Interesting. I wonder if that helps save them from having to swab the deck, to keep the wood wet?
Higgins Industries used mahogany because he had a big supply of it. He originally was a lumber importer.
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/107/s991/text
S. 991 (107th): Andrew Jackson Higgins Gold Medal Act
2) Andrew Jackson Higgins designed, engineered, and produced the ‘Eureka’, a unique shallow draft boat, the design of which evolved during World War II into 2 basic classes of military craft, high speed PT boats, and types of Higgins landing craft (LCPs, LCPLs, LCVPs, LCMs and LCSs);
(3) Andrew Jackson Higgins designed, engineered, and constructed 4 major assembly line plants in New Orleans for mass production of Higgins landing craft, and other vessels vital to the Allied Forces’ conduct of World War II;
(4) Andrew Jackson Higgins bought the entire 1940 Philippine mahogany crop and other material purely at risk without a Government contract, anticipating that America would join World War II and that Higgins Industries would need the wood to build landing craft, and Higgins also bought steel, engines, and other material necessary to construct landing craft;