The Landing Vehicle Tracked (LVT) was an amphibious vehicle used by the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Army during World War II. It was widely known as amphtrack, amtrak, amtrac etc., a portmanteau of amphibious tractor. Image File history File links LVT-4_1. ... Military vehicles are commonly armoured to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets or shells, protecting the soldiers inside from enemy fire. ... A . ... This article is about the . ... .30-06 Springfield cartridge specifications. ... The Browning M1919 was a . ... Gasoline engine (also referred to as petrol engine or Otto engine) invented at the end of the 19th century by German engineer Nikolaus Otto is a type of internal combustion engine which is often used for automobiles, aircraft, small mobile vehicles such as lawnmowers or motorcycles, and outboard motors for... This article is about a military strategy involving land troops dispatched from naval ships. ... The United States Navy, also known as the USN or the U.S. Navy, is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... The United States Army is one of the armed forces of the United States and has primary responsibility for land-based military operations. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Look up portmanteau word in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Development

The LVT had its origins in a civilian rescue vehicle called the Alligator. Developed by Donald Roebling in 1935, the Alligator was intended to operate in swampy areas, inaccessible to both traditional cars and boats. Two years later, Roebling built a redesigned vehicle with greatly improved water speed. The United States Marine Corps, which had been developing amphibious warfare doctrines based on the ideas of Lt. Col. Earl Hancock "Pete" Ellis and others, became interested in the machine after learning about it through an article in Life magazine and convinced Roebling to design a more seaworthy model for military use. After more improvements to meet requirements of the Navy, the vehicle was adopted as Landing Vehicle Tracked, or LVT. The order to built the first 200 LVTs was awarded to the Food Machinery Corporation (FMC), a manufacturer of insecticide spray pumps and other farm equipment which built some parts for the Alligators. Eventually the company became a prominent defense contractor United Defense (now part of BAE Systems Land and Armaments). Donald Roebling was an eccentric twentieth century American philanthropist and inventor. ... The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... This article is about a military strategy involving land troops dispatched from naval ships. ... In the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a commissioned officer superior to a major and inferior to a colonel. ... Lieutenant Colonel Earl Hancock “Pete” Ellis (December 19, 1880 - May 12, 1923) was a significant United States Marine Corps officer. ... A cover of Life Magazine from 1911 Life has been the name of two notable magazines published in the United States. ... Gentgeen 08:41, 28 January 2006 (UTC) Category: ... An insecticide is a pesticide used against insects in all developmental forms. ... A defense contractor (sometimes called a military contractor) is a business organization or individual that provides products or services to a defense department of a government. ... United Defense Industries was a United States defense contractor which is now part of BAE Systems Land and Armaments. ... BAE Systems Land and Armaments was created on June 24, 2005, following the completition of BAE Systems acquisition of United Defense. ...

The first LVTs could hold 24 men or 4,500 pounds (2,000 kg) of cargo. Originally intended to carry replenishments from ships ashore, they lacked armored protection and their tracks and suspension were unreliable when used on hard terrain. However, the Marines soon recognized the potential of the LVT as assault vehicle. Armored versions were introduced as well as fire support versions, dubbed amtanks, which were fitted with turrets from Stuart series light tanks (LVT(A)-1) and M8 HMCs (LVT(A)-4). Among other upgrades were a new powerpack, also borrowed from the Stuarts, and a torsilastic suspension which significantly improved land performance. The Light Tank M3 was an American light tank of World War II in use with British and Commonwealth forces prior to the entry of the USA into the European theatre. ... The front suspension components of a Ford Model T. Suspension is the term given to the system of springs, shock absorbers and linkages that connects a vehicle to its wheels. ...

Production continued throughout the war, resulting in 18,621 LVTs delivered. In late 1940s a series of prototypes were built and tested, but none reached production stage due to lack of funding. Realizing that acquisition of new vehicles was unlikely, the Marines modernized some of the LVT-3s and LVT(A)-5s and kept them in service until late 1950s.

A prototype during testing, 1940.

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Variants

LVT(A)-4 amtank at Iwo Jima beach, ca. February/March 1945. Image File history File links Iwo_Jima_amtracs_crop_LVTA4. ...
LVT(A)-4
General characteristics
Crew	6 (commander, gunner, loader, driver, assistant driver, AA machine gunner)
Length	7.95
Width	3.25
Height	3.1
Weight	18.1 tonnes
Armour and armament
Armour	6 to 38 mm
Main armament	1x 75 mm M2/M3 Howitzer
Secondary armament	3x .30-06 Browning M1919A4 MGs
Mobility
Power plant	Continental W-670-9A; 7 cylinder, 4 cycle, radial gasoline 250 hp
Suspension	torsilastic
Road speed	40 km/h, in water 11 km/h
Power/weight	13.9 hp/t
Range	200 km (road), 120 km (water)

• LVT-1 (1941)
  • The first military model. Traveling at a respectable six knots in the water and twelve mph on land, it could deliver 24 fully-equipped assault troops to the beach, and supply supporting fire from two .30 cal. machine guns. The vehicle was not armoured and its steel hull offered virtually no protection, although prior to the Tarawa landing some vehicles received 9 mm cab armor. Tracks performed well on sand, but not on tough surfaces. Proper maintenance of the new machine was often an issue, as few Marines were trained to work on it, and early models suffered frequent breakdowns. 1,225 units produced.

LVT-1 exhibited by manufacturer (FMC) in 1941 parade, Lakeland, FL.

• LVT-2 Water Buffalo, British designation Buffalo II (1942)
  • Featured new powertrain (taken from the M3A1 light tank) and torsilastic suspension. Hard terrain performance was much better compared to the LVT-1. 2,962 units produced.

LVT-2.

• LVT(A)-1 (1942, A stands for armored)
  • Based on the LVT-2, this fire support version had an armored (6 to 12 mm) hull. It was fitted with a turret nearly identical to that of the Light Tank M3, with a 37 mm Gun M6 in mount M44, and also carried two rear-mounted machine guns. 510 units produced.

LVT(A)-1.

• LVT(A)-2 Water Buffalo (1943)
  • Armored version of the LVT-2. Capacity 18 troops. 450 units produced.
• LVT-4 Water Buffalo, British designation Buffalo IV (1943)
  • The engine was moved forward and a large ramp door was added to the rear, allowing troops to exit from the rear of the vehicle. This innovation also greatly facilitated the loading and unloading of cargo. Some vehicles received armor kits. It was by far the most numerous version of the LVT, with 8,351 units delivered. Many of the British LVT versions were armed with a Polsten 20 mm cannon and 2 x .30 cal Browning MGs.
  • LVT-4(F) Sea Serpent - British version armed with flamethrowers.
• LVT(A)-3
  • Armored version of the LVT-4, never approved for production.
• LVT-3 Bushmaster (1944)
  • Developed by the Borg Warner Corporation, this vehicle had engines moved to sponsons and a ramp installed in the rear similarly to the LVT-4. Some received armor kits. First used in Okinawa in April 1945. 2,964 units produced.

LVT-3.

• LVT(A)-4 (1944)
  • Another fire support version, with 75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 turret armed with a 75 mm howitzer, in some cases replaced with the Canadian Ronson flamethrower. A single .50 cal machine gun was installed on the ring mount above the turret rear. In the late production vehicles the heavy machine gun was replaced with two M1919A4 .30 MGs on pintle mounts and one more in the bow mount. 1,890 units produced.
• LVT(A)-5 (1945)
  • LVT(A)-4 with powered turret and a gyrostabilizer for the howitzer. Some were upgraded in late 1940s by changing armor configuration. 269 units produced.
• LVT-3C (1949)
  • Modified LVT-3. Armored roof was fitted and the bow was extended to improve buoyancy. Armament included .30 MG in a turret and .30 bow MG in ball mount. 1200 LVT3s were converted.

LVT-3C.

• Amphibian, tracked, 4-ton GS (1944/45)
  • A British vehicle based on the LVT-4. Only a handful were completed.
  • Sealion - recovery version.
  • Turtle - workshop version.

Military vehicles are commonly armoured to withstand the impact of shrapnel, bullets or shells, protecting the soldiers inside from enemy fire. ... The 75 mm (3 inch) was a popular size of gun in US service. ... .30-06 Springfield cartridge specifications. ... The Browning M1919 was a . ... Gasoline engine (also referred to as petrol engine or Otto engine) invented at the end of the 19th century by German engineer Nikolaus Otto is a type of internal combustion engine which is often used for automobiles, aircraft, small mobile vehicles such as lawnmowers or motorcycles, and outboard motors for... A knot is a unit of speed, abbreviated kt or kn. ... Miles per hour is a unit of speed, expressing the number of international miles covered per hour. ... The Browning M1919 was a . ... Combatants United States Japan Commanders Holland Smith Shibasaki Keiji † Strength 35,000 troops 3,000 troops, 1,000 Japanese workers and 1,200 Korean laborers Casualties 1,001 killed 2,296 wounded 4,713 Japanese and Koreans killed 17 Japanese POWs, 129 Koreans freed The Battle of Tarawa was a... Patterns in the sand Sand is a granular material made up of fine rock particles. ... Image File history File linksMetadata LVT-1_3. ... Image File history File linksMetadata LVT-1_3. ... Image File history File linksMetadata LVT-2_1. ... Image File history File linksMetadata LVT-2_1. ... The Light Tank M3 was an American light tank of World War II in use with British and Commonwealth forces prior to the entry of the USA into the European theatre. ... The 37mm Gun M3 was the first dedicated anti-tank gun fielded by the US forces. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Polsten was a low cost 20 mm autocannon developed from the Oerlikon gun in Poland. ... BorgWarner is a U.S. automotive parts supplier, known for its automatic transmissions and turbo chargers. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The 75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 was a self-propelled howitzer vehicle of the United States developed during the Second World War. ... This page is a candidate to be copied to Wiktionary. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

Combat history

This LVT-1 was put out of action by enemy fire on Beach RED 1, Tarawa.

LVT-4 approaches Iwo Jima.

The LVT were used for logistic support at Guadalcanal, but their first real test was in the assault on Tarawa. Of 125 vehicles used, only 35 remained operational by the end of the day. Still, the amtracs proved their worth by successfully ferrying men across the coral reef and through the shallows to the beach. Marines who arrived in LCVP Higgins boats, on the other hand, could not cross the reef and had to wade through chest-deep or higher water while being raked by Japanese machine guns; casualties were horrific and many who did make it to the beach alive had lost their rifles and other essential gear. The "alligator" was clearly a good idea that worked, but improvements such as added armor were needed to make it more effective. Image File history File links USMC-M-Tarawa-p36. ... Image File history File links USMC-M-Tarawa-p36. ... Image File history File links Tracked landing vehicles (LVTs) approach Iwo Jima http://www. ... Image File history File links Tracked landing vehicles (LVTs) approach Iwo Jima http://www. ... Operation Watchtower On August 7, 1942, the 1st Marine Division performed an amphibious landing east of the Tenaru River. ... Combatants United States Japan Commanders Holland Smith Shibasaki Keiji † Strength 35,000 troops 3,000 troops, 1,000 Japanese workers and 1,200 Korean laborers Casualties 1,001 killed 2,296 wounded 4,713 Japanese and Koreans killed 17 Japanese POWs, 129 Koreans freed The Battle of Tarawa was a... The Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel (LCVP) or Higgins boat was a landing craft used extensively in World War II. The craft was designed by Andrew Higgins of Louisiana, based on boats made for operating in swamps and marshes. ... A rifle is a firearm with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves (rifling) cut into the barrel walls. ...

As a result of Tarawa experience, standardized armor kits were provided for the LVTs employed in contested landings, and gun-armed "amtanks" LVT(A)-1 and LVT(A)-4 were developed to provide fire support. Armed with a 75 mm howitzer, the latter was especially effective in this role, however its turret was open-topped; it also used bigger turret ring which led to the removal of rear-mounted machine guns; as a result, the vehicle was vulnerable to Japanese infantry attacks. To solve the problem, more machine guns were added in late production vehicles. Although usually used during landings only, in the Marianas "amtanks" were employed inland, much like regular tanks. Mariana Islands (sometimes called The Marianas; up to the early 20th century sometimes called the Ladrone Islands) are a group of islands made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the Pacific Ocean. ...

The largest use of the LVTs was in the Leyte landing, with nine amtrac and two amtank battalions deployed. As there was no fighting on the beaches, this is also one of the least famous LVTs' operations. Over 1000 LVTs took part in the Battle of Okinawa. Combatants United States, Australia and Philippines Japan Commanders Douglas MacArthur Walter Krueger Franklin C. Sibert John R. Hodge Ruperto C. Kangleon Tomoyuki Yamashita Sosaku Suzuki Shiro Makino Strength 200,000 U.S. troops 3,189 Filipino guerrillas 55,000 Japanese troops Casualties 3,500 killed 12,000 wounded 49,000... Symbol of the Austrian 14th Armoured Battalion in NATO military graphic symbols A battalion is a military unit usually consisting of between two and six companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. ... Combatants United States, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Australia Empire of Japan Commanders Simon B. Buckner†, Joseph W. Stilwell, Ray Spruance Mitsuru Ushijima† Strength 548,000 regulars, 1300 ships,  ? aircraft 100,000 regulars & militia,  ? ships,  ? aircraft Casualties 12,513 dead or missing, 38,916 wounded, 33,096 non-combat wounded...

Although usually associated with the Pacific theatre, toward the end of the war LVTs were employed in Europe as well. The US, British and Canadian Army used the Buffalo in the Battle of the Scheldt, during the Operation Plunder, along the Po River and in a number of other river crossing operations. Combatants China (from 1937) Việt Minh (from 1941) United States (from 1941) United Kingdom (from 1941) British India (1941) Australia (1941) Free France (1941) Philippines (1941) Netherlands (1941) New Zealand (1941) Canada (1941) Soviet Union (from 1945) Mongolia (from 1945) Empire of Japan Wang Jingwei Government Thailand (1942) Mengjiang... Combatants Canada United Kingdom Poland Belgium Norway Germany Commanders Guy Simonds (acting) (First Canadian Army) Gustav-Adolf von Zangen (German 15th Army) Strength  ?  ? Casualties 12,873 total; including 6,367 Canadian  ? The Battle of the Scheldt was a series of military operations which took place in northern Belgium and south... During World War II, Operation Plunder was the crossing of the Rhine river at Rees, Wesel and south of the Lippe Canal by the British Second Army, under Lieutenant-General Miles C Dempsey, and the US Ninth Army, under Lieutenant-General William H Simpson. ... The Po (Latin: Padus, Italian: Po) is a river that flows 652 kilometers (405 miles) eastward across northern Italy, from Monviso (in the Cottian Alps) to the Adriatic Sea near Venice. ...

Some LVT-3Cs and modified LVT(A)-5s saw action in the Korean War. French Army used the US-supplied LVT-4s and LVT(A)-4s in the Indochina War and in the Suez Crisis. Combatants United Nations:  Republic of Korea,  Australia,  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Canada,  Colombia,  Ethiopia,  France,  Greece,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands,  New Zealand,  Philippines,  South Africa,  Thailand,  Turkey,  United Kingdom,  United States Medical staff:  Denmark,  Australia,  Italy,  Norway,  Sweden Communist states:  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,  Peoples Republic of China,  Soviet Union Commanders... The French Army (French: Armée de Terre) is the land-based component of the French Armed Forces. ... Combatants France French Indochina Việt Minh Strength 500,000 at least 63,000, but estimates 100,000-950,000 Casualties 94,581 dead 78,127 wounded 40,000 captured 300,000+ dead 500,000+ wounded 100,000 captured The First Indochina War (also known as the French Indochina War... Combatants Israel United Kingdom France Egypt Commanders Moshe Dayan Charles Keightley Pierre Barjot Gamal Abdel Nasser Strength 175,000 Israeli 45,000 British 34,000 French 70,000 Casualties 197 Israeli KIA 56 British KIA 91 British WIA 10 French KIA 43 French WIA 650 KIA 2,900 WIA 2...

Modern descendents

In 1950s LVTs still in service were replaced by the LVTP-5 family vehicles, which in turn were followed by the LVT-7 family, eventually redesignated AAV. Incidentally, the AAV is manufactured by BAE Systems Land and Armaments, which was the first company to produce the LVT (as FMC). The LVT-5 (Landing Vehicle, Tracked) was a family of amphibious armoured fighting vehicles used by the United States Marine Corps. ... The Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV)—official designation AAV-7A1 (formerly known as LVT-7) is the current amphibious troop transport of the United States Marine Corps and is also operated by other forces. ... BAE Systems Land and Armaments was created on June 24, 2005, following the completition of BAE Systems acquisition of United Defense. ... Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP (FMC) is major full-service Toronto-based Canadian law firm. ...

Currently, many of the world's militaries employ more modern versions of the amphtrack. One of the latest is the United States Marine Corps EFV, slated to replace the AAV in 2008. The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States military responsible for providing power projection from the sea,[1] utilizing the mobility of the U.S. Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. ... USMC Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle. ...

References

• Steven Zaloga, Terry Hadler, Michael Badrocke - Amtracs: US Amphibious Assault Vehicles, 1999, Osprey Publishing (New Vanguard 30), ISBN 1-85532-850-X.
• Steven Zaloga - Armour of the Pacific War, 1983, Osprey Publishing (Vanguard 35), ISBN 0-85045-523-5.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

LVT

• Origins of the Amphtrack at Globalsecurity.org
• WW2 Vehicles
• AmTracs of World War II and the Korean War at Amtrac.org
• WWII and Korea LVT Museum
• Photographs of Amtracs at Tarawa

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

This page details tank production by the United States of America during World War II. Light tanks Stuart series The USA began 1940 with the M1 and M2 Combat Cars (later designated M1 Light Tank). ...