The Ship
The ship had no name just a number USS LCI(G) 77, United States Ship Landing Craft Infantry (Gunboat) hull number 77. She served the United States for 1,067 days during World War Two and while she may not have been fast she repeatedly went into harm’s way. Still unlike many other types of ships, submarines, and planes serving in that war very little has been written about her or her sisters. Few people today even know what you’re talking about when this type of ship is mentioned. This even though between 1942 and 1944 the shipyards of the United States built 912 ships of this type; 662 serving in the U.S. Navy, the others “loaned” to the British, the French, and Soviet Union among others. Those 662 ships saw action in every theatre of World War Two and a few were still on duty with the U.S. Navy into the 1960s. As of 1991 two of these ships, the former LCI(L) 739 and the former LCI(L) 1017, were still in service with foreign navies.1
Conceiving a Ship
Mariners throughout history and across cultures have anthropomorphized the ships and boats they use to make their way in the world more than any other occupation has dome with the tools and artifacts of their trades. One result of this that many customs and events associated with shipbuilding can relate directly to the conception and birth of an infant. The Landing Craft Infantry came into being as a result of the mating between a necessity of the Royal Navy and industrial capacity of the United States in the early days of World War Two.
The original Bureau of Ships blueprints for this ship indicated they were for the “APY 1”. In the Royal Navy APY designates a “Giant Raiding Craft” or “Giant Y Boat”. The British necessity for these ships grew from the eventual requirement to invade and reconquer Europe. To do this they needed to carry large numbers of troops short distances (think of across the English channel or from North Africa to Sicily). The original British plans thus didn't anticipate having to spend weeks at sea or what to do if objective beach wasn't slopping sand like the majority of European beaches. Other British aspects of the original design were storage for a dozen bicycles with their ammunition trailers and wooden benches for the troops to use while the riding ship from embarkation port to the invasion beach.
When these foreign plans arrived at the U.S. Navy some changes were made. The main reason for these changes is that the U.S. Navy does not build unique ship designs for other countries. They build ships for the U.S. Navy and if other countries want to use them we'll accommodate those countries but it will be a U.S. Navy design. One of the first things to change in the “Americanization” of the plans was the designation APY. In the U.S. Navy this designation meant an Auxiliary Personnel transport (not a fighting ship), and the “Y” for a vessel not covered in other classifications. After the first few sheet of blueprints in the ship’s plans the type designator changes from “APY 1” to “LCI 1 formerly APY 1”. The bicycle storage changed to general storage and the wooden benches removed.2
Because of the urgent need for these ships the first group, those with hull numbers 1 through 350, were built with only slight modifications from the British plans (just enough to make them “American” ships). A total of 305 of this group were built by seven shipyards. While these 305 were under construction the U.S. Navy’s Bureau of Ships was producing a truly revised set of plans for the LCI. When these new plans were ready 45 ships of the original 350 were cancelled so resources could be used on the improved version. As is the custom of the U.S. Navy, cancelled hull numbers once assigned were never used.
A Square Conn LCI beached with the her landing ramps down. Note the angled conning tower at the forward end of the deck house and the sailor standing on the deck beside the deck house.
It was easy to tell the original version from the improved version of the LCI. The first 305 had a squarish conning tower and the deck house was in board so someone could walk from the front to the back by going along side the deckhouse. The newer version, with hull numbers 351 through 1098, had a round conning tower and the deckhouse extended on either side of the hull leaving no room to walk the length of the ship on the main deck. 607 of these were built. At war's end, ship construction was stopped as contracts were cancelled. Because builders were allotted blocks of hull numbers, when building stopped there were gaps in the numbering system. The "round" cons, as the newer group of LCIs was called, were Americanized by having hot water, heating, better berthing and messing for the crew, along with other features the "square" conns (the term used for the older group) did not have. This first set of modifications was based on a review of the original plans and noting things the American designers would do differently.
A Round Conn LCI underway at full speed. Note the round conning tower in the center of a deck house that extends out on either side so that it is even with the hull.
Once these ships entered service Bureau of Ships designers were able to identify further modifications based on operational experience. A final updated version of the LCI began to appear toward the end of the War. These 148 improved "round" conns; included better cold storage and a bow ramp replacing the side ramps used on the earlier ships. This third group of LCIs (the first was number 402) was called the "Queen Mary Class". This improvement in design does not mean the older groups were being ignored. LCI(G) 77 was in the Naval Shipyard at Pearl Harbor when the War ended getting ready to receive several of the modifications that were designed into the newer versions. A complete list of the LCI’s built during the war including the yards and disposition after the war can be found at the web site maintained by Maritime Business Strategies, LLC a business consulting firm for the maritime industry.
.Birthing a Ship
Much ceremony and symbolism usually surrounds the various phases of in the building of a ship. The first official act, carried out with moderate pomp and ceremony, is the laying of the keel. At most times and in most instances this event has the ship’s sponsor assisting in the joining of the first two pieces of the keel. The sponsor is a woman who is the surrogate mother of the ship. The next event, accompanied with great pomp and circumstance, is the launching of the ship. Again the sponsor is present to anoint the ship with a ceremonial liquid, bestow on the ship its name, and wish good fortune to the ship and all who sail in her. The final event is the completion of construction and acceptance into service. For a naval ship this event is the commissioning and usually has the greatest amount of pomp and circumstance because this is when the politicians show up to orate on how their vision and sage council lead to the building the fine vessel displayed before you.
The keel for LCI(L) 77 was laid on September 29, 1942 at the Consolidated Ship Building Company in Orange, Texas. Unlike most of her sisters the SEVENTY–SEVEN had a sponsor, Mrs. Stuart B. Collins. While the records from the period of construction are almost nonexiatant it is recorded that Mrs. Collins was present at the launching and so it is assumed that some appropriate libation was used at the cerimony (if not champagne then perhaps a bottle of Lone Star). The rest of the occasuion was anti-climatic. Forget the dignitaries, band, and speech-making even that final dramatic moment when what was once only a collection of welded steel plates slides down the ways, going faster and faster, and splashes into the water was missing.3
November 12, 1942 was just another working day at the Consolidated Ship Building. On one of its shipways, a collection of steel boxes designated “SEVENTY–SEVEN” had been welded together, painted, and arrived at the end of the assembly line. A tug pushed a floating dry dock up to it. The collection of boxes was winched aboard. It was taken into deep water, Mrs. Collins performed her duty, the dock was flooded, and the collection of welded steel plates floated. It was pulled out; LCI(L)77 was launched. No one took notice. There was no break in the workday at the yard. This new ship was moved to a nearby outfitting dock. The launching was part of the daily routine.
Construction was finished in December. She was commissioned in the U.S. Navy on January 11, 1943 again with minimum ceremony (no politician, no pomp, no circumstance). At first she was assigned to the Southwest Pacific, General MacArthur’s theater of operations, but on February 8, 1943 she was reassigned to Commander, Amphibious Forces Pacific, LCI Flotilla 3, Group 7, Division 13. She would serve in the Central Pacific Theater under Admiral Nimitz. On February 20, 1943, with everything working properly, USS LCI(L) 77 "reported for duty". In April, she became the flagship of the Commander of LCI Group 7.
Those of you who are not mariners may be wondering why its important whether this vessel was considered a “craft” and not a “ship”. She certainly was big enough to be a ship and to speak her full name with title you get "United States Ship Landing Craft Infantry (Large) 77". More confused, then consider the following. A regular Navy officer keeps upper most in his mind that running a ship aground will not only ruin his day but quite likely his whole career. From their first day at the Naval Academy these individuals a taught that one of their primary responsibilities is to always maintain a protective film of water between the hull of their ship and the surface of the planet. Amphibious ships designed during World War two represented an entirely new concept in naval operations: a type of ship that ran aground regularly on purpose. Those officers with traditional training in naval operations never felt comfortable with this. The old feeling of what this would do to their career was so strong few served aboard these new ships. In part to protect those few who did serve on them they were called “craft”. Going aground in a “craft” wasn’t as bad as going aground in a “ship”. However, at over 400 tons displacement these vessels were certainly “ships”. The Navy finally did recognize this fact on February 28, 1949 when the Secretary of the Navy officially changed the type designation of Landing Craft Infantry to Landing Ship Infantry.
Maturing a Ship
The SEVENTY–SEVEN with the rest of Group 7 left Texas for the Pacific war on March 16, 1943. From April to June the group trained of the coast of California then they headed for the Aleutians and their first combat invasions. After landing troops on Kiska and Amchitka in August Group 7 headed for Pearl Harbor. As the newcomers to Amphibious Force Pacific they had to practice all the skills they would need during regular operations. This was the group's schedule for rest of 1943 and into 1944.
In the middle of this practicing, news was received of the first amphibious landing of the Central Pacific, Tarawa, the Gilbert Islands. There were 1,000 Marines killed and 2,100 wounded in three days for an island no larger than the area of New York’s Central Park.
There were some high level reconsiderations made of the role to be played by LCI’s. The experience at Tarawa revealed problems that would be encountered in the future. Close-in-fire-support would be a necessity. They couldn’t risk the large "gray" ships of the battle line close to shore, it was too dangerous in which to maneuver safely. Also the coral reefs prevented beaching the LCI’s. Most Pacific islands did not have reef free beaches like Hawaii on which the LCI’s had been practicing. A good solution to both problems was (1) put heavier guns on the LCI’s so they could come in just short of the reefs to give the fire support required during a landing, and (2) use other vessels to transport troops to the beaches.
During December 1943 and January 1944 modifications were made to the SEVENTY–SEVEN to convert her from a landing craft into an inshore fire support ship. On the outside all her small caliber guns except 5 20mm machine guns were removed and replaced with two 40mm Bofors guns. In the deck areas where the troops were to wait to rush ashore 42 rocket launchers were installed. The ship could now shoot back as it approached a hostile beach and provide an impressive barrage of 504 3.5inch rockets all arriving on target in the space of 15 seconds. Below deck changes included a tripling of her crew from 3 officers and 21 enlisted to 7 officers and 64 enlisted. Unfortunately with the exception of bunks, which were already there for the troops that were now not being carried, no other accommodations for an increased crew such extra food and water storage or additional sinks and toilets were made.
A complete change in the role for LCIs was obvious as the end of 1943 approached. There were entries in the log of members of the crew being sent to gunnery school. There are numerous entries recording the arrival of additional crew members. On the 4th of December, LTJG Nelson was transferred to the Wiapio Amphibious Base. He had angered LCDR Harlan [the Group Commanding Officer] so was replaced on December 8 by ENS R. W. Clark, D-V(S), USNR. In January, there were entries such as: “Ten rocket launchers, six 50 caliber machine-guns, and two ‘mouse traps’ aboard”. Workers installed two 40mm Bofors guns, one on the bow, the other forward of the deck house over the well deck. More guns meant more men to serve them.
As SEVENTY–SEVEN was about to leave Pearl Harbor in mid-January 1944, she had been going through some fundamental changes. Most conspicuous were those visible from the outside. She now had more guns. The two large 40mm’s stuck out for all to see. When they arrived, they were Army khaki. The Navy models were considered too heavy for LCI’s. They were quickly painted Navy gray.
All eleven ships in the group lined up and firing their rockets together definitely made the enemy keep his head down. Because these ships could move toward the beach with the first wave of assault troops and get in close their barrage could be timed to land just ahead of the boats giving the soldiers or marines a few extra moments to get from the boats and across the beach to safer territory. Further, the 40mm guns allowed the LCIs to shoot back at any enemy gun position in range as soon as they started firing at the troops. When these modifications were completed the ship’s designation was changed to Landing Craft Infantry (Gunboat), LCI(G).
1Sharp, Richard ed., Jane’s Fighting Ships 1995, (Jane’s Information Group London May 1995), 763. Several earlier editions of this standard reference were reviewed as well.
2U.S. Navy Depatement Bureau of Ships, General Ship’s Plans for 153FT Landing Transport APY1 dated May 22, 1942. First reverence to Landing Craft Infantry occure on an alteration to the “ Arrangement of Machinery in Engine Rooms" drawing APY-S40-1alt3 dated July 16, 1942.
3Frazier, Kieth Sumerville and Harriette W. B. Smith, Ships of the United States Navy and their Sponsors 1924—1950, (United states Naval Institute, Annapolis, MD 1952), 534