World War II Honoree

Andrew Jackson Higgins

Hometown

New Orleans, Louisiana

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF HIGGINS INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATED AND ROSE TO INTERNATIONAL PROMINENCE DURING WORLD WAR II FOR HIS DESIGN AND MASS PRODUCTION OF NAVAL COMBAT MOTORBOATS; BOATS THAT FOREVER CHANGED THE STRATEGY OF MODERN WARFARE. THE ALLIES NO LONGER HAD TO BATTER COASTAL FORTS INTO SUBMISSION, SWEEP HARBORS OF MINES, AND TAKE OVER ENEMY HELD PORTS BEFORE THEY COULD LAND AN ASSAULT FORCE. HIS BOATS GAVE THEM THE ABILITY TO TRANSPORT THOUSANDS OF MEN AND HUNDREDS OF TONS OF EQUIPMENT SWIFTLY THROUGH THE SURF TO LESS FORTIFIED BEACHES, ELIMINATING THE NEED FOR ESTABLISHED HARBORS. HE DESIGNED AND PRODUCED 2 BASIC CLASSES OF MILITARY CRAFT. THE 1ST CLASS CONSISTED OF HIGH-SPEED PT BOATS, WHICH CARRIED ANTI-AIRCRAFT MACHINE GUNS, SMOKE-SCREEN DEVICES, DEPTH CHARGES, AND HE DESIGNED COMPRESSED-AIR-FIRED TORPEDO TUBES. ALSO, IN THIS CLASS WERE THE ANTI- SUBMARINE BOATS, DISPATCH BOATS, 170 FOOT FREIGHT SUPPLY VESSELS AND OTHER SPECIALIZED PATROL CRAFT PRODUCED FOR THE ARMY, NAVY AND MARITIME COMMISSION. THE 2ND CLASS CONSISTED OF VARIOUS TYPES OF LANDING CRAFT,INCLUDING LCP'S, LCPL'S, LCVP'S AND LCM'S, CONSTRUCTED OF WOOD AND STEEL THAT WERE USED IN TRANSPORTING FULLY ARMED TROOPS, LIGHT TANKS, FIELD ARTILLERY, AND OTHER MECHANIZED EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES ESSENTIAL TO AMPHIBIOUS OPERATIONS. IT WAS THESE BOATS THAT MADE THE D-DAY LANDINGS AT NORMANDY, GUADALCANAL, TARAWA, IWO JIMA, OKINAWA, LEYTE AND GUAM AND HUNDREDS OF LESSER KNOWN ASSAULTS POSSIBLE. WITHOUT THESE UNIQUELY DESIGNED CRAFT THERE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A MASS LANDING OF TROOPS AND MATERIAL ON EUROPEAN SHORES OR ON THE BEACHES OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS. HE RECEIVED THE ARMY NAVY 'E', THE HIGHEST AWARD THAT THE ARMED FORCES COULD BESTOW UPON A COMPANY.