Foreign Relations of the United States, Conferences at Washington and Quebec, 1943

J.C.S. Files

Memorandum by the United States Chiefs of Staff

secret
C.C.S. 314/3

[ Quebec ,] 20 August 1943.

Allocation of Landing Craft

(Operation Overlord—Vehicle Left)

1. We have noted the memorandum by the British Chiefs of Staff (C.C.S. 314¹) concerning the shortage of vehicle lift for Overlord and the necessity of additional landing craft therefor; viz., 57 LCT(3 or 4)’s and 15 LCT(5)’s. Consideration has also been given to the British proposals contained in C.C.S. 286.²

2. We have examined the possibility of providing additional LCT(6)’s from U.S. sources and find that our own LCT deliveries to fulfill the Trident U.S. commitment for Overlord ³ cannot be accomplished as early as desired and that it is impossible to increase the number of LCT’s so committed; viz., 146, of which 41, at least, must come from the Mediterranean.

3. Studies are under way which it is hoped will effect an increase in the rate of U.S. landing craft production. However, the result of these studies at the present time indicates that such an acceleration cannot be felt before April 1944.

4. In view of this, the deficiencies in Overlord will have to be made good from the Mediterranean and these movements will, of course, in the case of LCT’s, have to be adjusted to weather conditions.

5. It is suggested that every effort be made to put all the LCT(5)’s now in the U.K. in an operating condition and employ them in Overlord as a means to improve the situation.

1. Ante, p. 1027.
2. “Formation by U.S. Assault Forces for Operation ‘ Overlord ’” July 20, 1943; not printed.
3. See Coakley and Leighton, p. 72.