Assault boat

An Assault boat is a boat utilized by combat soldiers for making a landing as part of combat operations. Meant for inland waters, assault boats were light enough to be carried by several men and paddled, or fitted with an outboard motor for hi-speed operation, manually portable or not.

Assault boats in the U.S. military during World War II were typically the property of Combat Engineer Battalions, whose combat engineers also deployed and crewed them.

The Americans deployed two types of assault boat: the storm boat was an 8 man (6+2 crew) hi speed Assault Boat with a 55 HP Outboard Motor, designed to beach 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.

Overview of the differences between British and American Storm and Assault Boats: Section 8. Comparison of River Crossing Equipment, From the Engineer chapter of A Military Encyclopedia Based on Operations in the Italian Campaigns, 1943-1945

a. British Canvas Boats. (The Goatley boat)

b. U.S. Plywood Boat, M-2.

c. Conclusions:

a. British Storm Boat.

b. American Storm Boat.

c. Conclusions:

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