The US Navy wanted PT boats to press the enemy aggressively and support Marines, beach teams, and other forward forces. The Pacific's apparently empty expanses concealed dense groups of islands and fragmented shorelines where those small craft could work close to land. Their role belonged directly to the island-hopping advance and extended beyond torpedo ambushes. The Higgins boat was especially adaptable because a compact cabin left extensive open deck space. An inventive crew could turn that space into extra weapons or mission equipment, reinforcing the shift toward a versatile littoral gunboat.
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PT boats supported the Pacific island advance
American PT boats pressed into island waters with Marines and beach teams, while the Higgins design gave crews unusually generous deck space for improvised roles.