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Contract NObs-203 for construction of thirty-six LCI(L)'s was awarded to Consolidated Steel Corporation, Orange, Texas, 3 June 1942, and contract NObs-204 for construction of thirty-two LCI(L)'s was awarded to Brown Shipbuilding Company, Houston, Texas, on 2 June 1942 |
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These vessels, along with the destroyer escorts, were given top priority. In fact, due to the type of construction, they were actually given top priority. The contracts provided for the delivery of these LCI(L)'s between 24 October 1942 and 12 February 1943 at Consolidated's, and 15 October 1942 and 15 February 1943 at Brown's. The first vessel was delivered at Consolidated on 12 November 1942, and at Brown, 31 October 1942. The last vessels on these two contracts were delivered, at Consolidated, 15 February 1943, at Brown, 5 February 1943. |
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Like all other newly designed ships, certain radical changes had to be made in these vessels. In this particular type, the changes became apparent very early in the program. The original vessels had been designed for short over-water strikes, while the ones being built for the U.S. Navy had to be used over oceans. Therefore, as the first ten vessels at Consolidated Steel were completed, they were returned to the builder before departure from this area for a major hull change. This change consisted of raising the wheeling houses one deck, and the installation of armor. |
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These vessels were laid down at Consolidated Steel Corporation on the destroyer ways in groups of three and launched one immediately following the other, so that when each way was cleared three vessels were in the water. The use of these ways in this manner required an extension to be added at the upper end of the ways to accommodate three 153' vessels, plus the necessary working area between vessels. Like the destroyer escorts, these ships were built in jigs and assembled on the ways, and when launched, were approximately 70% complete. In the above method of construction, the maximum of efficiency was obtained. |
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On December 10, 1043, contract NObs-1411 was awarded to Consolidated Steel Corporation for construction of seventy LCI(L)'s of a slightly different design. The contract called for delivery of ten vessels in March, twenty in April, twenty in May and twenty in June of 1944. These ships, like those built under contract NObs-203, were constructed on the destroyer ways in groups of three. The seventieth vessel was built by speeding up construction of the sixty-seventh LCI(L) and launching it before launching the sixty-eighth and sixty-ninth, and laying the seventieth down before the sixty-eighth and sixty-ninth had been launched. The seventieth was launched before the sixty-eighth and sixty-ninth LCI(L), even though a matter of minutes. |
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It is felt that an outline of some of the difficulties experienced in connection with the LCI(L)'s, not so much in regard to the construction of them as in the accomplishment of their delivery, should be given. The amphibious program, when the first vessels were built, was now. While the officers and crews for them had been trained, they had not been trained on similar vessels as none were available. Those LCI(L)'s required a certain |
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