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This U.S. Navy film from WWII depicts the proper boat handling procedures to be utilized when operating a Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel or LCVP. It opens with footage of troops and LCVP’s (:54). A close up shot of one of the landing craft is shown (1:00). Checks must be conducted prior to its launching and a shot of a check list follows (1:14). Crew begin inspecting the craft (2:03). The engineer checks the engine (2:27). Bilges (2:32) are inspected as well as the strainer from the pump driven by the engine (2:49). The engineer then fills the surge tank (3:23). The throttle position is switched to the idling position (3:37) as sand traps are checked for salt water circulation (3:53). The diesel engine has a freshwater cooling system (3:57). The engine is warmed up and the craft moves forward (5:27). Lessons in boat handling follow including the use of the reverse gear to stop (5:47). The correlation between the wheel and rudder movements are depicted (6:36) including an underwater shot of this (6:51). The LCVP conducts spins in the water (7:25) as the camera moves overhead. Reverse steering is depicted (7:40). As the crew moves onward, the observer is pointed to in the bow keeping an eye out for and floating objects (9:42). The craft passes another boat on it’s left (9:52). A sailboat is seen in the waters and the LCVP keeps a distance from them (10:01). The proper use of the LCVP’s ramp is demonstrated for amphibious landing operations (10:35). The craft is beached (10:56) and the ramp is lowered once it is grounded. The coxswain orders from the wheel (11:03) for the engineer to take the strain on the ramp cable (11:14). The man on the bow releases the safety clamps (11:23) and the engineer lowers the ramp (11:43). The ramp is then moved back up (12:04) and the safety clamps are re-engaged (12:21). The LCVP pulls away from the shoreline (13:12). Proper towing methods are demonstrated (13:21) with an alongside method as a tow boat moves in on it’s side (13:27). A bow line is tossed across (13:55) and the pair moves forward (14:06). Docking procedures are depicted in regular speed (14:30) as well as in slow motion (14:43) with a specific point to the types of knots needed (17:27). As the crew prepares to leave the craft, life vests are stuffed back into their proper placement (18:09) and cleanings are conducted (18:14). The film concludes with an expansive shot of men moving down a dock alongside LCVP’s loaded with enlisted men (18:56). It concludes on the U.S. Navy Department seal (19:05).
The landing craft, vehicle, personnel (LCVP) or Higgins boat was a landing craft used extensively in amphibious landings in World War II. The craft was designed by Andrew Higgins based on boats made for operating in swamps and marshes. More than 20,000 were built, by Higgins Industries and licensees. Typically constructed from plywood, this shallow-draft, barge-like boat could ferry a platoon-sized complement of 36 men to shore at 9 knots (17 km/h). Men generally entered the boat by climbing down a cargo net hung from the side of their troop transport; they exited by charging down the boat's bow ramp.
At just over 36 ft (11 m) long and just under 11 ft (3.4 m) wide, the LCVP was not a large craft. Powered by a 225-horsepower Diesel engine at 12 knots, it would sway in choppy seas, causing seasickness. Since its sides and rear were made of plywood, it offered limited protection from enemy fire. The Higgins boat could hold either a 36-man platoon, a jeep and a 12-man squad, or 8,000 lb (3.6 t) of cargo. Its shallow draft (3 feet aft and 2 feet, 2 inches forward) enabled it to run up onto the shoreline, and a semi-tunnel built into its hull protected the propeller from sand and other debris. The steel ramp at the front could be lowered quickly. It was possible for the Higgins boat to swiftly disembark men and supplies, reverse itself off the beach, and head back out to the supply ship for another load within three to four minutes.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFilm.com