During World War II, the Allies faced an unprecedented challenge with numerous landing operations required both in the Pacific and Europe. This necessitated the design and construction of various landing, supply, and support craft. According to incomplete and imprecise data, thousands of landing craft were built for these operations during the war. The most numerous were assault vehicles (over 20,000 LCA, over 14,000 LVT(1-4) Amtrac, and over 12,000 LCM(1-7)) and Infantry Landing Craft (over 12,000).

This immense effort was crucial in winning the war against Japan and enabled invasions in North Africa, the Italian Peninsula, and Normandy, significantly hastening the end of the war in Europe. The listing here prioritizes the craft involved in the initial stages of operations, attacking beaches and deploying the first waves of Marine infantry. Subsequently, various multipurpose and differently-sized landing craft are presented.

Amphibious vehicles

LVT-1 – LVT-4 Amtrac

The amtrac was initially based on the chassis of the M3 Stuart tank and was not originally intended for combat. The first amtracs were designed for civilian purposes in the swampy areas of the Everglades in Florida. However, at the beginning of the war, as it became clear that US forces would need to conduct landing operations on the Pacific islands, there was a need to adapt the civilian design for military purposes. This led to the development of the LVT-1 vehicles, followed by the LVT-2 and LVT-4 (Landing Vehicle Tracked). These vehicles were equipped with a 250 HP Continental W970 gasoline engine, allowing a land speed of 32 km/h and a water speed of 12 km/h. The LVTs weighed about 11 tons (up to 13 tons with a load), with dimensions of 7.97 × 3.25 × 2.5 m and a range of 160 km. Armament included optionally mounted 12.7 mm and 7.62 mm machine guns. Some later or modified vehicles received light armor. An innovation in the LVT-4 version was the addition of a rear ramp to the cargo compartment. On their basis, floating fire support vehicles LVT(A)-1 with a 37 mm gun and LVT(A)-4 with a 75 mm howitzer in a turret were developed.

The British Army received a number of LVTs and used them during operations in Europe. They were named Buffalo and Sea Serpent (the latter equipped with two Wasp-type flamethrowers mounted at the front of the vehicle).

Introduced into the United States Marine Corps in 1945, the LVT-3 Bushmaster was a completely new design, particularly notable for its heavy armor, which increased the vehicle's weight to 12,065 kg (17,509 kg with a load). Two Cadillac engines with a total output of 164.1 kW allowed it to reach speeds of 27.3 km/h on land and 9.7 km/h in water. It also featured a rear cargo ramp. The armament was the same as in other amtrac types, and by the end of the Pacific campaign, 2,692 units had been built.

In total, more than 14,000 amtracs were produced during the war across all operational theaters in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.

In addition to amtracs, a series of wheeled amphibious vehicles called DUKW, commonly known as "ducks", was developed by GMC, based on a three-axle truck. During the war, 21,147 DUKWs were produced. Many were sent to the Soviet Union, where they were found to be very useful.

The British equivalent of the DUKW was the Terrapin, a 4-axle vehicle with all-wheel drive and two propellers for water propulsion. The Terrapin weighed 6,909 kg, with a full load reaching 12,015 kg. Powered by two V-8 Ford engines, each with 63.4 kW, it had a maximum speed of 24 km/h on land and 8 km/h in water. Around 500 units were built.

LCA, LCP, LCV, LCVP

The basic amphibious vehicle used to transport the first wave of infantry to the beaches was humorously referred to by Marines as a shoe box pretending to be a motorboat. The British equivalent was the Landing Craft Assault (LCA). With a displacement of between 11 and 13.5 tons and a length of , these craft could carry 35 soldiers. Between 1940 and 1944, 2,030 of them were built. Additionally, around 420 small boats, LCP(2) and LCP(S) (Landing Craft Personnel), with displacements of up to 5.5 tons, were also constructed in Britain.

Before the war, the US began designing landing craft that could be hoisted by the davits of the ships carrying them, capable of transporting a platoon of troops with equipment and arms and landing them near the shore. These craft were based on civilian boats produced by Higgins Industries, commonly known as "Higgins Boats". Initially, the US Marines ordered a model that could carry 24 soldiers. However, this was soon replaced by a larger 36-foot version, ordered by the British in 1940, designated LCP(L) (Landing Craft Personnel (Large)), of which 2,140 were built in the US. These wooden craft were 11.2 meters long with a full displacement of 8 tons. They could carry 36 soldiers or about 4 tons of cargo, but disembarkation was difficult as troops had to jump over the sides or the bow.

The LCP(R), equipped with a bow ramp for easier disembarkation, was an evolution of this design, with 2,572 units built. Further development led to the LCV (Landing Craft Vehicle), with a large armored ramp, capable of transporting light vehicles; 2,366 of these were constructed. The final and most widely used version of the Higgins landing craft was the lightly armored LCVP (Landing Craft Vehicle, Personnel), with 22,942 produced during the war.

These craft had many flaws, including cramped space, water splashing over the low sides, leaks from the loading ramp, and poor visibility from the helmsman's position, yet they were widely used. The LCVP, with a light displacement of 8 tons and a length of 11 meters, could carry 36 soldiers or a vehicle or gun weighing up to 3 tons. Equipped with gasoline engines totaling between 220 and 450 horsepower, they could reach a speed of 8 knots. The armament included two M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle 7.62 mm machine guns and, in the LCA/HR support variant, four Hedgehog launchers, each with six grenades.

LCM(1) – LCM(7)

The steel pontoon with railings – that's how British designers praised their prototype of the Landing Craft, Mechanized (LCM), which was first developed in 1929. This initial version was 12.8 meters long, could reach speeds of 5 knots, and was capable of delivering a 12-ton light tank to the landing site. In 1940, the Thornycroft company delivered the production model LCM(1), which was slightly longer (14.8 meters), had a displacement of 36 tons, was a bit faster (7 knots), and could carry a 15-ton tank or 100 soldiers. Although sea trials weren't completed by the time of the Dunkirk evacuation, 12 units were ordered in advance. By 1944, around 600 had been built in Britain.

Meanwhile, the US Marines had their own plans, focusing on the ability to navigate shallow and narrow river mouths in the Pacific. The LCM(3) was designed by Higgins Industries based on an enlarged LCVP design. The LCM(3) was 15.2 meters long, had a displacement of 23 tons empty and 52 tons fully loaded, and could carry a 26.8-ton tank or another military vehicle, or 60 soldiers. Between 1942 and 1945, more than 8,631 LCM(3)s were built. It was the heaviest craft that could still be launched from larger ships using davits.

The LCM(6) was a version that was extended by 1.83 meters amidships to increase cargo capacity and carry 30-ton tanks like the M4 Sherman. A total of 2,513 LCM(6)s were built in the US. The LCM(4), (5), and (7) were British versions. The final British variant, the LCM(7), had a displacement of 63 tons, a length of 18.4 meters, and could transport a 40-ton tank; 150 units were built between 1943 and 1944.

Sherman DD

Since 1941, the British had been considering the production of an amphibious tank, which would be invaluable during invasion operations. Trials with Tetrarch and Valentine tanks were unsatisfactory, so they decided to use the design for American Sherman medium tanks. This led to the development of the DD (Duplex Drive) tank, which involved sealing the lower hull, adding a propeller and rudder, and installing a 97 cm tall rubber screen around the hull and turret, which could be erected by the crew in about 15 minutes. The performance of the Sherman DD tanks was not exceptional and was highly dependent on sea conditionsThey moved slowly, unsteadily, didn’t respond well to the helm, and often took on water. – out of 32 tanks deployed too far from the shore on Omaha Beach, 28 sank along with their crews. However, their use during Operation Overlord surprised the Germans, who did not have a similar capability and did not expect tanks in the first wave of the Normandy beach landings.

A total of 560 Sherman DD tanks were built, but production ceased after the liberation of the Netherlands when they were no longer needed to cross the flooded areas of the Scheldt and other large water obstacles. Overall, these tanks proved to be of limited combat utility – their psychological impact was more significant when they appeared on a beach defended by infantry with light weapons.

M29C Weasel The smallest amphibious vehicle used by the Allies during the war was the M29C Weasel, a light tracked floating transporter weighing 2,195 kg (2,740 kg fully loaded). It was primarily used for transporting the wounded and resupplying infantry. Due to its low ground pressure, it was also used for crossing minefields. About 8,000 were built during the war. Originally, Weasels were designed as snow vehicles and were not amphibious in their initial M29 version. The performance of the Weasel included a Studebaker Mod. 16-170 gasoline engine with 56 kW, allowing a speed of 60 km/h on roads and 6.5 km/h in water. The vehicle had a crew of three.

Landing ships

LSH and AGC British LSH (Landing Ship, Headquarters) and American AGC (Amphibious Force Flagship) were command ships used in numerous amphibious operations in the Pacific and Europe. These were typically converted freighters or passenger liners, appropriately equipped (especially with communication apparatus) and armed (with strong anti-aircraft artillery). They were an essential element of landing operations. Typically, at least two LSH/AP ships participated in such operations because the enemy quickly recognized the importance of these vessels and prioritized attacking them. An example of an AP ship was the USS Ancon, a passenger ship initially adapted as a troop transport and later as a command ship. In this role, it participated in the landing operations in Sicily, Salerno, Normandy, and Okinawa; it also played a part (as one of the escorting ships) in the signing of Japan's surrender in Tokyo Bay.

APD

High-speed transport ships were converted from old "flush-deck" destroyers or new destroyer escorts. They were used exclusively in the Pacific.

LSI(L/M)/AP-APD

Large infantry landing ships (LSI(L), Landing Ship, Infantry (Large), later designated as attack transports (AP), were intended to deliver landing troops and amphibious vehicles to the landing site. In 1941, three passenger ships from the Blue Funnel, Glen and Shire Lines – Glenearn, Glengyle, and Glenroy – were adapted for this purpose, capable of carrying up to 1,300 soldiers, 12 LCA landing craft, and 2 larger LCM landing craft. These units were characterized by very strong anti-aircraft armament.

AP-type ships were built as landing ships. They had a displacement of 11,500 tons (in the General series) or 12,700 tons (in the Admiral series). They could reach speeds of 18 knots, and their range was 22,000 km.