The conversion had to provide far more than bunks: soldiers needed room for rifles and kit, meals, exercise, communication, and mission planning. A standard 74-man mess illustrates how many different functions one troop space had to support during a passage. Soldiers ashore can often spread into additional ground, while embarked troops remain constrained by the ship's fixed volume. That contrast explains why deleting accommodation, medical, or support decks from amphibious designs can directly weaken the force delivered to the beach.
Notable Point · 9:46-12:08
Troop accommodation as amphibious combat capability
A 74-man mess illustrates why exercise, planning, storage, and medical space affect the condition of troops arriving for an assault.