Heading out

Creator

Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. (Manitowoc, Wis.)

Date

• June 18, 1942

Summary

• This 8" x 10" photograph is one of a series of pictures taken June 18, 1942 that document practice landings of LCT(5) invasion barges on the Lake Michigan shore at Point Beach State Forest north of Two Rivers, Wisconsin during World War II. LCT stands for "Landing Craft Tank." In 1942 under an urgent "Triple-A-Priority" Navy program the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company constructed 36 LCT(5) invasion barges to ferry tanks and other heavy equipment ashore for a planned invasion of North Africa and other operations. Practice landings were made on beaches in the Manitowoc-Two Rivers area to test equipment and techniques. LCT(5)s were about 114 feet in length, and had a bow ramp. The first LCT(5) was laid down at Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company on May 4, 1942; launched on June 10, 1942; and delivered to the Navy on June 29, 1942 for service in the Asiatic-Pacific theater. The LCT(5) shown in this series of photos is probably that first barge, on practice exercises between launch and delivery. In this photograph taken from the stern of the vessel, the barge, loaded with six tanks, heads out of the shipyards down the Manitowoc River. Four Army servicemen sit or lean on the tanks as three shipyard workers handle chains on deck, and one leans against the bow of the vessel. In the background the carferry "City of Saginaw 31" is tied up. The "City of Saginaw" had been built by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company in 1929 for the Pere Marquette Railway. In 1942, she was refitted with a tapered stack; that possibly could be the reason she is here in the Manitowoc shipyards in this picture. Also visible in the background are railroad cars on the Chicago & Northwestern railroad dock.