion was cornpktul. 110\\"'C\"('1'- i I \'"as

decided tu C"un\Trt .1H or (he LVTP-.')s i1lto command ,"('hicks. designated L \" .1"P-:") (Cmci ). Snlallllllmbcrs oi"L11C L \ "1 'E- I ('UgilH'Cl" ,Thiele and ()5 LVTR-I l'l'Ul\"ery \"chicles ',,""CTC also 1>uilt~ IllH

no L \/'1';\;\- I air ckk'llcC \Thicles ,,,'en' huill apart

['rom the pr()totype" /\ lluml)('l' of sllspcnsiOlI and pU\n"nrain prob­

lcm~ plagued dw l'arly L VTP-5 Lund> . and dela ycd th("ir illilial deploymelll ulIIlI I~) :)(i " The LVTP-:-) series used Ill(' sarlI(' transmissioll as the \1+7 and

M'lR tanks , <\!lei due: to (he pov\crtrain C()I1-

figur<ltiutl til(" tlnal orin'S Vd ' n " about ";1"1 bdow tltl' l rammission out put SilLI f'l~, l"l"q uiri 11"2. a d rop,2,(,;l r

assembly to couple the fll1ll! dri\"(~"" lind tr;II1S­

missions" The dr()p~"('aJ's and c,l1'ly filwl ell'in's were a ll"CquClit source or l11('clianical I ~lilur('s" I rnprmT-1l)CIl[S to Ihe P(JvdTt)"lin a!ld sllspellsioll , as ,q"1I a"

nt her mod i fic,ll lOllS including the acid) tion or a hox

snorkel and top deck \Tlltilrl1ors , sO"Tel:-\()tnC ()r Ih(',,(" prohlems. alld the modilled ,chicks \\TIT

dcsigna teel J-, V~I " P- ~)l\ I, L VTH -h.-\ I, l "ll".

NLI ri I1C am phi hi all fractur I l<.lllal i OI1S or I It i" pcri()c1 had ([ tOLd or I '2() LVTs cach " Till' tv.-I.l

Ir~lrt(Jr compallies had /()uJ' piatC)C)lIS eacJl \\"iLlI II

LVT'P-"-) ;-\!s" The 1)(1IL"diull HQ_It;tellllrcf' L\""l'P­:-),\1 I,Cllld; cornrl1(]lId vchicles; Ol\( ' LVTR-[ ;\I n 'CO\Try \"chide: ;1 l1Iine' clC;lrallCC" pi:.lt0<l11 \\"illl

cigh t 1; V' l"L- I . !lota to Diggers"": a rnaintl' n~lll("("

piatO()11 wilh one LVTR-IAI; ,"mel (lll alllpliilli(lJ) pi,ltOOll \\"i(h three LVTP-,-).:\! (Cmcll and 12

LVTP-JAI troop c ~ lnj('l"s" III Ihe 1l).'J(lS <\lId 'bl)s. tlH's( ' bat(;diollS ""CIT orgi.UlIC lO the IVLl.l' inl '

di\'isiollS "

The LVTR-7A1 is t"be recovery version of the LVT-7 sedcs. llle hydraulic c.rane has a 3-tOIl capacity, and the vehicle is al~o fitted with a recovery win(~h of Ts-too capacity. (FMC Corp. )

:';7

Vietnam J)urillg" tile Vil'lIl:111l \Y,ll, Llw 1:-;1 and ';nl

.\mphi hiLIlJ 'Tr;l('[o)" Bat talil Ill," \\ ('IT deptl JYL'd \\'il h the' \Lnin cs' :-;rd ;-jllc! 1,1 l)i,i:-.i()J):-;. 1'1 ](: mltuft' 1)1' thl' liglHil.lg in \"innam \\ ~l~ iii-..;uill'd to lr~lcli[ iOJl~tI arntr,lC ()1H'ratinn", ,!lId dui' [011](' b ck orcout('slnl Iw,]c1 1 a s.'a Llll~ t 1)(' L\'TP- :-) :\ l ~ \\"(,'T e llser! , as orte l] a~I1OI, a . ligh tl yaITllotll'ccilroop cll'ri(·')'s. I-f()wC\·('r.

the amtl'(IC" \H')'l' \'tT;' large and hulky LInd \\'('1'1'

hardly a~ suilabk lor lhi:-. rl-)Ic ,lS LIlt' !--' l11 a lkr :\nll:

\1 i ':1, 1':"\"('\1 tho ug h LlH'Y \\Trt' ( oll sickr ably llIC )['t'

dural dt' I han ,1l111r.tt ... ol"Llw Second \\'urlel \\'dr. t])('

L\'TP-.-).\ \\T1T lIO[ illiCIl<!crl filr prololl gnl OPl'L"­

atjoll Oil lane\: Ill(' lors il<i sl i(' <;uspcm:i() lI:; .' u !l(:T(, cl

rrnlll (':'\c('~sj\"(' \IS(' fe) l" whic'h [h t' y \\TIT lIot (ksl (!," lLt'ci.

The p()\\'(']'train, llsing a [;tllk cll,f..!,'ilJ(' fInd tj';IlI~­

missiull I" ilthcr l klll a PO\\'tTtr;lill c:\pj'l' ."sl ~'dl' s i g ll ('( l

Ic)r '1.l11l r aCs, \\'as lInt iell',·1. and \\' c\:; clilficull t il

S('l"\'I("(': ;1 \\'nrrl-Olll cng;inl' u1' lraIISnl;'i,~i()l1 t()ok

ncarh' cl day \() ["('pLuT, The ~il lg lc g-rc;ltt"sl \\Ta KI)(,ss i n ill(' i.\-TP- .-) d(' :-; ig'lL \,·a ."; ti l(' ("Clll-

Thes(' LVTP-75 ~\" rc U'iccl during .he tnab of the nFv.' C<Hlillac Gage [urnr which will be rt"lrofitted to lhe AAV-7A1 s beginning in Ig8,. The ncw tu r ret has both a '50-cal. machine gWl and a 4 0fllOl M.k 19 aut o m at.ic g renade launcber. (CadiUac Gage )

li ,0, IlI';lli(J11 of tlw Il)('l c("lls ill the flnol, In \'ictJldlll

bnd m illt·~ \\'l'n' I he primary d a n,~cr 10 a r mou red

\"( ·hic lcs. a nd ;1 mi ll!' Cict(lll<ltiol1 unde r (Ill I.\ 'T P-:-)

(JIlI'll <;cl 1I1r 1111' petr()1 ll.l1lb. L·;lll."illg ,l lien'

hullWdll,";l in 11)(' ern" (()mp'lrlnH'llt. Arlcr ,\ ft'\\ le lhal experlell ces \-\·il h this d a n ger , i\ Lll-i lll' ullit".

q lli( !i.I Y \ l('C1I1J(' d(" U"WII wei (() ridin g' ()II t lit' ()lll :-.idt, OJ' t h(' i'l ll)! rae..;. It '('I I llg' I hill cxpOS U IT t () sma lJ It rn J~

fin' \\'a :-; a lc ~sC' r ri . ..; k lil a ll l lll' ci a n ger p o..;cd by l1l ill( '~ .

: \ :-; ;l rc. ·u lt (,r" tl w ."l' p r o l l i(' ms th e 1I "1' 01 :l llltl"'ilC"

\\"d~ n'~t rinecl , <lllel clrun~ \\'('1"(" rnadt' tl) Llil()r their u.'.("' 10 til( 1f"IT<ti n -~tl('lt ,IS p at rollin g ;tl(\n~

r i" (Ti>tlll b o r ~'( n~tlint', (II" \\ jLll Sp(Ti;d L:llicii ng '1'(,;'1111 .') IClI' C() ,lSla l opera tions. '"1"11('\ \\TIT abo ll,..;nl

ill Jl()I1-('ol"'nl){lLlllI )'()ics, ~l!l'h as Il"lT~'ing :-;Ilppli{'s from \'(' il l' ;.!IT, !."i , \\ '11(' 1" (' l ileir sp(j('i()l l ~ !loki:-; prm"('cl

lIseful. Rc"iclr:"\ the hasic Iroop ('''nrler, till' olll<'r

\ . 11 ialll' or lIw L VTP-:") seric,' also Sa\-\, empl(lymcnt in \'jclIlam. The LVTH-(i:\ I W(} , irH('IHkcl I()!' llSC

as all indirect anillery fire slIppOrl \Thick , hIll ill

Viculd III 0\ cr half ()f i 1" III issi ()T1~ \-\ifT(, ill I hI..' (;11 II.; rt)lc of' clinTI fire SUppOl'1 (II' i\:[arinc Llllil · .

The LVTP-7 The pl'Ublt'l11s \\'iLh till .' L\'TP-5 ill \"iCl!ld ll1 ,

adnliu('dly cau~cd in LlI'gc nlC(lSUrC h\' il~

empl()~ n1ent in r6k-: 1()1' \\ lIich it had Iiol benl dc~igll("d\ led 10 cOIJsicl(')'atioll or a rcplllccnwlll.

Initial dc'\ign "vork fCJI' all LVTP-:-) rCpl,1(TI1lCIlI had begun ill I ~)6 ' I " ~incc tl1l' original design spccifi­ca liuns fen' (hc LVTP-.5 had re-quil 'cel J. 15-ycilr lik

expectilllcy. ~!ll ct the \'Chicle, had (tIH'acl~ becll il l sen'icC' since I ~ l ~-l.) )j, llli L i ~ll d ":-, ign SLud i ',' were corn piC'll'< I h:. Chry:Jer and F \ I C, and ill r ~ )b .)

F\[C WOll llie (kn'lopmcllt C()IlU'; UT , The Ill'\\'

\ '(' h.icl!·, inil i;t1I> dt'"i ,l!;llalcd l.VTPX-I:2 . rn ertnl IJack to tlH' cariit ' !' Se( 'ollel \Yor1d \'\'~Ir L\'T de:"" i,I2,Tl

in terms or size, l ise oC lhe LV" P-.l :\ I in Vi('lll a n1 Ill:tc!c it c!c;lI' that ,o.;lI ch a Llrgc \ 'chicle \\'as hard ly i 11.." 11 f( ))' 1 ~ lI ld opcr;ll ion: and lhl..' ( 1'1..' \ \' comp lemen !

One of tbe more UDUSUal derivatives of the LVT-7 series wa~ [he MTU (Mobile Test Unit), a US Anlly test~bed to conside r the feasibility of a mediwn energy la~er for air defence. The circuL'l r tu r ret conta.ins the laser beam projector and o pt ical tracking equipment, and the large container on me rea r contains the ~eo(: rator needed to supply the prodigious ene r gy requirement-,. of (hp laser, (US DoD\

The LVTEX-J was 00(' ufa nUITlber ofarn'tnpts to l""plon' fire

support versions of the LVT-7' The Marines had initially planned 10 acquire Lh(' L Y'n-1-5 lOSITlITl gun ca rrier in (97 2) but t.hi ... never progre5~.-d beyond the drawwg board, The LVT EX-3 maled an experirneDlaJ Na vy Jos mrn low-recoil gun in a >-Iurplus ArITl)' i\1:,~)1 Sheridan tan.k turret. h ""ias not aCL:(,pl~d for service usc, I:US Navy)

\\ as rcclu cl'C! fr()m :) () to '2 ,-) [r()o l s ' and a l hrl't" - lll<.l ll

ClT'" I , or <L f i\'('-IOll pa\ load l 'ap<lci l y. O i l Li lt' tic\\ ­

\t 'h ic k . (; IT'-1lC l' (' lllpitasi s \\ (IS ,tlso p irl("('d O il la lld pnlorJllcull'(', ill .'l()lli(' mC;lSIIIT ()\\"ill'.~ 10 \ 1)(· k~~[)11 o(

\-'i('tlla)II,

1-'1\I C :'.,,'lcCl vd a COIl\ ('IHiIlIL.d (or:-.. i()11 bar ~ US I c llsio l1 ill li eu () j' the wl.'iLt ~li l · .'u spcllsiPIl I h a L

hacll){,(,11 em p loyed ()\1 <lIlllrl.l ("s SillCC III(' } ,\-,,1' -:2 oj"

I ~J ,p , The ell g-i lll' \\-a s LI \\T II-pro \"(' 11 I)ctroil I)i csc l I r ltc k d iesel l'l lgi l )(" m a l ('d (() a [)(-' \\. lra I ISll1 i :-; si()ll .

Prop ui:; ioll in \\'a lcr \\',L"; P]"(I \ ickcl by a l"o l1l bil lat ion

or t he n o rm ;:! lr-tc k prupu l.'-.i ()11 c(l upleci \\ i lil ,l Il t'W

I\ydn~i(,l s ~ .'i H'm. T his olhTecl ("ullsi (kr~d ) l\ im­

pJ"m'cc! TlI<-lII()('U\T,lbiliL\' c()lll]>al"cd In III(' slll g'g-ish

1)('Ii,i \-i Oll I' or P IT \ '[ O li S amtrLl CS. T he I ll'\\' \"(' h ick

\ \ ;lS J j l OllS 1 igh 1 cr I ha n I h(' L \ ' P- ,-)' D('\·c lopmen t

\()()k '7 Ill()lllh s. ;11lc1 (ilt' (irst \ ' ~'hick wa s n'"dy ill ,") {'IHc m her I ~)t)7 ' ,-\ tOLd I d" 1 :-) protol \"p( '. \\'('IT

(" () Il st r Ul"l n l. ;Ill d 1 (" ~ Li ng {,(HlI in u('(1 l li r () ul!;ito u l

I qtiq, Thl' I.\-'TP-:\- 1"2 IIl l'l ()r surp assed all (d' it. I ('<j u in'lIt(' I II S (' :\("(' 1)[ for Ill l' Il1rn' ( w('apo l1 sLati o ll :

Ih c ill iLi ;li n'q uir(, lll clll I.' ;LII (·cI 1; )I";t ~?/)lllm ('an ll ()jl

;lrnLHIlC'1l1. but p rohlems \\'iLlI lh i" \\'~'dl)(Jll Il'cl to Ll

r('{I('~i g Jl n i' litc turret \-\'it b ;l , .:-)(I-C<ll. I W l \ 'Y Tll acitinc

gUll jn i t ~ place . T Il(' Ill'\ \ n ' lIi( 'h-" wert' I-irs! i'und ('(1 illl i w FY il ) Fi :-.ctl Year I~) ? ) ' d ell'lIlT ])(ulgl ·1. T he

Il('v\" ,'i('l"lt'S Wet S c1('~igIlal('(1 LV'1'- 7, \\"illl Ihe

~1; lI1d<lrd 1['(l0P car rin I)('i rt ~ dc."ig ll <l\ccl I. \.'T P- i. 'I hr' '2nd ,-\ l1lphihio ll '. T ractor '-b Ll a lio ll <ll ( :alll]l

L(:il"lllll'. ~ ()]'lh (:ar()lin ':-"l )"('("('i\"('c! two P"ol()(\'l)(""

(i)1 (;lmili,)ri-'clli()J) ill ' ~) 71. '111(1 initiill d('li\"('ril" lJr PI'OdU Clill 1l \ {, hick .., he,Q, an ill , J <lIl Ll a r~ [~J 7 "2.

,\s \-\'itll til<' ('arlicr L\·TP-.-) ser ics, l lil'l"(, \\'tTl'

pla 11 '" 10 d n "(' lop a l ~lll1i\y (\ /" 1'("l a led SIIPP01'l I~'r )('""

1)(IS(" 1 011 the 1.\ 'TP-7 . Th (" ~ l' ifll'llld cd lhl' 1.\''1'(:-; ('(lll1Jllrlllc1 \-("hiell', LVTR- 7 ITC()\"tT\' \'('hicle,

1.\'TE- 7 m indLl'ld brcachill.!:!,' \ chiclc, ;lJlcl

L \·TH-.-) gU ll CLlITier. T Il<' lir:- \ d In T 1"l" lCI1C'd

pn)l () l ~ IJC lill'l ll. ([ w I lile L \-'TP-j a nd LV\ 'C-7 ('111('1'('(\ l)!'ociIJCli(j11 ill l he ('(\r1y I ~) 7 (1s. Till' Ilo\.\ il/,(T

\'('l1iel('. J,\'TH\:-,-), \ \'as Il ('\ 'l 'l" c (Jmplc[('d. By III('

Iq/()S Lll(" '\iaril1("s had (()ll l ' luc!ccl lh<11 it :-. li r e

~llP P()rt nOde cC.ll rlcl IH-' fu lf i lled lKlLCT 1)\· l\[()O:\]

t([lIb in ti lt' direct fire r (~.de, and ~II{) ~) ~(" lr- p r()1 ~ ' l k I I ,:-l."-) III III h{)\\' i lzers illll)(,'-1rli l k n I-irc sLlp]>()rt ["('dt' .. \

lOLiI ()r~ H- :2 1.\''J'1'- 7s, ~).:) f .\.'TR - 7s and Bol' LVTC-7 ' w crt' bll ilt ill til(' init ia l ()rd{T~ f()r the \ lariIl("

Corps b Cl Wt'Cll 1~17 () and 1l)7 1, T he {"[IIT ('11 1 .\sscu il(

.. \ll1phihiill1 Batt;:lli()lls ~ln' ;l ::;()()c1 d ca l br.~{'r than Ltll~ pj"('\'i()(l~ (irg~llli'-.~ILi()ll, II;l\'ill g ~lJ) HQ awl S(' I'\·in"' COJllpa ny a nd (ill!!" ,\ss<.lu l l ;\lllphiIJian

C ()lllp;'ln ic<.; , lOl,tlli ug 187 L\'TP- 7s, 1:-) L\'TC- 7 ~

i.IlHI (i\ -c 1.\·TR- 7s.

Th(' 1.\ ''1'-7 nlmil y p rmTd m ore cll lra l)k a nd ('Ikcliv(' ill .'-.t'["\·i("(' Ilian tl\l' L\'TP-S SlTi('s, 'J'!ln'

\., ' [' r e chea l CJ" lo () PtT~l Lt'. hac! much hcLLIT lall cl ~\1Id

\\<ll<T pl'r!i1nJl"llHT , and could Iw dri\ '('n nlln!,' lrl ­

abl~ all d IC ll' pr(1 loll .l!,"cd peri()d s Oil Ltlld \\'illwUL lilt'

ad\\TS(' C()II"l·(llIC'll('C.... lku had ai'fliuccl dw

L \ '"I' 1'-.)':-, Lo),j I ~l:-.I it' 'LI~pell "i OIL 1 n bet, L he I, \ 'TP­i .. SlIspctlsioll l<ll'I1H'd the hLl,is {<)r tilt' \lL'i[H'IISio}) (1)

L1w new ~d '2 Bradley rrlr.trltr~ FighliTlfr V('llicl(,1 \"hid) l'lltc)"cd sen'icc \\ ' jlh (h(' Army ill th!' l'Rrly 1~}B()s , The LV'l'-7 seri('~ \-, 'as Llsed operationally I)~ l'S ]\darinc f; llTC:-. d uri! 19- I HilCl'kccping OPl'/'£ltiOtb

ill Lehanon , (t1)(1 in (\w il1\'asi()11 oCC;"cllacia ill lQB3,

H<lsc'c\ OIl prn iOllS e"pcricIH (-' \'\ it h lI11l1 r; ll'S , I he J\,larillc (:())'ps ( ','\lKCl('d Ill(' I,VT-7 serjc" to L,tSI

al)()Lil ten >"(,;11 ' (lillil til(' mjd- I ~)8()s, ancl Ilwl'd()1'('

lH'.I!,'iHl dnTI()pmc'111 ora ~ucn'''isor in I he mid- J r)70~ ,

The i\lari1Je Cprps c()n~idcrccl a J1urnbcr or optiOlI:-',

illcluding 1IIlc()[nclltiollal ~'I-)pr()aclws stich as Lhe LV/\ <ll'1ll01ll't'l1 air cllsilioll ass<'lLllL vchiclc, ;1))<1 the Illorc' C()1l\'l ' llliollal I,\"l'rX, Lrad,ul dSS;lldt

\Thiele. TIl( ' 1,\ ';\ progranmw erl\ i"Jntlcci al) un­

orthodox :-:uspcllsioll that \\'oulc1 usC:.' all ail' <. ushion system for I1(HlIli()1) and propulsion un \\,;lICT, and

a Lrack .'.\ 'sIClll Oil land , HO\\'('\Tr. tht' programme

\\-as dropped ill I ~17q. I wf' )IT a protot ypc was

The LVA was an advanced amtrac prograDlDlc aimed at developing an assault amphibian which would use air c.ushion propulsion at sea, and tracked propulsion on land, This illuslrdlion shows the Bell Aerospace concepl of the LV~ showing {he air cushion con6..guralion in the background and the retraC[cd air cushion , tracked land configuration in the fOl"cground. The programtne promised (Q be costly and technologically risky, and consequently was abandoned in '979 before prototypes were completed, (BeU Aerospace)

(,()llslru('[ccL jlll i\\ 'Ollr O('p"!''\llin,l!, rhe less c()sLl~ and risky I,\-T (X .! , Three cnmp«nir..;- Gclll'/';tl D,'­Ililrrlic'i, Fi\,tC ami Bell l\cl'()spac(' received con­

Ir<lct~ [0 cit'\.c\()p lilt' iOlpro\'t'd J.\'T(X ,

Into the 19905: the LVT(X) Decision The LV'1'I::\',1 progr;lIl1mc CJ1visiollf'e1 an amtrac Iwller :)uitcci lo lanel combat thall the LVT-7, It

\\'ould he bClltT drmnurcc\, ;111(1 better armed., wilh all aULomatic C<.lllllon in the '2 5-:-L)mm 1'(lIl':!'C. In lTIiilly )'("sPCCI.'i L1w L\'T:.X ) was pbnllcd a!'l a

~' I;\ rifle rq uivaletll of' the Anny',,,, nnv \''[ '2 BLuJ lc;: l))l~lIltry Fighting Vehicle (I FV), Like the Braclky, til(' !r()op~ in the LVT "AI cuuld hght II-om inside IiI!' \dllCIe , ()r dismount. To lxrmit thl' (('I)OP"; to

figll[ li 'om Wilhill tlw vehick led lO some ilHtT('sting

The General Dynamic!> LVT(X) proposal is seen here in model form. It was armed with a 3srnrn b"-ln, and had two remote cootro\ m.achine gun turrets at the rear hull corner!:>, (Author)

lk~igll illllO\'<.ttlons: BradkY-~Lyl(' firing porU; l"urTlpJiC<11Cd \ he design or ~l water-t1ght hulL so some of' 1 he d("signs !'t'lied ()Jl {\-vo n'nl()lc control machine gUll tUITf'lS at LIIC rear or the \'('hicle to

permit the 'quad lo engage enemy positions. The

~;Iarine Corps con~ickrecl LWO clilkrenl LVT , X ',

("(H){l~l1rali()w; : a small I :")-lrnop \'crsion , the r ,VTX-1J, and a vt~biclc TlI(H'(' similar in si/,l' lO llll ' !.VTP-j, (';111('(-1 the L VTX-'J I,

The L \' 1' 1 X 'I promised lO be a I~lirly ('xpensivc \'Chicle to dn:rlop ancl producl'. and mallY Marine l<Ll'liciallS had gL\\'C mis,(~,ivi\)g'-; aboul the \'("hick's vaille , Il i.o,; difJ-icult to I);tlanc~ tt\(' c()IIHicting

l'll'l .. illcerill'.,~' d('mallds {'or good ~1mphibi()lls capa­l)ililY 011 till.' one hanct. \\'illl ,L;oocl bncl pnl(_lrIn;1I1c('

nil the olher, The LVT X I \\'()uld IWHT he as good an infarllry lighting \'t'hiclr as an J FV designed prinwrily {(>I'land operalion , l-'calllrc~ Ill,(,l'~sary for ;lrnphibiolls pni'orrnallC,(" slIch as ttl(' Sib' require­lllC'nts for buoya ney and ! he \\Tigh l consl )';1 i IllS {C)l' notation, conflicted v. ith fealures t()r I;wd combaL ~uch as a smatter size and heavier armour', Some \LLl 'ines Clucsriuut'cI whdilcr ~lll amtrac V'i.L'i Heedecl any longn. I I was DO 1()IIl!lT clear \\ hnhef lhe Pari fie: islet Ild figh! i ng of tl)(' Scconcl \ \. nrlll \ \: a r W,IS

al all re!e\',llll lu (he I'()lcs which the ~ -Ltri[)e Curps \-\:,ou lei t~lc(' in the I ~)90S, The L VTP-j \'vas ;1

perfecriy (lckquacc \'Chick Il,n such COnLe~(l'd

Idl)(\ing~, and Lhere \\lTC other mcan~ ;I\ 'ailablc fIX

seizing a l)Cach lhat W('f(' Ilot a\ 'aibhk ill 19+5, R;,11 her lhan di)'ecLiy ;lSS<1l1ll a heavily dd{~ndccl beach , lht' tvLtrinfs or J~)8:) could skin tIlC clcfcncc:-: by llsing hclibornc assault. II' beaches coulel be ~('i/.I'd \'\'ilhnut a direct ;1s~(Llilt using such lLl([ic...;. olher type~ o{'craCt \HTC f~H' b('lln SuilCcll(w landing

4,'2

troops ancl ~upplies (han the arnLracs , For (' ,'~'Imple.

III(' NIarill('s \-\'('IT acquiring- LCAC air clIshioll

landing cran whidl could rapidly ferr;.: 111el1, lanks allel suppli<::~ ashort:,

'j'hc cOlllinMcncy which IrIOS[ cnnccl'Ilcd j\,\arillc planncr~ in the early 1~)8()s was Ih("~ p()ssibility Oi ;.

C~Htlpajgll in the ~/licldlc East- such as a war ill Iran.

II) this circUrrl!-.l<.tflL'C, amtr;-tc." were irrelevant or ill­suiLed; landillg agaiJ\~l Ll CUlltcsted beach was unlikely., and Lil(' LVTI-'-j or LV'!' (X, were nOt

ideally suited Lo ('oncJuClill,l!; IOllg nwch;H1i~l'd

operations in a desen cll\'ironllWTlL TIl(' ivlarint' C()rps Iud f~tlkn behind the l S Arm)' ITl

nH'chanisi!l,!4 il.'i fi)rcc:, Cur pr()]nl1gccl LllId opn­alions, sincc its tradilioll~d Illi',ston fc)clIscd em

I)l'(lch-hrad assault. The .'\rmy had gone I hrough lhree generatiolls oj' armollred in[lI1tl''y' carriers

si llC{' r 94.1, \V hile the ,\'1 ari IlL'S had II('\-cr heen ('quipped ""ilb ally, The lhoug ht or ligh[illg a ~[iddk Easl LlInpaign as 'leg il1ElIlll'Y" COIIClTHCcl ~' Ltri nl' pI (\ I HH'rs: it bCllCT :;'01 U lL(Jn prCSl'lltec\ i lscl f'i n the Corm or 11IiXt'd mcchanis(llioll or lh(, ~--LlrinC'

clivisi()ns , !\o,; the L \,'1'-', had pro\'('11 so <illral,k, it \V~l~ Ln <l

position [() IH' n'huilt in a Sen'icc Litc' 1 '~Xl('lIsion

Progra lTl me S L E P: lo I'll 1'1 hn t'xll'110 j (s usefulllcss

illlO the I qt)os, 'I'his aJlownl lh(' \t'[ariIlC~ to reLain a

capabilily to <JssllulL a C()}IIl'Slt'd beach 'l'arav,;l­LI ;hic>l1. The Illoney s,I\-'('(1 wIntle! he Llsnl to

]Jun:hase arn)(luH'cI infanll Y lllJnSp0rllTs it)}' pro­longed Llnd campaiglls , 'I'he ~'f.a!'ill(,s ckcidf'd lo adopt a wlH'eln\ iTlI~tntry flghling vehicle, 11)(' LA \', lo fu II, I ILis laller role , ,'\s a n'o,;ull ()i Ihis

rc-()ril'l1tatioJ) ill [he c()nfi,~llr(lli()n or the \larinc Corps, lhe L\"1 \ X,I progr:U1l1lw Wets s\wh'ul in Jo./hrch 1~)B,r) bel()re an,:, pr()lolypl'~ h;lci hC('11

('oJl'lplrl('cl. 'I'h(·' ~'I a ri II,' (:orps dClen)) i rwcl l ha I llw (' xisri n,g

ill\ 'cnlory o( I ,\"'1'-7" w()uld IK inaclcqu~lll' to la~1

inlO the I~)~)()S due to allrili()11 and reorgallisalion,

As (1 result, all impro"ecl version or tl)(' L V'1'-; dcsi,L"II<l(('d the LVT-,', \ I sniC's \\'as cl('\'t'lopC'CL iTl('or)JoralinJ-" (l !lumber or (k"i~Tl imprcl\"C'J1Wtlh. Tht.' SLEP programme n·'built the old \'chicles In

I he !lew LVT- jA, 1 standarcls , A lOlal or 8S3 LVTP-7s, 7i LVTC-7s alld ,rd LVTR-7s were rchuilt: and '2q+ L \'TP--;-A I~, '2~) LVT(:-~:\ I sand \('11 LVTR-7/\ 1~ \,\.'('1'c 1lC\\'ly manl.llacll1rnl ill 11K

\'(',HS I 98:J-H:-),

Dlle to the decisioll lO rela111 the LVT- 7AJ

amtracs in to the ) 9~)()S a Ilumber or ilnprO"f'ment progra mmcs \-\'err also Lnitiatecl. The ivlarines ""ere

never happy \vith the armamf'nt on the L \.'TP-7:

and in 1~}e4- cOllducted a number or trials oj' new

\vcapons turrets , III I ~)8t) the lVlarines selC'cted a

Cadillac-Gage (lIrrct armed with both a .50-cal. Iwavy machine gUll and a 1\:1k.19 40mm grcnack launcher. The fIrst 100 ('OTn'Cfsions \-vill be funded in Fiscal Year [~)H7' AI1 LVT-7 bull \vas fxpcrirncn­

tally reconfigured as all LVTEX-3 fire support vchicle by addiug a surplus Army ~'rS5 r Sheridan tank lurrcl \vit h a new low-recoil J osmOl gllll: liuwn:er, Lhere art:' 110 plans lO proceed wilh conversion or prod l1cLion or this \'ersion, 1 n spi tc or till' canrdlalioll of t/w LV'rE-7 cngincLT \,'Chicle. (here is ,'1till Cl need ff)}" a mine-clearing' amtrac to support landing operations . This l"l:C]uirnnenr is being partially sa tisficcl by lhe usc of I he l\,-1CSK CMine Clearancc Syslcm Kits) \.."bieh can be lilted to LVTP-7 A I~, 'l'his SYSlCI11 uses a small rocket to propel a linr charge onto a minefield \-vhac-' il is

exploded to creak a breach. /\ lTlore elaborale and dl(:ctive sySlern, called CATFAE, to be fitted lO

spft:ial mine-fidei breaching \'chicles, is al :-;o uncler

development, using a f\lf'I-air explosive rocket. There ;}I"C also pbus lO rnroht the LVT-7A I \vith P-q(Jo appliqlH" annulIr ill lhe laLe Iq({os.

AAV-7A1 and FAVC Due to the recollllgl1)'c\tion or llit> ivfarine Corps \v'ilb its new LA. V and L VT units, the LTSfvlC have decided lo change the name of the amtracs the butO' to reHcu their intended r6k. Bcginlling in r~)3.'), the LVT- jA r f~Hnily was rt'IlMned /\AV-7A I

': Am phi bious Assault Vehicle ,i, end ing a '1-5-),ear 1raditio}), As durable and long-lived as the 1\A v'-

Thi!; is a model of the FMC Future Afllphibian Vehide Concept. The FA VC project is aimed at examining technol­ogies to inlprove the amphibjous qualities of amtracs, including such techniques as retracting strea.D11ined bow panels, side sJcirts to channel and streamline the tracked suspension, and lengthening the hull with retractable hydrojet tubes. (Joseph Berm.ude7, Jr.)

be replaced some limt' in the 1 qqos, As a result ) ill [q8:,) the lvlarlnt' Corps began the FA VC (Fulure Amphibious Vehicles Concepts) programme. The programme is being COT1(luctt:d by the USl'v[C and F~/IC , and IS a t\-vo-pronged eHc)rl ,Limed at

examining both I1(>W amphibious vehicle u:chnol­og;ies \vhich could be applied to a modernised AA V-7A 1, as well ;.\:-; new vehicle designs.

Foreign Arntracs Botli the L VTP-.l and L V'1'-7 ~t'TI('S have beel1 exported in modesl numhers, as can be seen on the

~lccornp(1nyillg chart. The' Argenline I'vi arine [st Amphibious Vehlck Battalion was used in Li-w initial seizure of the Falklands in April 19t)Q, losing o))e LVTP-7 in the process to anti-tank rockets. I

'rhc Philippines have used their LVTH-() and Lv'TP-S in arnphibiou,..; allti-guerrilla operations:

The Italian San Alarco l\t'larillc Battalion \\'as Llsed as

part of JTALCON (cJr(:'cs during the (9B3 Lebanoll pCClccku:ping efforts, along \-vith some of their I, \'''rp -7:'.

LVT Production 1941-45

Type 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 Total

1.\ ''1''-1 :0') I- He I . ) :-;11:< 1.:2'1 :)

1.\'1":,\ .-1 :i .Alil ~ I~) ')I(l

1.\ T-~ ) . ~i I () I . ~'2:! '2 , ~ )(;'.!

I, \ 'T! :\ ,- 'j '-'(JO 2:~)1\ ,I<io 1.\''1"-:1 7Ti 2, '2 3(1 ~, ( )l;..j

IXT-l t I V)B() :~<)Iin B ,:) ~) I

LX r , ,\ ,-_I r .. ~H~I 'f' )1 ,.fl':)i)

1,\ ' r .\ -:) '2( i~ l :.'h~1

T"Iak 7~ f\:-)' I· '2..\ , ['2 1"1.l) iH ! '.·2 hll ,(\.lUI

7/\ IS ha\'c pro\"(·c!to bf', tlH'Y will probably ha\'C to IS\"( ' \',tll,L';u;lrd , ~ n , ,I/, rft,lll/I,d /"/0 /1/;, :,

43

An LVT(A)-4 of the Marine 3rd Annored Arnprubian Battalion encountered a hidden Japanese gun position on the beach during the Landing at Peleliu on IS Scpt~rnbcr 1944, and

Lvr Production by service in World War 2

Type USMC US Army Lend-Lease Total

1.\''/'-1 ~I'l II +85 '2no 111 '2. }

l . \ ''j' . \ I-I d-l :'! :1'21J \) ') lIl J XT· .! 1.:1;):') 1 . .')07 ! ()ll .! ,<) (i:.!

)XT ,: \ ! ' ': (1 -l :)0 (I ·Lj ') l.\ -T- : ~ 'V 1IJ 'j (I '~ ,' ''l i.~ L\"I'··I_ 1·7{i,j b.08:{ '='0:) B·l'l l L\")" '--\ "'4 .'):n 1-:10 7 51) I,H:,iCi

1.\"1' ;\ : ' .) u R 141 , ) '2l; ~}

T (.I ; .ls ' 'H b.1 I n . ] (J ~) H') :'; IEU i,.! ]

44

knocked it out by ,.-anuning it. 'Ibis is the original version of the LVT(A)-4 with the -so-ca1. machine gun in a ring mounr . (USMC)

L VTP-S and L VT -7 Export

Country L VT -5 series LVTP-7 LVTC .... 7 LVTR-7 ---

;\ rgl'lIliIlJ Ii)

Brazi l l b l L. .!\ '2+ KI);(,,1 ~ 3 Pl lil ippillt" 17 Sp ;\ in I II Tai\\' ~lll 717 Thaibno .,' \ '(,l\ l' 7.U t'!;! 9

The Plates TI l(' ca m nu f\a gr p a inting or LOS amphilliou:-;

tractors [uri n~ t he Second \\'orlel \\'ar r~'rnll itl :-.

largely lIllknown, The author has becn ullal)1c 10

find painting ill.l l'uctinns j(l]' amlracs in lht record, '

nr tlw U,' '\larinc Corp).;. lh t LiS l\alional Ar hi\,( ·:-; ,

or lllC F.\IC Corp. ,lIThi\·cs, i-'rOIll ('xisling col()lIr phot o,' <lIId film, i(l1ci \YT'ilLt.'I) (lCCOUtW,. it is n·iclClII

that (he ami f<l(S wcrt' llri~inally [lnishccl in a hlu!'­

'2'rcy col! III I" which t hl' <\Uthor ])clic\-,(':\ \V<l~

pr(lhably L1S .\:a\·y Un'an Crcy. Thc liSe of' this col()ur Ql'l1lnll'( I fi'ut1l the bel Lhat LVT" \\'(TC

ill iii a II ;- I'll u d t'( I Cn) III ! he US l\ a v y's (Ted'L h 1I cI g ( '!.

Durin,!:!,' J 1),1,.1_, Ihen' \-\,il'·: considnablc criticism fi'olll ,-\r my Ulli [s thai t he ~ 1'cy \\'(1 : 1I11sui [able for lise once

thc LYT lert Ihe wat er , As a rl'sult. the LS Army bega n to p<'iillt its L\'T::; in Oli\'(' Drab around (he

i.lU lLlT11ll of l q -t+ It i~ llot clc-ar \\'Iwther this \\,' l ~

d Ollt' at tlie l~l Cl or y /II' h~ ' i\rrny depots . i\ iaritle Ullil~ d urillg thi s peri ocl seem to 11,I\T re.'-.ort('o to I,l-I('il'

()\\'Il measu res, adopti ng loca ll y imprO\'isc I ca nwuflagc, Cn!c)l'tunalcly, tlll' battalion rccorci :-. do nul rrWllli()1l tht·s(' aCli"itil's, Following tlw W(ll'

tilt· ~laril1(' Corps f()II()\vcd tile Army's lead, ill)(]

pailllecl it s ;lInlr£l(,S ill unifnrm Forest Grn-'Il until tll(, micl- I t)7()S, w!ll'n il <Id()]>ICd t1w US .I-\rrn y '.'\

100lr-colollr ). I ER])(: camouflagc paillt.

ill: LI"[~/ . FJIF . II /(Jllli( : 0lll'm/inn 'Torrh', Ftc/fI/fI, ,\ [ oman , .J /) 1"((,11I/) 1'1' IfN :!

I 'Ill' \ 'ch iclc i~ fl ni :-. lwd in o\T ra ll O cean Grey. and is

prominclHly ma l'kl'cl ",'itlt a la rge L S Hag, This marking wa!' calTiccl on 1110Sl [rackecl \Tlliclcs

part icipating' ill llie I<'Uldings. and \1, .:IS adoptcd ill th(' \-aill IIOpt' tilal the FrcllciI wOlild not lir(, Oil

:\[)H'riC;-lll LI·(HlpS.

"f.: I, r 1~ f , l') _ \ I flI ',1 ',' ~',.'rl ;.J mphiuian Tra ctor j)ollalioJl : 'j aWZI'(l, :!t) .A,'(lI'f'mlin J!J.-J..'i

This LVT-J C<11Til's a ,,\·hil(' tanictl numher Illftl'killg, <1.-- wl'll ;.1', Ill(' 1Il1orlici;)1 11(lJ11l' '\Iy D(' L()ri~\ (HI Ill(' .O';l1j)('rstl'lIC1llrt· sick,

n f: r [' T --/, nriti.ih I I til R(~ral 7 ank R(:£:i711Ol /: Elbt' Ril' f'/' , (,'('J}7/{/ }~ r , :}f) .-J/Jril Il)_I.')

'fhis L\'T- +, 1l1~1111l(,cI hy ! J RTR, \\~l.._ prt'scnt on

Ihl' Elhc RinT ill lI w linal da y: of the war. It \\' ;,1 :,

fillishnl ill (]\'I'l'all liSt <)H~T Oli\T Drah. a gnTII('r

colour lh'-111 lhl' ~illlilarly naml'd L~S :'\rmy Oli\'(

Drah. Th(' ~'(-'II()w (·irck ill~i,t(lli~l is incliclti\'(' or'c' Squacl1'(JIl, a nd [he remaining marki ngs ~lIT ill \"hi 1(', Ot her exa III p its or \'C hie lc I L(I Illes ill I h(' troo p

;.11'(' 'Southport ' ancl 'S raO(xd ',

R:..:: /, r -T( .-1 ) -1 , l oll/Ii ,·lmjJhibiall I allk iJ£lf{({/iu lI , l-, ' .. lm~l : "',,i/NIII, I:j JUlle I,()+J

'I'll i: ;\ rill y 1.\ 'T (A j - r \\'as k 11m' ku\ Olll d 1I ri ng tile

inil i:tI hl'lIch fighting- a t Salpall, I t is ill o\Trall ()('(',lJI (;n'y, Thr l\\'/Jycllo\-,\slripcsoll til(' Itul l sicl(' illdil:l.lC thal il \\'a~ used at Ikacli Yellc)\,\" ']\-\'0. il is

1)'oTLl C C(}rtip .. 1ny, ;1'\ is n'ickl1l hoth Irolll lllt' \'('lli('le 11([1'11(' ,'Crazy Legs') and lht' bllmper code

Oil \1)(' l'1'O1l1 ["C-:'?o' \, III the P,lcilic, m"ln~'l1S ArlllY baltali()n~ lI sc l a hatlalion in.' ign ia ill lit'll or the

humper c(]de T he balt(tlioll insig-nia or Ihe 7()Ht h :\mphibiall Tank Baltalion \\'<t , a \.\-hite ()r yello\.\' lriallg le \\'illl a st a r ill the Centre. T he 7nRI h

:\ mph i hi a 11 Tall k Ba L ta lion a Iso clllTi('r! l.l gCOn1 t'l ric insig llia 011 Ihc turret rcaI', which may ha\T hee)] a '\.\' :.1 ,.(" 111<lrking rather lhan <111 indi,'iclua l \Tilick m~lrkili g , til this cas t' , it \\-as a ~'('Ilo \.-\' "'2 ' inside ,

yt'lIm.\' square on til(' lunTt rcaI' . It ,lIso carri( 's prOllli 11('111 l- ,'-; nal i()lIal insignia, il \\·hi ll' st aI", 011 Ilw

IIIITCI sick aile! hull side.

('I.' /_ 1"7'( :1 I--/-, C\ ;\Imine :!nd /~nn(} rl'd : Im/,liibi{w Dalla/iuN : '] iniall , ..- l ugu,} / 19-N

The .\"arillt's appear to hav(' SO hTd the camuuflage

pr()hlnn ill llwir arntr£t(' unils I)y : imply ~tclopti\l ,l!.

IlJca L ('xpccli( "lll ca m oufl age ,,·iLIt ""hatcWT pailll \\'~-I S a\·;\il~ll)h-. This I \,T .;-\ .1 - -1 0[1 Tiniall is Lli rl y t ypira l and i filli~d1l'cl ill \,dlat appears to he a sa ncl­

coloured I\(illl O\'lT the bCl~I' Occan (; I'ey , Thl'

"chide IlI~Lrkillgs arc ill \-\,hite. COJ\ 'i stillg or tht'

\'chide JllIllIlwl's 1'.-\:2']. and tilt' uni t l1l :-i lgnl<l . • 1

\\'illgcd Wllitl' star.

(,':.!,' /, I ·7 ~:.!, l"S ,H ({ rifl e .1' It A IIIjJ ltih i rlJJ Tra(t /JI

Hal/(l/io}l : hC(J .lima , f9i-j

TIll' .lLh \laril1 f" Di\'jsioll app', rs to 11;,[\,(, u~('(1 .1 r1101'(' (·Ial>()I"<'ll(' and colourful C;lllloufhuJ'c thall ill

many Ollier \llIiIS. Frol\l colour fitm ul'thc hallk ICli

h\"() .lima It \\'()ulcl seem that the --ph \brill!' Di\'isinll'i\ armoured \'Chick" \\'('rc filli~,dl('d ill , P;-I I l(,rn or ~ alld, reel-blll\\,11 allci cl a rk g n'1,'11. 'I h(' numbering is ill ~ell(j\\·, The initial ' 11' i'-, not a llumber. hut ralhfr t\VO ycllm\' ·-tripl"·;, inclicating-

thal lhis amtrac wa," earmarked for Yellow Beach 'T\vo durillg thc allack. Tbe 'Rl~' is probably a company and \'C'hick nllmlwr, rlithou,gh [his sl ylr' 01'

numbering; \-va~ also occasionally used If))' 'vI/a\'c'

markings, i!lel ica ti ng \V hieh in i tia I "va \'(' the a Ill( rae would be placed in, and ,vhat it." position in liw \-vave would be. The number could indie(lrc 4th wa \'f, :lod vehicle.

j) I." r VT-,') , l.:S A1(Lrilll' 11'1 .lmjJhihilill.l' Tun/or Ballal/on: HUl/g/lam HariJoll r, ko/('{/, DI'(f'm/Hr J,(l"JO

FnllO\'\'ing the waL l\'larillc amlTacs \VflT finished in ()\'('rall Forest Grecn, a clark grccn cnloLlr orten called 'i'vIarinc Green'. The Second VVorlci \Va)" praclice of' beach landing markings i~ "till n"idclll on lhis vehicle, in 1he form o[ two red slripl's, indicating Red Bcach '1'\0\'"0. l'he unit markings al {'

in eh rOl11e Y cllo\-,," and the nat iona I \11 SI g;1l I a IS III

white,

D2: {, r 'T( ,A )-4, Fict)r/z AmjJhibiolls /1,\,10/111 (;roup: Pori

}'U{1r/, L:f!JjJl, 6" )VOrcmOei 19.,;6 Thc5(, \"Chicles werc given a hasty coal of sancl­ye llnvv pai III befon' de barking, Iliad eq ual (' su pplics

Marines of the 5th Regiment, riding LVT-3 amtracs of the 1st Alnphibian Tractor Battalion, pass through a North Korean village after the crossing of the Han River on 20 September 1950. The unnIodified LVT-3 Bushmaster and the irnpro~;ed LVT-3C arntrac were both used in Korea. (US Anny)

werc kamel, sn many oi'lhc (\lnll'ac~ )'cc'Ci\'('ci a m()l'C

hl()lchy carn{)uflagc coat lhan lhi" ,"chicle. The ",·hilc·H' \'\,a~ an id(~nlity [)\ar~ing ad()pted ii»)' lhe operaliol'), ha~cd 011 the iniLial namc or OpcrLlliOiI ·Hamikar'. The hlack halld around lh(' ll.1\TCl was

abo adopted as (In ]Cknlity marking I()}' lanb and

other armuured \Thick" tu help c1i."linguish allil'd French and British armoured \'chicles from Egyplian armoured vehicles.

EI: LVT(J)--J. I" (;n)1ljJCmm! .. /uLoJloJJ/f'. I" JU:.X-': jillIOn!, Indochina, 1.'),'j2

French armour in the Inclochina \\";H was "imply finishcr!' in this casc in o\'crall olin' drah \vilh 111L' rcgimerHal crest paillLcd 011 the turret sicle, allci ~I

\"( .. hiclc number on the hull super,-arllClurc Cl'onL

I,;:.:: r VTF-I, 3rd :lm/iIl/'1I/IlIIS Tmclor 11a/!((l/oJl, IS/ [is

,\/arinl' Dil'isiOIl: 1'// /1/11111. 'f)67 l\Jarinc armour ill \ J("lllam \\'(lS marked in dl('

usual peacetime fashi()n: o\Trall forest Green willI Chrome Yellow markin,Q;s. In Lhis casf', SOUle more personalised illsignia ha H.' b('('n addul, iuclllclin.2, 111<' card symhol and the C)'TS Oil the 'd07CT hlack.

FJ: L r'TH-(J, Trziu,'(lnesl' /\.1(//111(' Dil'i,\ioll: Tah("tll} ,

If/~'1 The markings on lhis 'TaiwaliC'se amtrac sh()w

,\mnicall ildlu(,I1("(,s, both ill ,he :-ild(" ofdw i\Llrill(' iIlSiglli'l. and in Llw pC(lc('linw l'S praniu' or paintin g g rLL~ \ : nipples in recl lo make t1wm ('((sin to find II)\" sClTicing.

1-"2: LVIP-7, ROlt" / j l ;,\jf.lliTi f Dil'l.1l01l; Rl'jillh/'"( t!j It im-'(l . FjR.1

Tl w R 0 Kist \b.ri Ill' Di "isi nil h ;tS SOm(' or till rHoSI

g, rishl~'-(kc()ratf(l or illl illlllracs. The rOllr-c()I()llr

L I1wllfl agc paucrtl , rtdopt{'d li'om the LS s y~tcl1l. : {TIl1S l-atl)(T puinL1c"'i in till':' I~lc e or the (lther

rnarking:--. Thl." di"isi()nal in:-;ignia ()Il the 1)0.';("

(()llsi:--IS ()r ,I ':'tyliSl 'd m;lp ()f' Korea \\itlt till'

di",isinll;iI 1IIl111bfT sllpcrimpClsed ill n'd.

(; , : l.r '7/>-7. T r(lfl\ / }(}rt Cnm/}(/Ill'. Ba/laglirlfll' .\Im /Nfl

'S({1l '\/ {ll(fJ ' : I/(/ {I' . I ,(JR.,

Both ,he .'\}'lny and N~'l"~ operale lh{' LVT-~ ill

Ilaly. Thi-; \t,hi("h from th e San .\farm \Iarilll'

r.atlalioll carries the battalioll insi~lli<1 --(l Sail

\Lll'U) lion 011 a reel hackground-as \\·ell as (he

Na\'<s anchor synJi)()l, and tilL' Italian nalior.lid

l'(lluul's on the hull fro nt.

( ; :! ,' I.I'TJ)-7 , .'l l ~st / ' lIli!ll' 1.1'1 ,·l mjJhihioll.\· I' hirl, jj(lUa/ioll ,' Falklal/d . April l.(/ l !.!

'1'111.' L\'Tl'-7S or Ihis ullit :'ipcarheaclcrl the :\rgcl1titlian attack on the Falkland Isl a nds in I ~JB :l.

Thl' , 'chicks \\'C1T filli~hcd ill (l\'C' ra ll Fore·t en'en

The LVTP-SAI was t.he standard troop ca.rryiDg vcr!'>ion oftht: LVT-s series, The \,fulnerahilily offhe LVTP-SAI La land mines due to the location ofils petrol tanks led most Marine infantry to ride outside the vehicle during fight Lllg ill Vietnam, Thib' LvrP-SAI C3rric~ Marine .. of the 4r.h Regiment during the fighring around Cua Viet aJld DOD!? Ha all 30 May 1968. (USM C)

\\ itll lht' "chicle nUl1lber ill \Tllo\·\. the \ ''[arill(,

al1chor insig-lIi;l ill \\ hile, alld t\)(, llational flag carried aho\'{' it.

/I J : L f"7 J)-;, [','" ,\,fa r-jnt' :md Amplzihiolls .4 .\ ,1(1/1/1

(;()1JlI}(lr~ l' : (;rellac/o, :.If) Octobl:'r '9H..'I .\ brine a mtral'~ llst·d ill t ht' Gn'llacla jjgh lill?; \.\' <.')'c

plailtly m ;lrk('(l. The camoll fl ag!' is .. 1 direct adoption ol'tlH' L1S Army ~'lERDC: scheme,lll tl'ls ca~l' \.\·ith h('ld Drah and Fore.' ! Lr('cTl as th (' primary U)IOllJ ,\ and Sanrl and RI<\( k as Ih('

sllh..:idi<ll y colours. The only insig nia arc the bla ck \T hi cil' m,lrk i lI ,t;S .

1/:! : f. r.'Tl)-7, ( :S /v/n.rin(' 61h :IJJJjJiLibiolll jJrigor/I' :

Ila(l' , '9H..') This ~darin am Lr ac t a ~lng pan ii, ~; TO (' xt:rcis,:"

in ltaly is fini shed much the same a, thL' ,'chick ahm'c , bill has h~ld the hrjj~h!cr L.trth 'iC'II(J \\'

suhstillllCd :1 .' a ~l1hsic.liarv colour illSlU1.d OJ' the

paler Sanrl. The hlack ' Pack Rat ' Car£OOI) is

ddinilcly ul1(lUicial , and lhis style nfmllrkillg is 'Try uncommon ill the ~larinC' Corps IOcl ;; y.

·17

Notes sur les planches en couleur

I,," e, 'mIJlll;,i"'II' eI, Iwinlur,' 1-'·gkl1l1""I.tlr<" 1"'lId.llll L. .'llIl, C;a,:n (" ,\1"1,,11,,1,· III "1111 pOl,' L'O'" Ill('" 1.1",11111''' , , k, "Til' -'l',l!.~i', ('n, ",,11,,1.-""'''1 iJ ll' I'"n" ul ilo" i, I" \111'1' 0,-,'1111 (;'1, gTI.' n,('alL!I< I;. 11l,\I'llll'll,1lInll',d,'(k" [-;I:)i.,·t illS "It-, llllll(', d,' I',\rrll~" d" L'Cll'- L ,'1' (,LlO' ")I" 'el'l (' 'l ., PI'I,,<I I (' kill' \\'llI<"lIl", , n I iii!"~ J Jrlll, ,grJ' ,,j,,.1l!'(" "I' ;1111"'"111' I~I f I land" "I,l(' I .. " "111\(" d,< I., t-I .I/,JIII.'! ' 1111(,%

I,lJJ/.'f}!I rdl d/\ 1~·l/Jj\-l·Jl}\) IrnprO\1"'lt'tlt .:l\-/"L lIt,,, n~(Hl("k, ci( l_,.nI14JuH,l,'..!,t \,lnt' ....

\1'1"" I;) ~')('I r,', Ii'.' \'('llInd",,!I, 1,\ \Iun})1 ,)1\1 <'Ii ]>('ill". (",IIllll.- (,,"IX ri, I'f', ,lfI)~l. ('n (",,1/ 1''I,,',l \'(1-( 1'(1]"1 I'IS'Ill':lll I1l1ll('ll d" .11I1,n,. 1'<7", 1(1l'(jU< I, ("m"lIfl'g'" \ (FNIJ(; ,\ 'l,,,,ln ,,,"k,,l" (iI- 1'['" 1"'11 ,I (,I( .,d"I'("

AI P'<'"I'II" ()c,(Jri ("'.'1 :1\1" I.ln.~·' dr:q"',LlI .'lTLel'l' .,111 1'.tIl'I""'I!' p"r L. pl!!p.,rl ,I, , \I'],,, 11 Ie , :, ,-I" ,,111,·. d."h , l lI' "1,,'1,,1 ir>". (Llll' Ii. 1.1 "' '·'p",ir qu e I," I nil' IY" Ir.>1lt:;\I,n I ... 111'( l'al,"'1 p;.I" ,lIl' ,'"X A2 "limn" hlall' I Ilnl\-lrJlI(' I (io- ..... \',,11]("1']( d 'LLlLi II". I·t [lull' ,''I''U I' P,lf I'('q\llpa(('(' . ,1-11 /), l,vl!l' 8. I,;, P('III lLiIT I Jim' Drrt/! ti, 1.11",..' 1,,;1.11""'1'11' ('''111 1,lu, \nl" 'i"' I~ «,"k,,, "1[11".01(, 1\1" (j,- I',"m", .'11"'11{' ",,. 1,( ('[,'( I, 1.Il'lL'< Iii, nl1il'" 1'1,." ,!llroll '(:. "1 Ie ',."" dll \(-hin,!. ,"I", hi;" ... 82 ~ II; linr, eI, "TI'I(": pelldanl I,' dcl.>:lr<.j ll~ 111<"1\1 IIl1tl~li, ,... 1,1'1' ( .J ) -/ "" 11"'"1"11 Ort'lI/i l ",.'\' I,," I ,,1< ".I'" "'(', 11l""U-"II1'lu-oI" rkh;Llqll('a 'Bn,dl Y .. II(,,, !

I,' L lId, 'C-:", 1'11.1 I"ll n ;l11li.,j,- rill 'Jlllli '(,}n,), /.'1.' . ,dcllld:,r11l b, <>mpakl1[("'(

.11.1 h.ll,\illllil C .. ll' LlIlIt' IIlil";nl 'I" 111.",((1, 1>I,m, till l"lI11' .1\ .... 1.1'''' ':'[,,11,' "II

""1111' ('("1111W 11\';1.;11' <10- j-"II.,tll,)1l I., '~-d,1I1'-"'I-' . .\fl'·· I,lllll(' :. 1'''1,'1",.,· ,j,- LJ li'tm'll<- i'l\Urrall ;\~'O)I I ILdi,!IL" b ' dl'iI)"I"'J[i" l ' d ~: 1It : ,j,-s 1", ;",,; d., l[.-harqLl( 111('111

CI . C,-II 11' 'u i1ac:, UPP0rllll\' I(w,d. IIldl.;jlll 1Il1( ("uk'I' ,.ti,l!- 'Lil <Ill ,-,11'. J" 11 II II "',, II d U \'ch" Lti,· ',\-2' ('I r II"I~II( d(' l!dl",oIl(}I' ,1 ('(",k 1.'1 "1)('rl "",. ",n I ,'II

1\1.1111 C2 l." .• \('Ili, \\In' I, 1.1 1"llle i)i\ IW>1l ,I, 1.1 ,\Lll'i,ll' "I"lt'llll"'II'i< ,,\-,., ""

C,Jl11,)Hilal!.'· il,' ;;;Jhl, . hrLJI\-i'lJlI.~( ,'I \"'r( I.," d,'"x r.II'·, ]:111,)('_ milICi'J"1l1 .,

11(>lI\",I1l 'lle.u·h Y('lIo" " J\.I~· ('SI ,rn:IJrI('n1l'ILI UII ("Id, .I( ,(>mp:H!. nl'·II',--I1)c 11k DI 1)(', I,UC' ",<.1 1<'] u.",( UII ,kh," 'lU('TljlT'l <Ill I" I,i."~,, ·R,·.! il, ,," It ~. '''Ill "1 'pit(1 \1<"'. 'lIl- 1.1 , ('Itlnll d ·"I,,,,!,,,I)I.· F"'II/ (:fl','/1 dc 1Il"m" '1'1' I," 1I1'1,~I\" " ,i ,\UIl" ri< l'tw]lI' ,'I Ill.l1l' nali,n"i1 D2 l iI" "In 1"'111 h, ,I<- fl"illl"" al'l'll<tu (-r ,1 I;, hal< ,l\ ,',' unc «)"kll" ",oil!. d.)nn:)l1 ,,"1.)\','111 un "(1,'1 pit" I,\( h"I' ljll< ("(·(-i . Ll k1lrt .~I' "1\ hl.lIl(' ('Iail 'Ill<' l11arqllt d IdClLul]( "lllIll f1orln ' p;,r [O lio

I", \ ('hi, uk' q III ,1\';IIU,1 P,'T t [("P( a r 11" I'v',l('" ti, SLlf'!. tI, "11'11 II" 'III<' h r;,ic ""; ,',' ,,"lo'IT cI, I.II"'ITI,II,

EI P('inIIH' \"" "'" ,\"', "'''gil<' I'q.:,nwllI,url' Ii" /,' IUJ ,ur I," 11:)nn tI, · h (tlill elk ("I 1\ II nl('j"(' de ,,'1](' d 'I \ ('hl( ul' ,"I hl;,,}(" '<II 1I1H' ha'H.!'· 11011, • C'(>1I1pn'lI<tnl

"" pel;ll'( lIS_'OIl I"coln,c, II.-, kllrn' Ii." P""I' '1"durhll" . E2 ("",I("iI' '"'1','":' "11 I .. mp' (it' l'l"ix .,v,', dll \('rl ].O"·I[ (,fll"/ l'l ri," 1l1.'TqLl.II('" (.Il1n"" »1/":1',' im"" ,/i'lllll}' ); ]" ~~'ndln}(' d(' 1,Inc d ]r~L(4"r(·1 k .... '~t"u,' 1]1l1 ,4111[ dl'llll,',,, :-'llnl pCP'4IlLl\ll, ,I

I i-qlllpa\(,' 01.1 dcs Ill,H'Il"'S tI'ulllI, ""n ,lil( wil", Fx J 'il1(],wl\( ( ,.m'T'(';JilH "

I (lll dall> rJl'l",~II(' dr I" ,\Jm,,){' ('l ;-(1., pClIII 'I r,' I OUI.\·'· de P'_lilll' d, ~r;'l"'i1~l po", I." .t,'er I;.. \"<liJilil, F2 I.:, ,nn,l'II·\.,i"HI ti, '1",111" «>lIl,'u," \-11\ .llll,', 1"'"1 ,I,i'li, il("l1\('nl " "pp..t(' , , .1I11"l\Hd~(-· "f .Itll dr'lm, I," .," II"'. 111.11' I"'" ,I"pl, '\ i"" " \ I \'CflH"I'i. l.",I1,,;gl1< d. <j, \ !,\lllfJ j\ 1 ,\\"d III d lJ \ ."], It IJ h I,r urH ,,,1,.'." ..... 1 \ 1,\.(\ dt (·on.,. inTI' I,' 1l\lll\'T(, ti,' I;) rll\'I'IOI\ "11 '-(JIlt.:'·

GI L :-"'IlH'( "t Ie, ((II" ,:, '"'' .iI," ('IXI'("" (1111". ti'''II~ q' \ dILl "I" ,'!L 11.11 ... J:ill'I,I{IW dul'"l.lill">11 d,. 111<illJ'l" iT1.,r',." dr' \(1)1 1/111(1.' <111 I,]<III,-It- ~I -'LlI' "11

}J 11 III' ,,,,,. 1011<1 ""'.1,,<' ,'"I 1'",1(' 1"\ rt ,', 1,\ TP-i tI, 1111'!11I (I L'" 1',,1" rr <I, ,,' 111"rm, IL)lU,".d(' ('I I," '...,1' ('1'lti!'llr; 1Ji11101l.11,', I '.";]lI'iIn,',< G2 (:"111' IllIil" ('I"" .' !'",,;., I 1I-e;.-t I'd , 0' l'IlI\':I'Wll Illillal, ii, I' \rt:'·"'illl. Ill,', d ,,[I' i' Ill ... ~I "." I .H' 11"'1' du em Po' L~Jl('dIIWIIII<l.IIT IJlIl'Ullllql.ll,la I J<'l II I 1Ir< I'[,1I1 \'('11 FUrl" il\"

111111[('1"(" 1.11111". "1 I':tll, n' (lr- I" .\1:11 Ill,' !1.!II()n"J,- .'Iail l",il1(" "TO 1,1,,1[( ,,,,-d,'.,,,,,· ,Ill drJl'c~LJ ".-lIlnl1,,1 HI l'l1(' .\(i;Jplalll)11 ,jll-'-' l('dul"c>g','1I'Ill11 .II/·.Rf)( ,I, (I \ .1, "II', ,ei ric ["(juku r FII'IIII)I nh '~m, ",1 \l1]l;tli' II" , "1 i'ul' II (;, ,.,,, ". ""k'i rs fOri 111Alf, " "I 1,,",1 ',Ihk' l'l 8111(k ,,,,,;r Ci,"kllr.< "'(ollI.L"rt,, , I,n IT',I"lll<" '-'II IlI)lI till 1,1"".1,· ",nl I,· '<'Ill lll,ignl' H2 C, \',:hiLI.1J.-ll<lni'lpa'll ;', dl" """i,I'; ,I, I (II \" ,'" I (;lltl' ., \\IH' fll1illOI1 'll', 11 I.JI Ie ", .. II< ,I, I-i I. m,ll, .,IC, \III 1~""lh )"/1",,

!, , " ,!, '[('lIllt' 1)lu" \'11 '((' I"'I! d U pil" p,~ I( ,)'1Ii') ',I hi"" I ,L' d("S11l Ii, lin, ,\';'1 'Ij II' ,' .. , , N,,'i" ,." IInl,' ,"I 10[4it-1l1l'1l1 110'1 "fli, \l'i ,I cl", ll1"Il'" l'!,ural\l, ,I.- I"" 1"111":

Farbtafeln

I )i,' I" ... , 1l111"t'I1'i"'I""II F;,,-I ,II"'\('''-! U r ,I,'" / '\['1[,'1\ \\ ('ltl 'd'!:! '" I< I "I,'hl I wk."" ~'" FiI";"11 und- '-,L'I;~lcl""'IIIl!' II \\1'1\' Ill;!ll. d,·", ~111r:lIlt,(Ijr"I, l'~ :\a\'1 ()""J,1l (jl" I

\ 'TII"'IJI.I(' I II link .. \IlKrlk~.nL'( I,.. \1 1l1,·,'-Llllil(il,·n iK((",IlII'.'" 1111 'l-krIJ'1 1:1,1.,'[. \::,]ll!, 1I((<' Oilll ])I"L dl \In:i.-J,\ 1\. ";tlll-,',,d l'~ ,\I,,",,~--J',JI,]""I"" ",;t I' '1.1 hl!'d,"WI' r,.!] rtl:l,.1 "'I, 1I'1l1)]'n\ 1.]1'1'1"1' :\.,,-1, clnn 1\.1 wg "'UHler; ,\j ,\ rI ,,..-1' .. tlll'l.j"IJ,l..!,l" "() \\ II dll del" .\1 rrH"C 11 tiL If (','11 C; ITj·ll gt"II .. ,.1 tC"n. I}]-= \ ht ll' dn" ;i IL'I

1.JIIl ( d..,- \ inl,lJ hw' !l.JER 1)(:- J iJl'ILIII'ti]( h rln .\1 \111'" "T""'I,ticl \' Ilrd,

A I ( ), ,'OJ 1\ ( : '-('y-.-\I1'I,,( h ",il l!'1 (h"" L '~-I' I,,_~.:~, II ,"'d,' f)(', dl,·,,'r ( )1"'" :111.-.1, \ nil

rio-" 11'11 'N('IL F.tlil I""~' '\1 \I 'n, "ml "1 \Tl d .. , \';'r.>.:·.·l,li, h('iJ I-II ,ili ttl rI,,-,. d.". ,i, \',," I", "1"'1,,.-1 \('11 S, ,ld.lIl'II 11]('111 I "" .. 1"",_" I' 11'11' d, IL A2 \\ ,'1\," j-"" h ,-II' " ~II" I) 1]1 u., 1)ll1nil:db rl<-I 1-:1111\('11,11\11 \'(\1' II{'I \I, ,al/.llll\! '<' ~..!ll'1I"1I1 ~iHI1' II '\1\, J), Lo) 1.\'

HI Da' lyrlll:;cilf' Oil \', PI "I \ 11:1" ,((' 1111 ['1' ; ' h dil' .1 Il'l"Ilk;, II '" II(' '\'1"i I ,,j'--"l D." ~,'II)I" I\. ,,·i_, i,kn[i 1'/11', I d." '( : -1\,1("i II"IL. ITIlI F.liI r!ctL,o:n,"lWll ill \ \ "h. B2!)n I "'i ,kr ," ,I, 11 K <I'l('n I ,)11(.iu"~ "''' ,''1' Cd,-cl,1 ,~l"('I/I' 1.\ I '\ -I "I ( k"all ( :, l"\ ,~"'IrI( ['('11. nl' ,,('II>t'iJ "lnl~'·IIIlt' ~;) '!;<: n. (l~""'T.m (10 I '[kalli' ttl{\\\ .!' ~,l;]lIdL'1 i" <i"1 K"" k '( ,-leo l' ",-1 d('1 .\lI:an g, f.IIIl:·["lal), 1')1>'(:1:1/ I 1.<'1.';<' "kill i I '1;,'11'11

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OSPREY· VANGUARD

A s(Tie~ or honks describing key units and \vcapons systems 01 2uth c(,lltury \'Val"l~ln', prepared I)y leading military C'xperts

ror the (,1)[hllSi~lst alld l1l(lcklkr, and illustrating iluthcllllC (ktails

or arrnOllJ' and supporting vehicics, ClHnouJiag<', markil1g~,

unif(»)'ms, insignia aile! 'vvcapons.

Avec annotations en francais sur les planches en couleur

lo Mit Aufzeichnungen auf deutsch uber die Farbtafeln

(3) US 1St Infantry Division 1939-45 (6) The Lee/Grant Tanks in British Service (8) US 1st Marine Division 194J 45

(13) The Churchill Tank (15) The Sherrnan Tank in British Service

1942 45 (16) The Panzerkarn.pfwagen III (17) The Stuart Light Tank Series (18) The Panzerkampfwagen IV (19) Arrn.our of the Middle East Wars 1948 78 (20) The Tiger Tanks (21) The PzKpfw V Panther (22) The Centurion Tank in Battle (23) British Tanks in N. Africa 1940-42 (24) Soviet Heavy Tanks (25) German Annoured Cars and Recce Half-

Tracks 1939 45 (26) The Sherrn.an Tank in US and Allied Service (27) Arrn.our of the Korean War 1950 53 (28) The 6th Panzer Division 1937 45

~TEVEi\ .J . L :\ LOG /\ \\ '~IS horn ill I ():)"2 , I"ccC:'ived lli~

DA in hiSltHY fi-om U lli()11 C(lllcgr-, and his 1\1A li"onl (:()lul11bia Cllin·rsiIY. He hoJ.s puhlisllcd ()\TJ" [\-vellly bo()ks alld IIUrtltTllllS "nick'" dc;llillg with modern mililary l('chn(llo~y, ('spcci;:dly al"ll)()urcd vl'hick dr-

(29) The M47 & i\148 Patton Tanks (30) Polish Armour 1939 45 (31) US Half-Tracks of World War II (32) The SdKfz 251 Half-Track (33) Gerrn.an Light Panzers 1932-42 (34) MII3 Series (35) Armour of the Pacific War (36) Long Range Desert Group (37) Modern Soviet Corn.bat Tanks (38) Mechanised Infantry (39) US Annour Carn.oufiage and Markings

1917-- 45 (40) US Light Tanks 1944-84; M24 Chaffee, M41

Walker Bulldog and M551 Sheridan (,p) The MI Abrarn.s Battle Tank (42) Annour of the Vietnam Wars (43) The M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle (44) Anti-Tank Helicopters (45) Amtracs: US Arn.phibious Assault Vehicles

vcl0pmcnl . His m<ljll ;.trC{t rli"illlITcsl is mililary ~)ILlir" ill

[hI' Suvit'l U )'Ijon and Easlcrn Europe in \ he Sccond \Vorlcl \,\'aJ, and he 11fls \vritlcn ,IS \-vell on American

armoured rorces . S[l' \"t'll I.aln,ga li\'l"~ ill (:()1l1wniuJ!.

ISBN 0-85045-748-3

90000

9 780850 457483