An assault boat is a

boat A boat is a watercraft of a large range of types and sizes, but generally smaller than a ship, which is distinguished by its larger size or capacity, its shape, or its ability to carry boats. Small boats are typically used on inland waterways s ...

used for landing in

combat Combat (French language, French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent Conflict (process), conflict between multiple combatants with the intent to harm the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed (Hand-to-hand combat, not usin ...

, specifically for inland waters. Their lightweight construction allows for them to be carried by multiple men on foot. They can either be paddled or fitted with an

outboard motor An outboard motor is a propulsion system for boats, consisting of a self-contained unit that includes engine, gearbox and propeller or jet drive, designed to be affixed to the outside of the transom. They are the most common motorised method ...

for high-speed operation. Some assault boats can be fitted with small firearms such as

automatic rifles An automatic rifle is a type of Self-loading rifle, autoloading rifle that is capable of fully automatic firearm, automatic fire. Automatic rifles are generally selective fire, select-fire weapons capable of firing in Semi-automatic firearm, semi ...

. Larger assault boats are used in

riverine A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of its course if it run ...

and littoral water where the boat can easily berth in tight spaces and shallow waters. The length of assault boats is usually 5 to 20 meters and they are constructed from rubber, fiberglass, aluminum, or steel.

WWII

U.S. military

Assault boats in the U.S. military during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

were typically used by

Combat Engineer Battalion An Engineer Combat Battalion (ECB) was a designation for a battalion-strength combat engineer unit in the U.S. Army, most prevalent during World War II. They are a component of the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Also known as "Combat ...

s, whose

combat engineer A combat engineer (also called pioneer or sapper) is a type of soldier who performs military engineering tasks in support of land forces combat operations. Combat engineers perform a variety of military engineering, Tunnel warfare, tunnel and l ...

s deployed and crewed them.NARRATIVE ACCOUNT OF 270TH ENGINEER COMBAT BATTALION Period 1 March 1945 - 31 March 1945
accessed 27 September 2018 The Americans deployed two types of assault boats, the "Storm Boat" and the "M2." The "Storm Boat" was an 8-man (6+2 crew) high-speed assault boat with a 55-horsepower outboard motor designed to breach at speed thus allowing the soldiers on board to "storm the shore". The "M2" was a ten-man boat (8+2 crew) that was paddled.

British

The British used two types of assault boat: a "storm boat" and a lower performance canvas boat known as "The Goatley boat".

Overview of the differences between British and American Storm and Assault Boats

Assault Boats

Storm Boats

a. British Storm Boat. :(1) Heavier to carry across the country. :(2) Would carry the heavier load (6-pounders or jeep though the latter a top-heavy load). :(3) Carried ten men but at a lower speed. b. American Storm Boat. :(1) Carried by 6 men (plus 2 for motor). :(2) Would carry up to 1500 lbs with very little reduction in speed. :(3) Carried 7 men (above crew) at maximum speed. :(4) Was the faster boat; would beach at full speed. c. Conclusions: :(1) For assault crossing of personnel the U.S. boat carried fewer men but got them across the river and in action much faster. :(2) For cargo carrying, the British boat carried a greater load but at a slower speed.

References

{{Reflist

External links

WWII 40th Combat Engineers - Storm BoatsWWII 12th Army Engineer Group - "The Rhine Crossing"

Landing craft *