Hey D Day fans

Posted By Thomas E. Ricks Friday, September 18, 2009 - 4:07 PM Share

I was idly checking some ads for used sailboats and saw that someone in New "Live Free or Die" Hampshire is selling a landing craft. This would be a perfect gift for a serious reenactor, or any fans of "The Longest Day."

DVIDSHUB/flickr

EXPLORE:HISTORY, MILITARY

(4)

HIDE COMMENTS LOGIN OR REGISTER REPORT ABUSE

TYRTAIOS

8:16 PM ET

September 18, 2009

Bonus Comment for Tom

In 1937, a Marine Lieutenant in an intelligence outfit in Shanghai, China, took pictures of Japanese landing craft with a square bow that became a retractable ramp. The Lieutenant showed the photos to his superiors, who passed on his report to Washington. Two years later, he found that the Navy had simply filed it away with a notation saying it was the work of “some nut out in China.”

This Lieutenant persevered, building a balsa wood model of the Japanese boat design and discussing the retractable ramp concept with the New Orleans boat builder Andrew Higgins. That bow design became the basis for the thousands of Higgins landing craft of World War II in your blog today.

That Lieutenant? Why none other than our 31st Marine Commandant's father, Lieutenant General Victor Krulak! : - )

MONEYINABOX

5:11 AM ET

September 19, 2009

I see somebody remembers

I see somebody remembers reading 'A Bright Shining Lie'. ;-)

TYRTAIOS

2:02 PM ET

September 19, 2009

Down the Wet Net

I gave my body and soul to the Bright Shining Lie, though I heard the story from one of the late LtGen's aids. People might be surprised to know that Marines had to go down the wet net into open landing craft to get ashore in Vietnam from time-to-time - a wonderful experience when the seas are choppy! : - )

FASHION

5:49 AM ET

September 23, 2009

really nice article, plz also

really nice article, plz also dont forget to check our ugg sales uk, like uggs uk and uggs boots uk.