Landing Craft, Infantry (Large) - LCI(L)

Most recent update: November 12, 2011.

The Landing Craft, Infantry (Large), or LCI(L), was originally going to be designated the APY, a variant in the AP/APA/APc family: the Y came from the British, who referred to their small landing craft as Y-boats and wanted a "big Y-boat".

In total, 923 LCI(L)s were built, by only ten shipyards.  The basic design, used for the first 350 boats, was 158.5 feet in length and 216 tons in light displacement: the remainder were six inches longer and 30 tons heavier.  There were four variants: LC(FF)s were configured as Flotilla Flagships; LCI(G)s had two 40mm Guns and ten Mk. 7 rocket launchers in addition to the standard armament of four 20mm guns and six .50-cal machine guns; LCI(M)s had a dismountable 4.2" Mortar; and LCI(R)s had six 5" Rocket launchers.  Note that many LCI(G)s later became LCI(M)s or LCI(R)s.  Note also that those LC(FF)s that went to Britain were redesignated LCHs by the British, the H standing for Headquarters, and some of these were later redesignated LCSs by the Canadians, the S standing for Staff.  Note that the very small number that were still active in the US Navy in 1949 were redesignated LSILs.

Most of these boats were sold after the war but there are few records of who bought them or what they were used for.  As far as we know, there are only two left in the U.S.: LCI(L) 713 is at the Amphibious Forces Memorial Museum, in Astoria OR, and LCI(L) 1091 is at the Humboldt Bay Naval Sea/Air Museum, in Eureka CA.  LCI(L)s 670 and 739 are still in the Thai Navy.  There must be some others around somewhere - they would have been well suited to inter-island service in countries such as Indonesia: any information will be welcomed.

Note that "disposed of" in the table below is short-hand for "we don't know what they did with this boat".  Also, "to NDRF" means that MARAD took charge of the boat and disposed of it in some way.  Please send any additions or corrections to timcolton@aol.com