LCM (2)
The Landing Craft, Mechanized Mark 2 or LCM (2) was a landing craft used for amphibious landings early in the United States' involvement in the Second World War. Though its primary purpose was to transport light tanks from ships to enemy-held shores, it was also used to carry guns and stores. The craft was designed by the Navy's Bureau of Construction and Repair and the initial production contract was let to the American Car & Foundry Company. A total of 147 were built by this company and Higgins Industries. Because of its light load capacity and the rapid production of the superseding LCM (3), the LCM (2) quickly fell out of use following the Allied invasion of North Africa in 1942.
An LCM (2) being loaded with an M2A4 light tank during landing operations at Guadalcanal | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Landing Craft, Mechanized Mark 2 |
| Builders | |
| Operators | |
| Preceded by | various lighters and dumb barges |
| Succeeded by | LCM (3) |
| Built | 1941–1942 |
| Completed | 147 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Landing craft |
| Displacement | 29 long tons (29,000 kg) light |
| Length | 45 ft (14 m) |
| Beam | 14 ft 1 in (4.29 m) |
| Draft | 3 ft (0.91 m) mean |
| Ramps | 1x hinged ramp forward |
| Propulsion | 2x Kermath engines (gasoline), 225 hp (168 kW) |
| Speed | 7.5 knots (8.6 mph; 13.9 km/h) |
| Endurance | 75 nmi (139 km) at 7.5 knots |
| Capacity | 13.5 long tons (13,700 kg) tankette or 30,000 lb (14,000 kg) general cargo |
| Troops | 100 troops |
| Crew | 4, a coxswain, an engineer, and two seamen |
| Armament | 2x .50 cal. (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine gun |
| Armor | 1/4 inch plate across the front of the control station |
Constructed of steel, this shallow-draft, barge-like boat could ferry a small armored vehicle to shore at 7.5 knots (17 km/h). The craft was generally carried on the deck of a transport ship and then lowered into the water, a few miles from its objective, by crane or derrick. The cargo was then placed into the craft by crane or derrick. Once the LCM (2) had touched down on shore, the hinged ramp at the bow of the craft was lowered and the tank left the craft over the ramp under its own power.