Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2004 A Model for Studying World War II-Era LCMs in the Archaeological Record Matthew E. Keith Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES A MODEL FOR STUDYING WORLD WAR II-ERA LCMS IN THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD By MATTHEW E. KEITH A Thesis submitted to the Department of Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Degree Awarded: Fall Semester, 2004 The members of the Committee approve the Thesis of Matthew Keith defended on November 4, 2004. _________________________ Cheryl Ward Professor Directing Thesis _________________________ Rochelle Marrinan Committee Member _________________________ Glen Doran Committee Member Approved: ______________________________ Dean Falk, Chair, Department Anthropology The Office of Graduate Studies has verified and approved the above named committee members. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS All field work related to this thesis was performed under the auspices of the Dog and St. George Island Shipwreck Survey, authorized under a Section 1A32 Archaeological Permit and funded by a State of Florida Survey and Planning Grant. The Principal Investigator of the Dog and St. George Island Shipwreck Survey (DSGISS) was Dr. Michael Faught. His support, interest, and advice are greatly appreciated. Melanie Damour-Horrell and Christopher Horrell, as Co- Field Directors of the DSGISS, supported the Lanark Reef Survey and offered a great deal of advice as well. Marc Skeist served in the capacity of co-field director during the first two survey expeditions of the Lanark Reef Wreck. In addition, he co-authored the site report, and helped conduct the initial stages of archival research into LCM specifications. I would like to thank all of the crew members who accompanied the various survey operations of the Lanark Reef Wreck, they include: Anna Bakare, Norma Garcia, Pat Gensler, Anne Popplestone, Peter Kriz, Melanie Damour-Horrell, Marc Skeist, Pam Andras, Neal Engel, Bert Ho, Ron Grayson, Amanda Evans, Rachel Horlings, Kristin Klein, and Michael Faught. Chuck Meide and Rachel Horlings both provided information about previous surveys at the site, notes, and data. Dan Marelli, Mike Pomeroy, and Jeff Lane of FSU’s Academic Diving Program provided logistical support and input, as did the staff of the FSU Marine Lab. Linda Minichiello and David Butler of the Camp Gordon Johnston Association and Museum provided a great deal of information on LCM specifications and the history of Camp Gordon Johnston. They also introduced me to a number of Camp Gordon Johnston veterans who provided a slightly more emic viewpoint to my understanding of their training. A number of people provided their expertise to answer questions or assist in conducting archival research, these include; Dr. William Oldson and Joan Denman of the Institute on World War II and the Human Experience, Dr. Janie iii Wulf of the FSU Department of Biology, John Broadwater, Army Corps of Engineers Historian. Thanks to David Keith and especially Amanda Evans for countless hours spent editing. Finally, I would like to thank Dr’s. Cheryl Ward, Rochelle Marrinan, and Glen Doran for their advice, comments, and interest in serving on my committee. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables ................................................................................................…… vi List of Figures ................................................................................................…… vii Abstract ......................................................................................................…… ix 1. ARCHAEOLOGY OF WORLD WAR II ......................................................…… 1 2. A MODEL FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF LCMS IN THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL RECORD ...................................................................…… 7 3. CASE STUDY: FRANKLIN COUNTY, FLORIDA.....................................…… 34 4. SITE 8FR892: THE LANARK REEF WRECK………………………… ....…… 46 5. CONCLUSIONS …..…..................................................................................…… 71 APPENDIX A: FIELD NOTES, FEBRUARY 19 2000, RACHEL HORLINGS...... 77 APPENDIX B: PERMISSION FORM…………………………………………….... 80 REFERENCES CITED…....................................................................................…… 81 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH ..............................................................................…… 89 v LIST OF TABLES Table 1: The figure reflects the specifications of LCMs used ca. WWII (1939- 1945)…………….. ..............................................................................................……. 15 Table 2: Estimated rate of corrosion for steel and iron-hulled vessels................……. 25 Table 3: A comparison of select WWII-era landing craft with 8FR892……………... 64 vi LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Marines disembarking from a Higgins LCVP .....................................…….. 11 Figure 2: LCM Mk2s are distinguished from other models by their rounded sterns…. 13 Figure 3: A LCM Mk3 carries a light tank in July 1944 .....................................…….. 13 Figure 4: A comparison of British Mk1 and American Mk3 LCM types … ......…….. 14 Figure 5: Modified LCMs were used to tow barrage balloons………....……………... 16 Figure 6: An unknown LCM type in St. George Sound, August 2002.................……. 19 Figure 7: Rusticles on RMS Titanic are caused by sulphate-reducing bacteria............. 26 Figure 8: A flowchart showing the LCM model as applied to an unidentified vessel… 33 Figure 9: Franklin County lies in Florida’s panhandle. .......................................…….. 36 Figure 10: The Franklin County Lumber Co. was located in Carrabelle, Florida, circa 1920 ………………………………………………………………………………….. 39 Figure 11: A sign warning of unexploded ordnance sits along US Rte 98 in Franklin County……………..............................................................................................……. 43 Figure 12: Two exposed bombs found near St.George Island.............................……. 44 Figure 13: A side scan sonar image of 8FR892 from the 1999 DISS..................……. 46 Figure 14: A side scan sonar image of 8FR892 at 25 meter range …………………. 50 Figure 15: A WWII-era aerial photograph of Camp Gordon Johnston shows Lanark Reef to the south………...............................................................................................……. 51 Figure 16: WW II-related artifacts are situated throughout St. George Sound………. 52 Figure 17: A side scan sonar image of 8FR892 at 50 meter range showing Feature C to the north……………………. ..............................................................................……. 54 vii Figure 18: Feature C, seen at a 20-meter range, does not appear to be related to 8FR892……………………………………………………………………………..… 54 Figure 19: A plan view map shows 8FR892………………................................……. 56 Figure 20: A proposed cross-section of 8FR892 illustrates the interior compartment.. 57 Figure 21: Sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus) and Atlantic spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber) were documented on site ……………….......................…… 59 Figure 22: A sheepshead frequents the interior of the wreck. .............................…… 60 Figure 23: The winch spool is covered by biofouling and concretion layers. ……… 61 Figure 24: A view of the winch from above shows oxidized metal underneath protective biofouling………….............................................................................................…… 62 Figure 25: A schematic demonstrates the dimensions of a British Mk1 LCM....…… 65 Figure 26: 8FR892 shares a number of similarities with this 1944 pipeline “Cutter” Dredge ……………………………………………………………………………… 68 Figure 27: The dustpan head of U.S. Dredge Burgess from 1947 shares similarities with Feature B of 8FR892............................................................................................…… 68 viii ABSTRACT LCMs (landing craft, mechanized) played a number of important roles in World War II. Despite their significance, they have rarely been analyzed in the archaeological record. This thesis presents a model used to help identify and evaluate a shipwreck site (8FR892) in Franklin County, Florida, home to Camp Gordon Johnston, a World War II Amphibious Training Center. The data on which the model is based was useful in assessing site 8FR892 and was successful in demonstrating that 8FR892 is not a LCM. The model considers pre-depositional, depositional, and post-depositional processes that may affect the condition of submerged steel-hulled vessels in a number of environments and therefore has applications to identify submerged LCM sites around the world. ix CHAPTER 1 ARCHAEOLOGY OF WORLD WAR II During the 2002 field season of the Dog and St. George Island Shipwreck Survey, the discovery of numerous World War II-era artifacts prompted further research into the archaeological potential of the region’s World War II heritage. One site in particular was expected to provide a great deal of information about World War II army training activities that took place in the area. This site was 8FR892, previously identified as a Landing Craft, Mechanized (LCM) (Meide et al. 2001). Allied LCMs were developed just prior to the war to conduct amphibious landings of troops, equipment, and vehicles on a defended enemy occupied beach. Despite the fact that numerous LCMs were lost during the war,