their final movement to the beach. When landing
beaches are separated, each beach has its own LOD,
which may be marked by a ship or ships of the control
organization or by boats or buoys. In some landings
the LOD may not be marked.
Boat Lanes
Boat lanes extend seaward from the landing beach
to the LOD. The length of the landing beach
determines the width of the boat lane. The flanks of
the boat lane may be marked at the LOD by a control
ship, a marker boat, or a buoy.
Approach Lanes
Approach lanes are extensions of the boat lanes
from the LOD towards the transport area. They may
Day
be terminated by marker ships, boats, or buoys.
Adjacent approach lanes may be parallel or may
diverge seaward to provide for early dispersion of the
assault waves. Approach lanes indicate the exact
routes for craft to use in approaching the LOD.
IDENTIFICATION OF
DEBARKATION STATIONS
There is a maximum of ten debarkation stations,
five on the starboard side and five on the port side,
each identified by color and number (odd-numbered,
starboard; even-numbered, port). See figure 12-4.
PROCEDURES FOR CALLING
BOATS ALONGSIDE
Signals are used to call boats and landing craft
from the assembly areas to embark troops at the
debarkation stations.
The starboard and port yardarms are used to signal
for the starboard and port debarkation stations,
respectively. The type of boat or craft is called to the
Information to Signal
Day Signal Flag
Night Signal Lights
Sides
Starboard Port
Use starboard yardarm Top GREEN light
Use port yardarm
Top RED light
Boats and
LCPL
L FLAG
Middle AMBER light
Displacement
LCU
U FLAG
Middle WHITE light
Landing Craft
AAV
T FLAG
Middle AMBER light, flashing
LCM 6
6 FLAG
Middle BLUE light
LCM 8
8 FLAG
Middle Green light
Stations
Color
Starboard
Port
RED
1
2
REDFLAG
Bottom RED light
WHITE
3
4
WHITEFLAG
Bottom WHITE light
BLUE
5
6
BLUEFLAG
Bottom BLUE light
YELLOW
7
8
YELLOW FLAG
Bottom AMBER light
G R E E N
9
10
GREEN FLAG
Bottom GREEN light
Well Deck/
Tank Deck
Note: Paragraph A. 1.4. of NWP WHISKEY FLAG
Top WHITE light
22 contains special signals
for the LHA well deck.
Middle (type landing craft
indicated by middle light marry up
and enter well deck)
Bottom WHITE light
Note: Turned off for calling single
landing craft into well deck
or to tank deck
Figure 12-6.—Signals for calling boats and landing craft to debarkation stations.
12-7
