Why Were Landing Crafts Designed to Land Front-First on D-Day?
The decision to design landing crafts that land front-first on D-Day may seem counterintuitive, especially when you consider the numerous challenges faced by the troops. However, this design choice had a logical, pragmatic reason behind it.
Practical Reasons for the Front-Opening Design
During operations like the D-Day invasion, the further out one went from the shore, the deeper the water became. This meant that if men embarked from the front ramp in knee-deep water, they might find themselves in shoulder-deep water by the time they reached the operational depth. Additionally, moving straight out of the front ramp was much easier and safer than attempting to climb over the side of the boat into deeper water. The classic Higgins boat, a successful answer to this challenge, demonstrated the effectiveness of this approach by efficiently ferrying as many men as possible onto hostile beaches in the shortest possible time.
Survival and Strategic Logic
The forward ramp design provided a strategic advantage. Once the ramp was down, the troops had the best chance of survival by running forward towards cover. This ensured that the troops were not vulnerable to German fire for a prolonged period. Cold, pragmatic, and brutal logic guided this decision. It was a matter of survival, with every second counting in the face of enemy opposition.
A Closer Look at Historical Events
While the movie Saving Private Ryan portrays a dramatic landing scene, it exaggerates certain elements for dramatic effect. In reality, Captain Ralph Goranson, the character Tom Hanks played, and his men encountered a series of artillery rounds that killed or wounded most of his men onboard their landing craft.
Invasion author Paul Carell detailed in his book Invasion: They're Coming! that MG (machine gun) crews were trained to wait until the troops had exited the landing crafts before opening fire. This strategic placement of enemy fire along the beach ensured that troops encountered enfilading fire from both sides, rather than concentrated fire along the front of the craft.
Overhauling the Design: A Hypothetical Scenario
Some might argue that redesigning landing crafts to have a rear-opening ramp would have been a better solution. However, this idea has inherent flaws. If the ramp moved to the back, upon hitting the beach, the troops would unsuccessfully attempt to jump out the back of the vessel where German MGs could shoot them. Furthermore, some troops would be instantly sucked into the props of the landing craft and killed, while others would land in water deeper than their height and drown.
Survivors, despite struggling through the water along the sides of the craft, would eventually reach shallow water at the bow, only to face German fire. Therefore, redesigning landing crafts in this manner would have been counterproductive and may have resulted in higher casualties.
It is important to remember that the design of landing crafts during D-Day was a result of extensive planning, practical considerations, and the understanding of the battlefield environment. The front-opening design was a pragmatic solution that maximized the safety and efficiency of troop deployment.