would be suitable for use as a secondary casualty
receiving and treatment ship.
ASSAULT SHIP (LPH)
The LPH is the principal ship employed to support
vertical assault (helicopterborne) ship-to-shore
movement. It embarks, transports, and lands troops
and their equipment and supplies. It may land the
personnel and equipment by embarked transport
helicopters or, under unusual circumstances, by
landing craft provided by other ships. The LPH also
provides facilities for Navy and Marine command and
control, including a helicopter direction center, and a
medical regulating control officer. When appropriate
personnel are on board, the LPH serves as a primary
casualty receiving and treatment ship and provides
triage functions and early definitive medical and
surgical care.
LANDING SHIP (LSD)
The LSD transports and lands amphibious
vehicles or landing craft and their accompanying
troops and equipment. It is capable of repairing
landing craft and may also be used as a helicopter
landing platform, a PCS for waterborne craft, and a
boat haven. The LSD has limited medical facilities,
and is not suitable for service as a casualty receiving
and treatment ship.
LANDING CRAFT
The types of landing craft used to land assault
troops, their equipment, and supplies are as follows:
LANDING CRAFT PERSONNEL LARGE
(LCPL)—The LCPL is used to support UDT
operations, as a gig/officer boat, and as a general
utility boat. Although not normally used for
troops/cargo, it is capable of transporting 17
troops or 3,000 pounds of cargo. In amphibious
operations, it is used for control/safety purposes
within the boat group or as the LVT safety boat.
LANDING VEHICLE TRACKED (LVT)—
The LVT operates on both land and water and
can negotiate obstacles that prevent other
landing craft from beaching. Primarily used as a
personnel carrier, it may also be used later in
offshore personnel transfer. In addition, the LVT
is an important vehicle for logistic support, since
cargo may be carried directly from the ship to an
inland beach dump.
LANDING CRAFT UTILITY (LCU)—The
LCU is made of steel with cargo space
measuring 100— feet long by 18— feet wide
and 4.5— feet deep, for a carrying capacity of
400 tons. See figure 12-1.
LANDING CRAFT MECHANIZED—
There are two types of LCMs: LCM 6 and
LCM 8. The LCM 6 can carry 34 tons of cargo,
80 combat-equipped troops, or a 36-ton tank
The LCM 8 steel hull can carry up to 65 tons,
200 combat-equipped troops, or a 60-ton tank
The LCM is shown here in figure 12-2.
LANDING CRAFT, AIR CUSHION (LCAC)—
The LCAC is a fully amphibious, air-cushion
vehicle capable of operating from an existing
well deck ship. Its mission is to transport
weapons systems, equipment, cargo, and
personnel of the assault elements of the Marine
Air/Ground Task Force both from ship-to-shore
and across the beach. Figure 12-3 is a picture of
an LCAC.
Figure 12-l.—Landing craft utility (LCU).
12-2
