On June 6, 1944, the Allied forces landed on the beaches of Normandy in LCVP boats (Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel, also known as Higgins boats) as part of Operation Overlord. This invasion would change the course of World War II and live on in our history as D-Day. With the 75th anniversary of D-Day upon us, we figured we would take a look at a vital component that Louisiana contributed to the war effort all those years ago--Andrew Jackson Higgins and his Higgins boats.
Andrew Jackson Higgins (28 August 1886 – 1 August 1952), founder and owner of Higgins Industries, was acknowledged by then-General Dwight D. Eisenhower as being "the man who won the war for us." Higgins Industries produced over 20,000 boats during the war, including the boats used in the D-Day invasion. For more information about Andrew J. Higgins, Higgins Industries, and those famous boats, check out these resources: https://stpl.bibliocommons.com/list/share/1026601197_stplreferenceslidell/1420885187_higgins_boats, opens a new window.
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