Landing craft are small and medium seagoing watercraft, such as boats and barges, used to convey a landing force from the sea to the shore during an amphibious assault. The term excludes landing ships, which are larger. Production of landing craft peaked during World War II, with a significant number of different designs produced in large quantities by the United Kingdom and United States.
The Landing Craft, Tank (LCT) was an amphibious assault craft for landing tanks on beachheads. They were initially developed by the Royal Navy and later by the United States Navy during World War II in a series of versions. Initially known as the "tank landing craft" (TLC) by the British, they later adopted the U.S. nomenclature "landing craft, tank" (LCT). The United States continued to build LCTs post-war, and used them under different designations in the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
A landing ship, tank, (LST) is a ship first developed during World War II (1939–1945) to support amphibious operations by carrying tanks, vehicles, cargo, and landing troops directly onto a low-slope beach with no docks or piers. The shallow draft and bow doors and ramps enabled amphibious assaults on almost any beach.
USS LST-491 was the lead ship of her class of tank landing ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation.
USS Caddo Parish, originally named LST-515, was an LST-491-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Like many of her class, she was not originally named and was properly referred to by her hull designation. On 1 July 1955, she was given the name Caddo Parish, named after Caddo Parish, Louisiana, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
USS Phaon (ARB-3) was planned as a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship, but was redesignated as one of twelve Aristaeus-class battle damage repair ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Phaon, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name.
USS Agenor (ARL-3) was one of 39 Achelous-class repair ship landing craft repair ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Agenor, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
USS LST-453 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II. She was converted at Brisbane, Australia, into an Achelous-class repair ship, shortly after commissioning, and used in the repairing of landing craft. She was later renamed for Remus, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name.
USS Stentor (ARL-26) was one of 39 Achelous-class landing craft repair ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Stentor, she was the only U.S. Naval vessel to bear the name.
USS LST-767 was an LST-542-class tank landing ship in the United States Navy. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation.
USS LST-19 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used exclusively in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II and manned by a United States Coast Guard crew. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation.
USS LST-141 was an LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy in World War II. Like most of the ships of her class, she was not named and known only by her designation.
USS LST-16 was a LST-1-class tank landing ship built for the U.S. Navy during World War II. Like most ships in her class, she was not named and was known only by her designation. She was staffed by a U.S. Coast Guard crew throughout her service career.
USS Oak Hill (LSD-7) was an Ashland-class dock landing ship of the United States Navy, named in honor of Oak Hill, the Virginia estate of President James Monroe (1758–1831).
USS LST-371 was a LST-1-class tank landing ship used by the United States Navy.
USS Yokes (APD-69), ex-DE-668, was a United States Navy high-speed transport in commission from 1944 to 1946.
USS LST-594 was an LST-542-class tank landing ship, built for the United States Navy during World War II. The "LST" stands for Landing Ship, Tank, while "USS" stands for United States Ship. LST-594 was part of the second wave of LSTs, denoted LST Mk.2s, which began production in 1943, replacing the earlier Mk.1 version. Within the Mk.2 version, there were three classes: LST-1, LST-491 and LST-542. USS LST-594 was a member of the 542 class, which had several operational and armament upgrades over the prior classes.
USS LST-38 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used exclusively in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation.
LCT 147 is an amphibious assault ship for landing tanks, other vehicles and troops on beachheads. Built in 1941 by Stockton Construction, Thornaby-on-Tees, the Mark 2 LCT 147 took part in the Invasion of North Africa in June 1943. The ship was converted to a Landing Craft Rocket at Portsmouth Dockyard from March through May 1943 and renamed LCT(2)(R) 147.
USS LST-493 was an LST-491-class tank landing ship built for the United States Navy during World War II. Like many of her class, she was not named and is properly referred to by her hull designation.
United States