landing craft
landing craft
Pronunciation
/ˈlæn.dɪŋ krɑːft/
lan /læn/
/l/ as in light
/æ/ as in cat
/n/ as in no
ding /dɪŋ/
/d/ as in dog
/ɪ/ as in hit
/ŋ/ as in sing
craft /krɑːft/
/k/ as in car
/r/ as in run
/ɑː/ as in father
/f/ as in fun
/t/ as in top
Word Form Variations
Singular: landing craft
Plural: landing craft (uncommon usage), landing crafts (more common usage)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A specialized watercraft, often armored, designed to transport troops, vehicles, and equipment from a ship to a shore. They are typically used in amphibious military operations to facilitate the deployment of ground forces.
Synonyms: amphibious vehicle, assault boat, landing ship
Antonyms: (There are no direct antonyms for this term as it describes a specific type of vessel.)
(Informal, historical) A small, flat-bottomed boat, sometimes with a ramp, used for carrying passengers or cargo between a larger vessel and the shore in areas without a proper port.
Synonyms: ferry boat, lighter, tender
Antonyms: (There are no direct antonyms for this usage.)
Examples of Use
Books and Newspapers
"The Allied navies... were forming the most formidable armada the world had ever seen. At around dawn the ships began their bombardment of German positions above the beaches..." The article continues, describing how "landing craft were ripped apart by mines and shells" during the D-Day invasion (Historic Newspapers, August 2016).
A government report from 1944 discusses the challenges the War Production Board faced in getting materials and components for the landing craft program, which was given "a completely overriding priority 'giving them the right of way over planes, high-octane gasoline and all other 'urgency' production programs'" (GovInfo, 1944).
A message from Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay, the Allied naval commander-in-chief for D-Day, encourages naval personnel "to do their utmost to ensure that this vital operation succeeds." Accompanying photographs show "a group of Landing Craft, Tanks or LCTs leaving the Solent" (The D-Day Story, undated).
Entertainment
The video game series Call of Duty often features missions with players disembarking from a landing craft onto a hostile beach, most notably in scenarios recreating the Normandy landings.
The movie Saving Private Ryan opens with a harrowing and iconic sequence of American soldiers on a landing craft as it approaches Omaha Beach on D-Day, showing the moment the ramp drops and the ensuing chaos.
A news report from ILTV Israel News on YouTube shows a new landing craft being delivered to the Israeli Navy (YouTube, August 2023).
Public Discourse
In a speech commemorating the 50th anniversary of D-Day, President William J. Clinton said, "And through the wind and the waves came the soldiers, out of their landing craft and into the water, away from their youth and toward a savage place many of them would sadly never leave" (GovInfo, 1994).
A report from the National WWII Museum, discussing the six elements of a successful amphibious landing, explains how "ship-to-shore movement" requires "landing craft of various types and capabilities" and how they "need to exit the surf zone and transit back to the offshore fleet for movement of subsequent waves" (The National WWII Museum, May 2024).
A congressional report on the Navy's Medium Landing Ship program notes that these ships would be instrumental in "embarking, transporting, landing, and subsequently reembarking" small Marine Corps units, essentially serving as a modern form of landing craft for new operational concepts (Congress.gov, April 2025).
10 Famous Quotes Using Landing Craft
"Into the Jaws of Death: Down the ramp of a Coast Guard landing craft Yankee soldiers storm toward the beach-sweeping fire of Nazi defenders in the D-Day invasion of the French coast." (Robert F. Sargent, original caption of his famous D-Day photograph, June 1944)
"There was a prison uprising at Alcatraz, and I drove the Marines over there in a landing craft to quell the riot." (Bud Grant)
"The waiting for history to be made was the most difficult... I was seasick, and the stench of vomit permeated our craft." (Private Clair Galdonik, 359th Infantry Regiment, US 90th Division)
"They would arrive on Omaha Beach in different boats... they would not share the same landing craft bound for the beaches of northern France." (Alex Kershaw, The Bedford Boys)
"And through the wind and the waves came the soldiers, out of their landing craft and into the water, away from their youth and toward a savage place many of them would sadly never leave." (President Bill Clinton, June 1994)
"In the film Saving Private Ryan, the opening scene of the D-Day invasion shows American soldiers on a landing craft as it approaches Omaha Beach." (Original observation)
"We have no plans to build a new landing craft, but we are committed to maintaining and modernizing our existing fleet." (Original quote from a fictional naval commander)
"An amphibious landing requires landing craft of various types and capabilities that are designed to exit the surf zone and transit back to the offshore fleet." (The National WWII Museum, May 2024)
"On the first night of the assault, the landing craft were used to bring ashore not only the first wave of troops but also the engineers and equipment needed to clear obstacles." (Original quote)
"The landing craft program was given a completely overriding priority 'giving them the right of way over planes, high-octane gasoline and all other 'urgency' production programs.'" (Government report from the War Production Board, 1944)
Etymology
The term "landing craft" is a straightforward combination of two older words: "landing" and "craft."
Landing: The word "landing" comes from the Old English word landian, meaning "to come to shore" or "to arrive on land." It's related to the word "land" itself. When we talk about a landing, we're describing the action of bringing something—or someone—from water to solid ground.
Craft: The word "craft" comes from the Old English word cræft, which originally meant "strength," "skill," or "power." Over time, its meaning shifted to refer to a skilled trade or art, and then, by the 17th century, it was used to describe a vehicle, especially a boat or ship, that was a product of skilled craftsmanship. Think of "watercraft" or "aircraft."
So, "landing craft" literally means a "craft" or vessel specifically designed for the purpose of "landing" people or equipment on a shore.
The phrase "landing craft" as we know it today, referring to a specialized military vessel, came into common use during the early 20th century. While similar boats had been used before, the term became widespread during World War I and especially World War II, when these vessels were mass-produced for large-scale amphibious military operations. The first known use of the specific compound term to describe a military vessel of this type dates back to around 1916. The concept was crucial for major invasions, and the term's popularity grew with the increasing importance of amphibious warfare in modern military strategy.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Landing Craft
"To hit the beach from a landing craft": A very common phrase used to describe the initial moment of an amphibious assault, often associated with historical events like D-Day.
"Disembarking from a landing craft": A more formal way of describing troops or equipment leaving the vessel.
"Amphibious assault with landing craft": A phrase used in military and historical discussions to specify the type of operation.
"A fleet of landing craft": Used to describe a large number of these vessels assembled for an operation.
"Like a landing craft in a storm": An original simile to describe something unwieldy, slow, or struggling in a difficult situation.
"To drop the ramp on the landing craft": A phrase that signifies the moment of commitment and the beginning of a decisive action.
"Packed in like sardines on a landing craft": An original idiom using the word to describe a very crowded or cramped space, drawing on the historical image of soldiers tightly packed before an invasion.
"The last landing craft": A metaphorical phrase to describe a final opportunity or a last-ditch effort, referencing the final wave of an assault.
"A tender of the sea": An idiom using a synonym ("tender") for a similar type of boat, referring to a helpful, smaller vessel assisting a larger one.
"A landing ship moment": An original phrase to describe a situation where a major, decisive action is about to begin, referencing the larger term "Landing Ship, Tank" or "LST."
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of landing craft from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
