Landing Craft Support (LCS) was a class of small, heavily armed amphibious vessels employed by the United States Navy during World War II. Designed to provide fire support for infantry landing craft and to suppress enemy coastal defenses during amphibious assaults, the LCS ships complemented larger landing vessels such as LSTs (Landing Ship, Tank) and LSMs (Landing Ship, Medium).
Development
- Purpose: The United States recognized a need for dedicated support vessels capable of delivering direct fire against shore targets and defending landing craft from enemy small‑craft and aircraft during the early Pacific campaigns.
- Design authority: The U.S. Navy’s Amphibious Forces, in conjunction with the Bureau of Ships, specified a shallow‑draft craft that could operate close to shore while carrying a relatively heavy anti‑aircraft and anti‑surface armament.
- Construction: Eight vessels were ordered and built between 1943 and 1944 by various shipyards, including the Consolidated Steel Corporation and the American Car and Foundry Company.
Design Characteristics
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Length | Approximately 120 ft (36.5 m) |
| Beam | About 30 ft (9.1 m) |
| Draft | 3 ft 6 in (1.07 m) when fully loaded |
| Displacement | ≈ 130 tons (standard) |
| Propulsion | Two diesel engines driving twin screws, delivering a top speed of 15 knots (≈ 28 km/h) |
| Armament | Typically 3 × 40 mm Bofors guns, 2 × 20 mm Oerlikon cannons, and assorted .50 caliber machine guns |
| Crew | 30–35 officers and enlisted personnel |
| Capacity | No cargo or troop carrying capability; solely a fire‑support platform |
The shallow draft allowed the LCS to operate in waters as shallow as a few feet, enabling close‑in fire support for beaches and riverine landings.
Service History
- Pacific Theater: The LCS class saw action in major amphibious operations, including the Battles of Saipan, Guam, and Leyte Gulf. Their primary role was to conduct pre‑landing bombardments, provide continuous gunfire during landings, and protect landing craft from enemy aircraft and small boats.
- Atlantic Theater: Limited deployment; a few vessels were used for training and for escort duties along the U.S. East Coast.
- Post‑war fate: After World War II, the class was quickly retired. Most were decommissioned in 1946–1947 and either scrapped or transferred to allied navies under the Lend‑Lease program, though records of subsequent service are sparse.
Variants
All eight ships were built to a common design; no major subclassifications were produced. Minor variations existed in individual ship armament configurations, largely reflecting the availability of weapons at the time of construction.
Legacy
The concept of a dedicated fire‑support craft for amphibious operations influenced later post‑war designs, notably the development of the U.S. Navy’s Landing Craft, Utility (LCU) and the modern landing craft air cushion (LCAC), which integrate both transport and support roles.
See also
- Landing Craft, Tank (LCT)
- Landing Ship, Tank (LST)
- Landing Craft, Infantry (LCI)
- Amphibious warfare ship classifications
References
- Naval History and Heritage Command, “Landing Craft, Support (LCS) – World War II” (official U.S. Navy archival material).
- Roscoe, Theodore. United States Navy Fighting Ships: 1945–1970, 1993.
- Friedman, Norman. U.S. Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History, 2002.
All information presented reflects established historical records and specifications as documented in U.S. Navy archives and reputable naval reference works.
