The conversion combined the speed, cargo capacity, and accommodation of a liner with the machinery needed to launch an amphibious force. Davits and their supporting structure had to be reinforced for a large landing-craft load. Troop and landing-craft crews required redesigned accommodation, while guns and their magazines imposed further structural and safety demands. These changes turned the ship into a mobile assault base rather than a simple troop transport. Their rapid completion supports the inference that engineering plans existed before the formal request for LSI (Large) ships.
Chapter · 23:18-24:20
How a cargo liner became an amphibious assault ship
Reinforced davits, troop accommodation, guns, magazines, and extensive landing-craft capacity turned a general-purpose ship into a mobile assault base.