Navy LCVP Contract Page   Landing Craft Construction Photo Page
Chris-Craft in World War Two
Algonac, MI (Closed in 1970)
1910-Present (Currently owned by Winnebago)

An American Auto Industry in World War Two Special Edition
Michigan was the location of the country's largest small boat industry at the beginning of World War Two.  It produced boats for the war effort ranging in size from small rafts to destroyer escorts.  Chris-Craft was the largest small boat manufacturer in the country.  During World War, Two Chris-Craft received Navy contracts for at least 12,935 landing craft that were instrumental in landing American troops onto hostile beaches.

This page updated 9-6-2020.

Even for a non-boating person like myself, the name Chris-Craft brings to mind images of highly polished mahogany boats.  Before and right after World War Two, Chris-Craft was synonymous with fine wooden boats.  It was the largest wooden boat builder in the world at the time.  Chris-Craft's headquarters and main plant were located in Algonac, MI along the St. Clair River in southeastern Michigan.  This was only 50 miles from downtown Detroit and the center of the automobile industry.  Their location provided a close customer base for many of its products.  In 1939 Chris-Craft expanded into Holland, MI, on the western side of the state, along Lake Michigan.  In January 1941, another plant was added in Cadillac, MI.  It is on Lake Cadillac but has no water-way access to any of the Great Lakes.  All of the boats produced in Cadillac had to be trucked to their destinations. 

In March 2020 I visited the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society in Algonac, MI to research Chris-Craft.  The Historical Society has two museums in downtown Algonac, just one mile north of the original Chris-Craft plant and headquarters.  Both museums are well worth the visit for those interested in Chris-Craft, Michigan maritime history, or the local history of the area.  My trip to the museums was most fruitful to my research.

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This 1949 Chris-Craft Model B is on display at the Algonac Maritime Museum.  It is of the classic wooden construction before the introduction of fiberglass boats.  The museum displays an excellent collection of Chris-Craft memorabilia and photos.  Several of the photos and artifacts are from the World War Two era, when the company built 12,395 landing craft for the war effort.  Author's photo added 3-15-2020. 

Author's photo added 3-15-2020.

Author's photo added 3-15-2020.

The museum has one room dedicated to the former Chris-Craft company in Algonac.  Author's photo added 3-15-2020.

Author's photo added 3-15-2020.

This bronze plaque is on display at the Algonac Community Museum.  Author's photo added 3-15-2020.

The Army-Navy "E" Award:

On June 15, 1942, all three Chris-Craft plants were awarded the Navy "E" Award.

Author's photo added 3-15-2020.

In July 1942, the Army and Navy combined their respective "E" awards into the Army-Navy "E" award.  Companies that had already won the Navy "E" award had the option of continuing the war with Navy flags or converting to the combined award and flag.  Chris-Craft chose to convert.  The actual Army-Navy "E" flag from the Cadillac, MI plant is shown below.  It has two stars on it because the Cadillac, MI plant won two more awards.

Tom Robbins, son of Maureen Robbins, was helping his mother clean out her garage in late May-early June 2018 when the flag was found.  Mrs. Robbin's father was the plant manager of the Holland Plant from 1942 until 1968.  It is assumed the flag will stay in the family.  What a garage find!!!  The flag appears to be in great shape after spending many years in garage storage.

The Chris-Craft Algonac, MI plant won the award three more times.
The Chris-Craft Holland, MI plant won the award four more times.

The workers at the Algonac plant are bundled up for the cold on November 4, 1943 for an "E" award ceremony.   Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.
 

Chris-Craft World War Two Production Statistics:  Chris-Craft built at least 13,283 small boats of eleven different types for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army.  It was the second largest producer of small boats during the war.

Chris-Craft built eleven different types of small craft during World War Two, including the 33-foot long Radio Controlled boat and the 36-foot Navy Picket boat, which were built in the Algonac, MI plant.  Several of its products were provided to the U.S. Army, which had its own navy during the war.  This may sound counter-intuitive, but the Army had bases along the coasts of the Mediterranean and on many islands of the Pacific.  The Army needed watercraft for air-sea rescue and water transportation at these bases.

Chris-Craft's signature product during World War Two was the 36-foot wooden landing craft. There were four different types and Chris-Craft was the only company that built all four.  These were the Landing Craft, Personal, (Large), (LCP(L)); the Landing Craft, Personal, (Ramp), (LCP(R)); the Landing Craft, Vehicle, (LCV); and the Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel, (LCVP).  They were built in all three plants, although the Holland and Cadillac plants were the main high volume producers.  During World War Two Chris-Craft built at least 42% of all the 36-foot landing craft.

Chris-Craft was the second largest manufacturer of landing craft during World War Two.  The newly built Holland plant was the high volume plant for these types of boats for the company.  The Holland City News reported on September 28, 1944 that the Holland Plant had produced its 8,000th landing craft, a Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel (LCVP).  This craft was also known more commonly as the Higgins Boat, after its inventor Andrew Higgins of New Orleans.

Five months later, in February 1945, Chris-Craft produced its 10,000th landing craft, indicating a production rate of 400 per month.  The 10,000th landing craft was an LCP(R).   Of the 2,635 built during the war, 343 were built in 1945.  Chris-Craft was the largest producer of the LCP(R).  It built a minimum of 2,432, or 92% of this style landing craft.  Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

Contract NObs-997 was received in April 1943 and the first 300 boats were scheduled to be built in August 1943.  The production schedule runs into February 1944.  Hull numbers are C-32782 to C-34781.  Document courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

The purchase price of the 2,000 LCVPs was $11,384,000 or $5,692 per boat.  Document courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

The complete contract in a larger format can be found at:  Chris-Craft Contract

It is February 1945 and 10 LCVPs and 5 LCP(R)s are awaiting testing, which has been stopped due to cold temperatures and frozen waters in the test area.  Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

The Chris-Craft 30-foot Landing Craft Competition Entry:  On September 17, 1940, the U.S. Navy's Fleet Development Board tested landing craft from Chris-Craft, Higgins Industries, and the U.S. Navy's Bureau of Construction and Repair at Virginia Beach, VA.   Chris-Craft's 30-foot entry is shown below.  These are the only known photographs that I have found of this historic Chris-Craft boat.

The boats tested at Virginia Beach were all 30-feet in length.  The Chris-Craft entry had two engines, a single gun tub near the bow, and was less costly than the Higgins entry.  During the test, Chris-Craft loaded the boat above with 4,000 lbs. of sandbags to simulate a load of troops.  The competing Higgins boat only had three persons in it.  In all of the planned tests, the Chris-Craft entry performed better than the Higgins Eureka boat.  During the second test the Chris-Craft boat was able to land 20 feet farther up the on beach than the Higgins Eureka boat.  At this point, Chris-Craft had won the competition.  Then fate intervened.  The Navy ordered a test that was not originally scheduled.  Due to high surf, the sand bags now weighed more than 4,000 lbs and the boat was filled with water.  Then one of the engines failed.  The Chris-Craft entry was not able to back off the beach.  The Chris-Craft team had to suffer the indignity of having the Higgins Eureka boat pull it off the beach.  Higgins was then declared the winner.  Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

In the long run, Chris-Craft came out very well.  Chris-Craft had the last laugh.  While the Higgins Eureka boat won the competition, U.S. Navy officials were put off by Andrew Higgins' abrasive and abusive personality.  The first contract for the building of the Eureka boat went to Chris-Craft.  

A Chris-Craft LCP(L) Eureka 36-foot boat under test.  It is being piloted by Hansen Smith, son of the founder of Chris-Craft, Chris Smith.  This could very well be from the first contract that Chris-Craft won away from Higgins.   Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

World War Two Small Landing craft designations:

Landing Craft, Personnel (LCP(L)) - This was the first landing craft designed by Andrew Higgins in New Orleans.  It had no ramp and could only carry personnel.  While not as famous as the later LCVP, it was used for many purposes where a ramped landing craft was not needed.  It was used by both Army and Navy, where a good solid boat was needed to work in shallow water and land on beaches as the need arose.  It was still in production late in the war.  It could carry 36 troops; but to exit the boat, they had to jump over the gunwales.  While this feature of the craft was not any better than previous landing boats, the LCP(L) did have the ability to get right up onto the beach.  Chris-Craft built at least 1,038 LCP(L)s during World War Two.

Going over the sides or front has been the way warriors have exited from landing craft since there have been amphibious landings.  Under fire, this is a hazardous operation.  In this case, the LCP(L) has not landed far enough onto the beach, which is what it was supposedly designed to do.  In the Navy competition, the Chris-Craft contender was able land 20 feet farther onto the beach than the Higgins design, yet the Navy chose the Higgins design instead.  The five feet drop from the bow to the beach could still cause injury to the soldiers as they have to jump off the boat.

 These two outline drawings are from the "Operators Manual, 36-foot "Eureka" Landing Motor Boats," revised June 1944, by Higgins Industries.  Chris-Craft and other manufacturers of the LCP(L) built them from outline drawings like these, a full set of details drawings, and parts lists.  Drawing added 2-14-2020.

Drawing added 2-14-2020.

The final product looked like this, which is a 1944 Higgins-built LCP(L).  It is on display at the National World War Two Museum in New Orleans, LA.  Author's photo added 2-14-2020.

Landing Craft Personnel, Ramp (LCP(R)) - This was an improved version of the LCP(L), which had a small ramp on the front. The ramp allowed one or two persons at a time to exit the boat in the front.  It also added two gun tubs for mounting .30 caliber machine guns.  The coxswain's steering position was on the port side, front as it was in the LCP(L).

This is an interesting photo of an LCP(R) under construction at Chris-Craft.  The coxswain's position is next to the engine of this boat.  In the production boats, as in the photo below, it was farther forward in the landing craft.  This may be a prototype, as Chris-Craft did the original work and design of the LCP(R).   Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

This is the correct configuration of the LCP(R).  Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

This photo shows that, in reality, only one soldier or marine could exit the ramp on an LCP(R) at a time.  A test between the different types of landing craft showed that it took 32 seconds for 36 troops to exit the boat.  Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

In August 1942, tests were performed by the Amphibious Command of the U.S. Corps of Engineers to determine how long it took for 36 fully equipped troops to exit the LCP(L), the LCP(R) and the LCVP. 

This Chris-Craft World War Two era magazine advertisement shows that maybe two fully equipped soldiers can come through the ramp at a time.  Some are also jumping over the gunwales to exit.  Hopefully, the soldier doing that in the nearest landing craft does not become a friendly fire casualty as he runs in front of the firing .30 caliber machine gun.  Obviously, this was not the ultimate solution to effectively landing combat troops onto a hostile beach.  Chris-Craft built at least 2,432 LCP(R)s during World War Two.

An LCP(R) loaded on a flatcar at Algonac, MI.   Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

During World War Two Navy UDT teams used the LCP(L) for its drop-off and pick-up craft.  The coxswain's port side steering position was a definite advantage of the LCP(R), allowing him to see where the swimmers were in the water.  The spotter is up in forward ramp section, so he can also see where the swimmer was in the water and verify that he was picked up.

Landing Craft, Vehicle (LCV) - This was the next design of the American landing craft, which now had a ramp across the entire bow for small vehicles like the jeep that is in this one.  It could also carry a jeep trailer or a 37mm anti-tank gun.  However, the coxswain's position on top of the stern leaves him in a precarious position exposed to enemy fire while landing on a hostile beach.  Also, there are no dedicated positions for the .30 caliber machine guns for self-defense.

The LCV's designation may have not included "Personnel," but it was also used for that purpose.  Here, US Army troops are landing on Guadalcanal in 1943 to relieve the US Marines who fought long and hard to secure the island.  This is a non-hostile beach, so there is no issue for the coxswains in their exposed positions.  Chris-Craft constructed at least 600 of the 2,286 LCVs built.

Shown here are two LCVs.  The coxswain's position can be seen on the LCV in the right hand side of the photo.  Chris-Craft employees have loaded a Dodge weapons carrier into the LCV on the left.  The throttle bar of the left boat can be seen just above the canvas roof on the Dodge truck.   Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

  In this photo, a staff car has been loaded into the LCV for testing.  Here, the top of coxswain's station is clearly visible behind the staff car.   Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

The name given to the LCV at the time of this drawing on 12-29-1941 was 36 Foot Ramp Type Eureka Surf Landing Boat.  Chris-Craft would have used this outline drawing, the one below, a full set of detail drawings, and a parts list to build the LCV.  Engineering drawing courtesy of C. Robert Gillmor added 2-14-2020.

The length of the boat was 36 feet and 4-1/2 inches.  It was 10 feet and 9 inches in height, and 10 feet and 9-1/2 inches wide.  The engine shown is a Hall-Scott 168 Invader six-cylinder gasoline powered engine.  Hudson Motor Car Company supplied many of the Invader engines for this landing craft.  Other engines were installed in this boat depending on availability.  Engineering drawing courtesy of C. Robert Gillmor added 2-14-2020.

C. Downing drew this engineering drawing of the 36 Foot Ramp Type Eureka Surf Landing Boat on 12-29-1941.  Note that it was neither checked nor approved.  Engineering drawing courtesy of C. Robert Gillmor added 2-14-2020.

Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel (LCVP) (Higgins Boat) - This was the final design and the definitive small wooden American landing craft of World War Two.  The coxswain's position was moved down onto the deck besides the engine.  Two positions for .30 caliber machine guns were placed at the stern of the boat.  It had the large ramp of the LCV for quick egress on the beach for both troops and/or vehicles.  23,397 were built by six companies during World War Two.  Chris-Craft built at least 8,865 LCVPs during World War Two.   

This is Utah Beach at Normandy, France, June 6,1944.  LCVP #22  from the Attack Transport APA-13, the Joseph T. Dickman, is loaded with troops ready to head to the beach.  A boat like this comes to mind when one thinks of World War Two landing craft.  There were 1,089 LCVPs at Normandy.  Based on Chris-Craft's percentage of the LCVPs built, about 400 of them at Normandy would have been Chris-Craft-built.  Eighty-one of the 1,089 LCVPs were destroyed on D-Day, mostly on Omaha Beach.  Chris-Craft tribal legend contends the first landing craft to land on the beaches of Normandy was a Chris-Craft. 

The Holland Plant's 8,000th landing boat.  This boat, along with all of the others built in Holland and Cadillac, were trucked to the Algonac plant for testing in the St. Clair River.  Lake Michigan and Lake Cadillac can freeze over in the winter.  The Algonac plant ran hot water lines into the test basins in the St. Clair River to keep them ice free during the winter.

This photo of Holland-built #8000 is in the St. Clair River in Algonac during its in-water tests.  All the boats from Holland and Cadillac were tested at Algonac.  The Algonac location can be identified by the cranes in the background.

 Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.


Chris-Craft built-LCVPs loaded on trucks in downtown Cadillac, MI are on their way to Algonac for testing in the St. Clair River.

An LCVP during testing along the St. Clair River.  For this particular boat, Chris-Craft used round head screws to mount the armor plate.  Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.
 

An LCVP during testing along the St. Clair River. 

This LCVP is being lowered into the water at Algonac for testing.   Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

The next two photos show dozens of LCVPs wrapped up against the elements as they await either testing or shipment to the navy.  If the waters of the test basin are frozen, then these landing craft are waiting to be tested before shipment.   Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

 Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

This Chris-Craft-built LCVP is coming back to the factory area after its test run.  Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

This ramp hoisting gear layout drawing gives a general idea of the outline of the LCVP.  Chris-Craft would have built its share of the LCVPs from a full set of prints provided by Higgins Industries.  Engineering drawing courtesy of C. Robert Gillmor added 2-14-2020.

Chris-Craft-built AC-1 under way.  The use of water cooled .50 caliber machine guns on this army boat seems unusual, as normally they are air-cooled.  Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

 This 60-foot Algonac built boat was manufactured for the U.S. Army in 1941 as Quartermaster Corps.  It was designated Q-37.


Twenty-nine 22-foot utility boats were also ordered by Army Air Force for Air-Sea Rescue of air crews.  Each was powered by a Chris-Craft 95 hp Model K engine that could power the boat to 31 mph.  

 The 42-foot rescue boat was based on an Owens Yacht Company recreational boat design.  Chris-Craft built 49 of them in 1942 and 1943.  Image added 2-14-2020.

 Image added 2-14-2020.

 Image added 2-14-2020.

The top boat in the ad is a U.S. Army Q boat, the middle is a U.S. Navy picket boat, and the bottom is a U.S. Navy LCP(L) landing craft.

Note that the Navy "E" flag, which Christ-Craft originally won, is shown in the upper left hand corner of this ad.  Later the flag was converted to the Army-Navy "E" flag. 

The Chris-Craft Plants of World War Two: 

Chris-Craft was the major employer in Algonac, MI.  The 264,000 square foot plant was on the St. Clair River.  New designs were tested on the river.  During World War Two, Algonac built the larger boats, which all had to be tested on the river before being accepted by the US military.  The plant opened in 1922 and closed in 1970.  Its closure brought the end of an era to Algonac and devastated its economy.

The Algonac plant in 1958.  Photo courtesy of the Algonac-Clay Township Historical Society added 3-15-2020.

This is the building at the top of the Algonac plant layout above.  Today it is an upholstery shop.  Author's photo added 3-15-2020.

The original Chris-Craft water tower in Algonac still stands.  Author's photo added 3-15-2020.

This vacant plant was purchased in January 1941 from the city of Cadillac, MI, and was repurposed to build 18-22 foot utility boats.  During World War Two it produced 2,000 landing craft.  It was 125,000 square feet and operated between 1941 and 1968.


  The Chris-Craft Holland plant was a purpose-built plant to build 15.5 foot to 42 foot boats.  It had 600x110 feet under roof on 22 acres.  It was built at a cost of $300,000.  It made its first shipment in January 1940.  Over 10,000 36-foot landing craft were produced here.