Whirling Dervish

Congress dished up $1,800,000,000 last week to build a million more tons of landing craft. Much of the money will be spent for the Navy's newest, the LSM (Landing Ship, Medium).

As odd-looking as all the Navy's landing craft, the LSM may become even more famous than the LST. The LSM has a 34-ft. beam, is some 100 ft. shorter than the 328-ft. LST. As in her bigger sister, two doors in her broad nose open and a ramp drops down for her cargo to roll ashore on.

Superficially she resembles an open shoe box, although she is highly complicated. Quarters for five officers and 48 men, plus space for 50 passengers (e.g., tank crewmen), besides stowage space and lockers are all in narrow hives in her high sides. In between is her big open well, where she will carry tanks and trucks. For protection she mounts 20-mm. antiaircraft guns.

Her most spectacular feature is her maneuverability. She can spin so fast on her heel that men aboard her literally get dizzy. This agility should make her invaluable for carrying initial assault waves through treacherous coral reefs onto Pacific island beaches. More cumbersome 5,500-ton LSTs can still be used for carting in second and third waves of tanks, trucks, guns.

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