Skip to main content
USNI Logo USNI Logo USNI Logo
Donate
  • Cart
  • Join or Log In
  • Search

Main navigation

  • About Us
  • Membership
  • Books & Press
  • USNI News
  • Proceedings
  • Naval History
  • Archives
  • Events
  • Donate
USNI Logo USNI Logo USNI Logo
Donate
  • Cart
  • Join or Log In
  • Search

Main navigation (Sticky)

  • About Us
  • Membership
  • Books & Press
  • USNI News
  • Proceedings
  • Naval History
  • Archives
  • Events
  • Donate

Sub Menu

  • Essay Contests
    • About Essay Contests
  • Current Issue
  • Subscribe to Naval History
    • Naval History Digital Subscription
    • Renew Your Subscription
  • Submisison Guidelines
  • Contact Naval History
    • Media Inquiries
  • All Issues
US-MdAnUSNI-191015001.tif
Resembling a fireworks display, a five-inch rocket is launched from the USS Clarion River (LSMR-409) on a night mission.
(U.S. Naval Institute Photo Archive)

Sub Menu

  • Essay Contests
    • About Essay Contests
  • Current Issue
  • Subscribe to Naval History
    • Naval History Digital Subscription
    • Renew Your Subscription
  • Submisison Guidelines
  • Contact Naval History
    • Media Inquiries
  • All Issues

Rocket Ships

A pictorial overview of close-in fire support ships developed during World War II.
By Jon Hoppe
June 2021
Naval History
Volume 35, Number 3
Article
View Issue
Comments
Body

Experiences of British, U.S., and Allied forces early in World War II underscored the need for effective close-in fire support and beach bombardment. The most effective method for providing this much-needed capability was not to develop specialized platforms for the task, but to modify the ships and craft that already had the capability to get close-in to shore in medias res. The answer was landing craft.

Much as the Soviets had done with their Katyusha on land, the British Royal Navy and U.S. Navy began modifying their existing and planned landing craft and boat designs to accommodate rapidly evolving rocket and rocket-launching technology. By the war's end, a number of different craft had been modified to carry and launch rockets for close-in fire support.

LCT(5)(R)-482 provides supporting fire during the Invasion of Normandy
LCT(5)(R)-482 provides supporting fire during the Invasion of Normandy, July, 1944.
(U.S. Naval Institute Photo Archive)

One of the first designs to be modified was the British Landing Craft Tank, Mk. 5, which saw use primarily in the Royal Navy but was also used by the U.S. Navy in the Mediterranean and Normandy campaigns before being transferred to the Pacific theater.

As more designs came into use during 1943-44, other smaller craft were modified for rocket capability, including the landing craft, vehicle and personnel (LCVP):

Armed with rocket launchers, a U.S. Navy LCVP-R moves off shore in the Solomon Islands.
Armed with rocket launchers, a U.S. Navy LCVP-R moves off shore in the Solomon Islands.
(U.S. Naval Institute Photo Archive)

And the landing craft, mechanized (LCM):

US-MdAnUSNI-190006031.tif
Starboard bow view of a U.S. Navy LCM preparing to depart the U.S. East Coast, after being fitted out with rows of rocket launchers. (U.S. Naval Institute Photo Archive)

Other designs incorporated their placement directly, including the Higgins landing craft support, small, Mark 2 (LCS[S]-2), which had racks placed alongside the cabin:

US-MdAnUSNI-190014003.tif
Port side view of the USS LCS(S)-2 lying at rest off New Orleans, Louisiana.
(U.S. Naval Institute Photo Archive)

Even some patrol torpedo (PT) boats were fitted with rocket launchers for more effective close-in fire support:

US-MdAnUSNI-198011012.tif
Bow view of Patrol Torpedo Boat #631 (PT-631) lying at rest. Note 37mm gun, rocket launchers, and Radar Screen. (U.S. Naval Institute Photo Archive)

In the Pacific Theater, where amphibious operations were an essential aspect of the war, larger craft were modified. An "interim" platform before the landing ship, medium (LSM) came on line was the landing craft, infantry (LCI), which were used extensively in late 1944 through early 1945:

US-MdAnUSNI-190004009.tif
Task Force 51.15 moves to the transport area off the north end of Iwo Jima after USS LCI(R)-707 discharged rockets. (U.S. Naval Institute Photo Archive)

One of the last developments of the war was the landing ship, medium (rocket) (LSM[R]), three classes of which were produced.

LSM(R) firing rockets onto a shore position during World War II
LSM(R) firing rockets onto a shore position during World War II
(U.S. Naval Institute Photo Archive)

Later variants, decommissioned after World War II, were reactivated for the Korean War in support of amphibious operations on the peninsula.

US-MdAnUSNI-191016003.tif
Port bow view of the LSM(R)-512 underway at sea after reactivation in 1951.
(U.S. Naval Institute Photo Archive)

Many of the class were retained and served in Vietnam.

One of the last iterations of this design was the USS Carronade (IFS-1), a specially designed inshore fire-support ship launched in 1955 to provide direct naval gunfire support to amphibious landings or operations close to shore. Like the older LSMRs, the Carronade served in the "Brown Water Navy" in Vietnam until she was decommissioned in 1970.

NH 67513
USS Carronade (IFS-1) at sea. (U.S. Naval Institute Photo Archive)

Redesignated amphibious fire support ships (LFRs) while in reserve, the last of the rocket ships were scrapped in the early 1970s.

US-MdAnUSNI-191009025.tif
Ex-USS Desplaines River (LFR-412) moored in mothballs, prior to her sale in 1973.
(U.S. Naval Institute Photo Archive)

Jon Hoppe

Jonathan L. Hoppe was the Digital Assets Administrator at the U.S. Naval Institute from 2015-2019. Before he started with USNI, he worked in historical research and archives. He has a background in art conservation from the University of Delaware and a Master of Library and Information Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh. You can visit his personal site at hoppejl.wordpress.com.

More Stories From This Author View Biography

Quicklinks

Footer menu

  • About the Naval Institute
  • Books & Press
  • Naval History
  • USNI News
  • Proceedings
  • Oral Histories
  • Events
  • Naval Institute Foundation
  • Photos & Historical Prints
  • Advertise With Us
  • Naval Institute Archives

Receive the Newsletter

Sign up to get updates about new releases and event invitations.

Sign Up Now
Example NewsletterPrivacy Policy
USNI Logo White
Copyright © 2025 U.S. Naval Institute Privacy PolicyTerms of UseContact UsAdvertise With UsFAQContent LicenseMedia Inquiries
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
×

You've read 1 out of 5 free articles of Naval History this month.

Non-subscribers can read five free Naval History articles per month. Subscribe now and never hit a limit.