Posted on 06/04/2017 2:57:21 PM PDT by BBell
THEN: In 1939, the U.S. Navy awarded the relentless Andrew Higgins with a contract to build his Eureka boats for the military. Despite his now-famous contribution to the U.S. effort in World War II -- most notably his Higgins landing craft, a later version of the Eureka boat -- the path to this contract was bumpy and difficult, something that only someone as determined as Higgins could overcome. Although the New Orleans boat builder had successfully sold his boats to the Coast Guard and Army Corps of Engineers, the Navy was more interested in developing its own technology than testing the boats of a small-time company from the South. Higgins tried for four years to convince the Navy of hits boat's superiority before officials finally granted him a test run in 1938. Despite his objections to some of their constraints (the Navy wanted a 30-foot vessel, and he thought this was too short), he built a boat that was lighter, sturdier and more maneuverable than the competition. Higgins finally had his foot in the door.
NOW: That first boat designed by Higgins Industries for the Navy evolved into multiple boats used in all parts of the war effort. Higgins Industries developed amphibious boats such as the LCTs, LCPLs and the LCMs, as well as PT boats and supply vessels. New Orleans has not forgotten Higgins and his crucial role in the war effort. The entrance to the National World War II Museum faces Andrew Higgins Drive. In addition, a reproduction of the original Higgins boat -- built by volunteers -- is on display in the museum's Louisiana Memorial Pavilion.
TRI-via:
Andrew Higgins' initial Navy contract helped his New Orleans business grow exponentially. In 1938, he employed 75 workers in a solitary boatyard. By the end of 1943, Higgins owned seven plants where 25,000
(Excerpt) Read more at nola.com ...
Great video...thanks for the link. What a bygone era, huh?
Great post- and the museum in NOLA is excellent. There was one other inventor who did not get the notice that Higgins did. Higgins featured greatly in the European theater. The Pacific theater created new obstacles not present in the Normandy other landings.
Daniel Roebling- the Great-grandson of the designer/builder of the Brooklyn Bridge-invented just prior to the war what he intended as a hurricane rescue vehicle called “The Alligator”. These became the famous Landing Vehicles- Tracked, or LVTs.
At the onset of the war, he was persuaded (by Marines, particularly) to come up with a militarized version— later called the “Amphtrack” an amphibious tracked vehicle that enabled landings where men were being slaughtered trying to get to the beach (Tarawa was a particularly horrific case, where men had to roll over the side of Higgins boat, into water that was often over their heads, or worse- chest deep making them easy targets for the dug in beach Jap machine gun pillboxes), and these tracked amphibious armed vehicles saved a lot of lives.
They were made in Lakeland, FL and have a long history with US and other countries using them in different areas. Daniel Roebling himself was an eccentric, who had a bizarre later personal life (including blowing up the yacht his ex-wife used to cheat on him with the valet) but cared for factory workers (eventually it was FMC who built these variants), building a medical clinic for them, called Morton Plant. Decorated by the US Navy and Harry Truman, he was the last of the wealthy Roebling dynasty. Some hippie electric guitar maker bought his National Register mansion in Clearwater, FL.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_Vehicle_Tracked#The_Alligator
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Roebling
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PT_boat#Engines
Scroll down to “Engines” and click it. Marine engine was based on a aircraft engine... just not the Merlin.
I’m aware. The Liberty engines were very available after WWI and some enterprising souls put them (Curtis and Scripps too) into some very beautiful woodys during the golden age of boating after the war. Garwood and Hacker come to mind.
V-12 aircraft engines pushing 30’ triple cockpit wooden boats across the water, at the time, at incredible speeds. At that was the V hulls. Hydroplanes were starting to be considered.
Packard was the licensee for Rolls Royce in America. They replaced the Allison V-12s that were the original engines in the P-51. And they made their way into the PTs.
Want to see something cool. Look up a Riva Aquamarine Lamborghini. Twin Lambo V-12s in a beautiful boat.
Que Tim “the Tool Man” Taylor.
ping
Ditto that. The museum is not huge. However all the exhibits are very good. Very very good. It is worth the trip!
thx
Another great source of naval info, navsource.org.
Cool site with lots of nice pictures. Thanks.
check out navsource.org
Good information. However, I’m not a sailor by just a lowly fisherman that likes blue fishing when in season.
I found out that the boat was a surplus PT boat sold after WWII and converted for party boat fishing. The boat I was on had to be at least thirty years old when I was on it and was still sturdy and sea worthy. The ride back to port was invigorating and something of a thrill.
P.S. most party boats on the Jersey shore and Long Island still have that basic shape and size.
Good information. However, I’m not a sailor by just a lowly fisherman that likes blue fishing when in season.
I found out that the boat was a surplus PT boat sold after WWII and converted for party boat fishing. The boat I was on had to be at least thirty years old when I was on it and was still sturdy and sea worthy. The ride back to port was invigorating and something of a thrill.
P.S. most party boats on the Jersey shore and Long Island still have that basic shape and size. Higgins boat design lives on.
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