U.S. Army Small Craft

WWII Construction

The sources I have read say that 3,552 small craft of various types were built for the U.S. Army in WWII by 107 different boatbuilders, so the table below, which identifies 2,921 boats built by 89 different boatbuilders, must be incomplete.  The discrepancy is partly caused by the fact that the Army actually operated close to 6,000 small craft during WWII, but many were built before the war, while others were acquired from the private sector and many more were transferred from the Navy.  In addition, the records are a little fuzzy in places.  Note also that these figures do not include over 88,000 amphibious assault craft, which were built by the Navy.

Shipbuilder Location Boat Type Type # # of Boats Design # Diesel or Gas Steel or Wood Feet Delivery Disposition
Chris-Craft Algonac MI Boat, patrol AC 1-10 10 221-C G W 43 10/42-5/43  
Robinson Marine Benton Harbor MI Boat, passenger C 1-10 10 186 D or G W 40 1/41-2/41  
Palmer Scott New Bedford MA Boat, passenger C 11-20 10 186 D or G W 40 3/41  
Robinson Marine Benton Harbor MI Boat, passenger C 21-30 10 186 D or G W 40 8/41-9/41  
Robinson Marine Benton Harbor MI Boat, passenger C 31-40 10 186 D or G W 40 11/41  
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA Boat, landing CL 1-40 40 185 D or G W 36 12/40-2/41  
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA Boat, landing CL 41-80 40 185 D or G W 36 1/41-2/41  
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA Boat, landing CL 81-130 50 185-A D or G W 36 8/42-4/43  
Higgins Industries New Orleans LA Boat, landing CL 132 1 297 G W 36 1/43  
Chrysler Corp. Detroit MI Tug, marine tractor GT 581-688 108 402 G S 38 2/44-3/44  
Chrysler Corp. Detroit MI Tug, marine tractor GT 931-960 30 394 G S 22 6/43-7/43  
Chrysler Corp. Detroit MI Tug, marine tractor GT 961-1080 120 394 G S 34 7/43-11/43  
Chrysler Corp. Detroit MI Tug, marine tractor GT 1082-1276 195 422 G S 32 8/43-3/44  
Chrysler Corp. Detroit MI Tug, marine tractor GT 1606-1888 283 402 G S 38 10/43-3/44  
Chrysler Corp. Detroit MI Tug, marine tractor GT 1889 1 421 G S 42 1/44  
Chrysler Corp. Detroit MI Tug, marine tractor GT 1890-1980 91 402 G S 38 10/43-3/44  
Chrysler Corp. Detroit MI Tug, marine tractor GU 2386-2595 210 421 G S 42 5/44-9/44  
Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding Sturgeon Bay WI Vessel, retrieving H 2-12 11 210 D S 158 12/42-2/44  
Chris-Craft Algonac MI Boat, shallow-draft J 101-127 27 na G W 22 10/40-11/40  
Wheeler Shipyards Brooklyn NY Boat, patrol J 128-130 3 na G W 35 12/41-1/41  
Ventnor Boatworks Atlantic City NJ Boat, whale J 134 1 188 D W 26 2/41  
Palmer Scott New Bedford MA Boat, passenger J 135-137