Boat that Won the War

';This is an excellent examination of one of the most important Allied naval weapons of the Second World War.'HistoryOfWar.org The Landing Craft Vehicle PersonnelLCVP for short, or simply the ';Higgins boat' to most of its userswas one of the keystones of victory in the Second World War. Like the army's Jeep or the Air Forces C-47 transport, it served in almost every theatre of war, performing unglamorous but vital service in the Allied cause. Derived from a humble workboat, the Higgins boatbuilding company designed a brilliantly simple craft that performed its role so well that over 23,000 of them were constructedindeed, a high proportion of all the troops landed on enemy beaches came ashore from LCVPs, an achievement that led General Eisenhower to describe it as ';the boat that won the war.' As Eisenhower had more experience of major amphibious operations than any other commander, it is a judgment to be taken seriously. This book combines the first in-depth history of the development and employment of the type, with a detailed description of its construction, machinery, performance and handling, based on the author's first-hand experience masterminding the restoration of a wartime example for his museum. Well-illustrated with plans and photographs, it will be of interest to modelmakers and enthusiasts, both military and naval. ';An invaluable record for military historians and the designers, builders and operators of the successor boats. The photographs and drawings of every imaginable aspect of the LVCPs are beyond price. A magnificent contribution to both naval history and the future planning of amphibious operations.'Ausmarine