Landing Craft Infantry

The Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) were several classes of landing craft used by the Allies to land large numbers of infantry directly onto beaches during World War II. They were developed in response to a British request for seagoing amphibious assault ships capable of carrying and landing substantially more troops than their smaller assault landing craft (LCA). The result was a small steel ship that could land 200 men, traveling from rear bases on its own bottom at a speed of up to 15 knots.

Some 923 were built starting in 1943, serving in both the Pacific and European theaters, including a number that were converted into heavily armed beach assault support ships. The LCI(L) supplemented the small LCAs/LCVPs as a way to get many troops ashore before a dock could be captured or built. As such, they were the largest dedicated beachable infantry landing craft (the larger infantry landing ship (LSI) was a transporter for men and small craft such as the British LCA) in the Allied inventory.

Development

The LCI(L) was designed to carry 200 men at up to 15 knots and be as capable at landing as the LCA. Since a steel hull would be needed and steel was already earmarked for building destroyers at home, the US was approached. There, the plans were developed into the LCI(L), landing craft, infantry (large).

The original British design was envisioned as being a "one time use" vessel which would simply ferry the troops across the English Channel. As such, no sleeping accommodations were placed in the original design. The infantry were provided benches (similar to those on a ferry) upon which to sit while they were transported across the channel.