MANITOWOC, WIS. — As the United States and its allies were in the midst of World War II, War Department leadership and military equipment suppliers were jointly looking at future war tactics.

Involved with this war effort was the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company which produced for the United States Navy Landing Craft Tanks (LCT) and submarines.

The LCT’s American design was based on a prior British landing craft. The vessel not only carried personnel but also Jeeps, bulldozers, tanks, and other massive pieces of war engagement equipment.

On June 18, 1942, LCT (Mk class 5) vessels conducted a mock landing at the nearby Point Beach State Forest beach. Overlooking this shoreline was the 113-foot Rawley Point Lighthouse. The “built to specification” vessels proved their seaworthiness and were battle-ready.

A tribute called “Turning the Tide: The Role of Manitowoc Landing Craft Tanks (LCT) in World War II” recently opened in the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. The 700-square-foot exhibit is located on the museum’s lower level, offering a variety of photos, displays, and authentic artifacts.

In a press release, the museum stated, “The LCTs built in Manitowoc participated in every major amphibious invasion in Europe.

Thirteen Manitowoc-built LCTs were among nearly 7,000 ships involved in the D-Day invasion on June 6, 1944, on the beaches of Normandy, France and helped transport approximately 160,000 troops ashore that day.”

The Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company built a total of 36 Mk class 5 LCTs, trained representatives for each LCT assembly site, and provided all the plans and supplies needed to build 400 Mk class 5 LCTs

In addition, during the war, Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company built 28 USN submarines. More than 7,000 men and women worked around the clock, 365 days a year, to build the submarines.

Of the submarines built, 25 were built in time to see action during the war. Together they sank 132 Japanese ships.

Four Manitowoc submarines were lost at sea, USS Robalo, USS Golet, USS Kete, and USS Lagarto. The four boats and their brave crews are now on Eternal Patrol.

Emily Shedal, museum development and communications coordinator, states this is a semi-permanent exhibit.

She added, during the summer, the facility is open seven days per week 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (CST). Admission is $20 for adults, $17 for seniors (65 plus) and veterans, and active-duty military are free. The price includes touring the entire museum complex and the on-site USS Cobia submarine.

Detailed museum information can be found at; www.wisconsinmaritime.org.

Jeffrey D. Brasie is a retired health care CEO. He frequently writes historic feature stories and op-eds for various Michigan newspapers. As a Vietnam-era veteran, he served in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Naval Reserve. He served on the public affairs staff of the secretary of the Navy. He grew up in Alpenat and resides in suburban Detroit.