Allied Amphibious Doctrine , the Landing Craft Shortage of 1943-1944 , and Operation OVERLORD
The DUWK , or “ Duck ” was the logistical workhorse of Allied amphibious landings the world over from mid-1943 on . Built on a 2 ½-ton , 6x6 truck chassis , the Duck could carry 25 combat loaded troops , 12 litters , small-caliber artillery pieces , or 25-tons of cargo .
May also saw the arrival of British planners in Washington to discuss , among other things , the allocation of resources for 1944 . Despite the rejection of SKYSCRAPER , the British statement of requirements for what was again being called ROUNDUP included lift capacity for ten assault divisions simultaneously loaded . The statement called for 8,500 landing ships and craft to provide the needed lift . American planners , comparing this figure with current and projected production capacity , came to the rapid conclusion that such demands would be impossible to meet .
The stated requirements were so unrealistic that US planners suspected the British of deliberately making an impossible demand in order to justify delaying or scrapping the plan altogether . Such unfounded suspicions ignored the fact that a combined plan-
17