WW2 'Mighty Midgets" Landing Craft

One of the "Mighty Midgets" - LCS(L)(3)-12 - entering San Francisco Bay in 1946 after the end of World War II.

These stout little ships were built on the same basic hull as the Landing Craft Infantry (Large) but fitted fit a ridiculous amount of firepower for their diminutive 250-ton size, ultimately mounting more weaponry per ton than any other ships to ever serve the US Navy. Armament consisted of ten rocket launchers, at least two twin 40mm Bofors, four 20mm Oerlikons, and then either an additional twin 40, a single-mount 40mm, or a 3"/50 at the bow position.

These ships were not converted from LCI(L), instead being purpose built; they were intended as in-shore fire support during amphibious landings and also made excellent firefighting ships, with a total of 130 completed. Post-war, they were popular vessels for transfer to foreign navies because their shallow draft (just under 6-ft) was well suited to riverine and coastal operations and their small size represented significantly less crew and maintenance requirements to small navies than larger ships.

Here, LCS-12 wears the Flotilla 3 insignia on the face of the conning tower gun director tub. This photo adorns a bulkhead below decks of LCS(L)(3)-102, home of the Landing Craft Support Museum, in Vallejo California.

Source:  Haze_grey_history