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VINTAGE
WORLD WAR II LANDING CRAFT COMPLETES JOURNEY
FROM SAN FRANCISCO BAY TO THE NATIONAL D-DAY
MUSEUM
Restored Higgins
Boat Added to Museum's Exhibits
NEW ORLEANS - (Sept. 1, 2004)
- The National D-Day Museum's restoration of an original
Higgins LCP(L) landing craft will be dedicated at the
Museum's Louisiana Memorial Pavilion on Tuesday, Sept.
28, 2004, at noon. The public is invited to attend and
the event is free with regular Museum admission.
"This dedication marks the culmination of a lot of hard
work by the D-Day Volunteer Restoration Crew and members
of the Higgins Boat Society," said Dr. Gordon "Nick" Mueller,
Museum president. "Adding this Higgins landing craft to
our collection helps underline the contribution of Andrew
Higgins to the war effort, and it amplifies the connection
between Higgins Industries, New Orleans and the Museum."
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| The LCP
(L) as received... |
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| ...during
restauration... |
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| ..moving
her in... |
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| ...on display... |
Higgins Industries of New Orleans
built all of the landing craft used in all of the amphibious
landings of World War II, and the Higgins legacy is an
important part of America’s National World War II
Museum. The restored LCP(L) becomes the second Higgins
Boat on exhibit at the Museum, joining a replica LCVP
(Landing Craft Vehicle, Personnel) which is also located
in the Louisiana Pavilion.
The vessel, which was built between 1944 and 1945, was
discovered floating in San Francisco Bay in 2000. The
restoration, which included reconstruction of the power
plant and transmission, plus extensive structural work
on the hull, was completed in about 19 months. The Gloria
Shearin Smith and Ivy A. Smith, Jr. Charitable Trust underwrote
the restoration. The boat was purchased for the Museum
with a gift from Dr. Morris J. Kloor, Jr. and Albert A.
Newman in memory of their parents, Lucille and Morris
J. “Doug” Kloor, Sr. of Crowley, Louisiana
and Gladys and Odell Newman of Cullman, Alabama.
The Higgins Boat Society, a group of WWII veterans, craftsmen,
history buffs and wooden boat enthusiasts, restored the
LCP(L) (Landing Craft Personnel, Large) predecessor of
the LCVP. The LCVP began as Higgins Eureka Boat, which
was designed as a workboat for shallow water. Andrew Higgins
used his experience with shallow watercraft to design
and produce the boats that were used to transport troops
from ships onto beaches in all World War II amphibious
landings.
Restorers painted the number P10-21 on the restored LCP(L)
hull. This was the number of the LCP(L) that Douglas Munro
commanded during the battle of Guadalcanal. Munro was
awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his courageous
efforts in saving a group of Marines at the expense of
his own life. Douglas Munro is the United States Coast
Guard’s only Medal of Honor recipient.
The newly restored boat was an earlier version Higgins
landing craft built without a ramp. Troops exite dover
the side into shallow water along the beach. This version
was used exclusively in the invasion of the Guadalcanal
and in many other Pacific campaigns
Congress officially designated The National D-Day Museum
in New Orleans as “America’s National World
War II Museum” on Sept. 25, 2003. The resolution
expressed the United States Government’s support
for the New Orleans Museum in continuing preservation
and interpretation of artifacts, documents and history
as well as the education of American people about experience
in combat and on the home front during the World War II
years.
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