[ Vietnam ]

LCSR - Landing Craft Swimmer Reconnaissance

NOTES:  The LCSR and LCSR(L) were designed to replace the venerable Mk IV LCPL that Navy Underwater Demolition Teams (UDT) used to drop-off and pick-up swimmers. The Fulton Recovery System consisted of: two pods (that looked like small boats about six feet long and made of buoyant foam); a polypropylene line a couple hundred feet long with a float in the middle that connected the pods; a ramp for the pods on the back of the boat; a long rod that attached to the bow just below the waterline, a winch on the front of the boat.

To do a drop-off, (called "casting") the LCSR made a high speed pass through the area while the UDT members simply jumped off the stern of the boat.

To do a pickup,  (called “retrieval”) the LCSR would make a high speed pass by the UDT members in the water and drop off the pods. The LCSR then proceeded in a large arc and came back around to pick-up the team in the water. Meanwhile, the team maneuvered the pods apart so the line connecting them was taught and the float in the middle was visible [to the pick-up boat]. The LCSR would steer at high speed toward the float so that the bow rod would snag the float line. A guide moved the line up from the water to the winch on the bow. After pick-up was made, the LCSR proceeded away from the beach while performing evasive maneuvers, the pods were winched-in, and the recovery was complete. 

A variation of the Fulton Recovery System was also developed for aircraft and was used to extract downed aircrews and special operations personnel from enemy territory. The system was demonstrated to the public in the movies The Green Berets and Thunderball.

The LCSR and LCSR(L) were the Navy’s first attempt to put gas turbines in small craft. The effort was not entirely successful. The turbine exhaust from the LCSR had a nasty habit of setting fire to wooden piers or small boast that came alongside. The clutch mechanism for connecting the output of the turbines to the shafts was tempermental. The variable-pitch mechanism in the propellers was weak.

The LCSR turbine exhaust had a nasty habit of setting fire to wooden piers or small boast that came alongside.  The clutch mechanism for connecting the output of the turbines to the shafts was temperamental.  Props had a nasty problem of throwing blades – into the lazerette where the steering gear was located.  Low battery output caused hot starts on the turbines that lead to shortened engine life.
 
The LCSR(L) had similar problems to the larger LCSR.  The variable-pitch mechanism in the propellers was weak.  The hydraulic winch used for recoveries refused to work on the aluminum-hulled LCSR(L).  The electric winch installed on the fiberglass-hulled LCSR(L) used for recoveries worked fine for about 3-4 recoveries and then caught fire.
 
Seven LCSR and two LCSR(L) boats were built.   Uniflite of Bellingham, WA built the fiberglass LCSR.  LCSR(L)-1 was built by Harbor Boat Co. (Harco) of San Diego, CA and LCSR(L)-2 was built by Henry C. Grebe Co. of Chicago, IL.
 

READER COMMENTS:  Dan, I think there is a reason why there is confusion about the LCSR (Landing Craft Swimmer Reconnaissance). There were actually TWO different kinds: (1) your basic 51' LCSR with 2 Solar 1,200 hp turbines and (2) the 36' LCSR(L) with two 500 hp P&W ST-6 turbines. I remember that we had two of them at BSU-1. The LCSR(L) was usually parked opposite to PTF-13 at the pier.

Dan and Bill this picture is not a LCSR, it looks to me to be an LCPL that has been modified, check Joe Burk in the mail section on ptfnasty. Already gotten back to Fred with what I know about LCSR's seeing that I had the Six and Seven LCSR's in the 64 and 66 years. Jim

  Photo: Glen Bertholf

To do a pickup (called “retrieval”), the LCSR would make a high speed pass by the UDT members in the water and drop off the pods.  The LCSR then proceeded in a large arc and came back around to pick-up the team in the water.  Meanwhile, the team maneuvered the pods apart so the line connecting them was taught and the float in the middle was visible [to the pick-up boat].  The LCSR would steer at high speed (about 30 knots) toward the float so that the bow rod would snag the float line.  A guide moved the line up from the water to the winch on the bow.  After pick-up was made, the LCSR proceeded away from the beach while performing evasive maneuvers, the pods were winched-in, and the recovery was complete.  The photo shows the pods in tow behind the LCSR.

 Photo: Glen Bertholf

A variation of the Fulton Recovery System was also developed for aircraft and was used to extract downed aircrews and special operations personnel from enemy territory.  The system was demonstrated to the public in the movies The Green Berets and Thunderball.

The LCSR and LCSR(L) were the Navy’s first attempt to put gas turbines in small craft.  The effort was not entirely successful. 

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