Landing Craft Infantry (Large)

Landing Craft Infantry (Large)
Name	Landing Craft Infantry (Large)
Service	World War II
Designer	United States Navy
Builder	Consolidated Steel Corporation, Jeffrey Manufacturing Company, George Lawley & Son, Bath Iron Works
Introduced	1943
Used by	United States Navy, United States Army, Royal Navy, Royal Australian Navy
Wars	World War II, Korean War

Landing Craft Infantry (Large)

The Landing Craft Infantry (Large) was a class of amphibious assault ship used to transport large numbers of infantry directly onto defended beaches during World War II. Designed to bridge the gap between small assault craft and larger transports such as Mount McKinley-type command ships, these vessels operated in major amphibious campaigns including Operation Overlord, Operation Torch, and operations in the Pacific War. Their hulls, ramps, and accommodation arrangements reflected an emphasis on rapid debarkation, mass embarkation, and close coordination with Amphibious Truck Company and Naval Construction Battalions.

Design and Specifications

The design emphasized capacity, seaworthiness, and a shallow draft to approach beaches used in Amphibious warfare. Typical dimensions included lengths of approximately 158 feet, beams near 23 feet, and displacements around 250–350 tons, enabling operation from Landing Ship, Tank-carrying task forces and from parent ships such as Ancon. Propulsion generally comprised twin diesel engines delivering speeds up to 16 knots, suitable for convoy operations with Destroyer escort screens. The hull form derived from standardized shipbuilding practices promulgated by United States Maritime Commission specifications and coordinated with Bureau of Ships requirements. Crew accommodations and troop spaces were arranged for rapid mustering, with capacity for roughly 200 troops plus crew, and features like bow ramps and folding shelters to accelerate assault timelines used in Normandy landings and Guadalcanal campaign-style operations.

Development and Production

Concepts for a larger infantry landing craft emerged from prewar studies involving the United States Navy Bureau of Construction and Repair and feedback from early amphibious exercises with Amphibious Corps, Pacific Fleet. Contracts were awarded to multiple yards including Consolidated Steel Corporation and Bath Iron Works under wartime mobilization overseen by the War Production Board. Production runs benefited from mass-production techniques used on Liberty ship and Victory ship construction, enabling rapid delivery to theater commanders such as Admiral Chester W. Nimitz and Admiral Ernest J. King. Standardization of fittings and armament came from coordination with Office of Naval Intelligence lessons learned from the Dieppe Raid and early North African campaign experiences, influencing the fitting rooms, ventilation, and ramp hydraulics.

Operational History

Landing Craft Infantry (Large) saw action in both the European theatre of World War II and the Pacific theatre of World War II, where they supported United States Marine Corps and United States Army assault waves. In Operation Overlord, flotillas operated alongside LCVP and LCT units to deliver battalions to sectors such as Omaha Beach and Gold Beach. In the Pacific War, LCI(L) supported Operation Cartwheel and island-hopping campaigns including Saipan, Tinian, and Iwo Jima, often coordinating with Naval gunfire support from cruisers and destroyers. The vessels were also used for night assault and reinforcement runs during the Battle of Peleliu and for casualty evacuation during Leyte Gulf operations. Crews and embarked troops relied on doctrine developed in Naval Amphibious Training Bases and under the command structures of Commander, Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet.

Variants and Modifications

Several subtypes and conversions emerged, including versions configured for rocket barrages, mortars, or communications roles. LCI(R) conversions carried barrage rockets to supplement Naval bombardment in pre-landing fire plans, while LCI(G) modifications mounted increased automatic weapons for close-in fire support used at Iwo Jima and in Okinawa. Electronic and command conversions fitted additional radio suites and charting spaces to serve as control ships in coordinated landings with Naval Beach Battalions. Postwar adaptations turned some hulls into patrol craft for colonial policing duties with the Royal Navy and into survey vessels for institutions like United States Hydrographic Office.

Crew, Armament, and Equipment

Complement typically included a commanding officer (often a Lieutenant), petty officers, engineers, signalmen, and boat crews drawn from United States Naval Reserve and regular rates. Armament mixes evolved from basic defensive mounts—.50 caliber machine guns and 20 mm Oerlikon cannons—to heavier configurations on gunboat conversions featuring multiple 40 mm Bofors for anti-aircraft and shore suppression. Equipment fitments included bow ramps, life rafts, blowers for ventilation, and davits for landing craft and LCVP stowage when operating as part of larger task units commanded by officers from Naval Beach Group elements. Communications gear ranged from secure HF/SSB sets to short-range tactical radios coordinated with Amphibious Corps headquarters.

Postwar Service and Preservation

After World War II, many units were decommissioned, sold, or transferred to allied navies including the Royal Australian Navy and various South American navies under surplus programs administered through the Armed Forces Assistance Program. Some hulls served in the Korean War before being retired; others were repurposed as research platforms for institutions such as Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. A number of surviving examples are preserved as museum ships or memorials at maritime museums near San Diego, Norfolk, Virginia, and Sydney, where volunteers and historical societies interpret their roles in amphibious doctrine and in campaigns associated with figures like Admiral William Halsey Jr. and General Douglas MacArthur.

Category:Amphibious warfare vessels