![]() Elderly workers, African Americans, disabled folks, women – everyone worked in harmony to win the war. His factory employed people from all walks of life and that was ground-breaking for this time in American history. Eisenhower even famously stated that “Andrew Higgins is the man who won the war for us.” A tremendous legacy, without question, but what I also appreciate is that he provided a platform for success for everyone. His efforts contributed greatly to the war effort, specifically to the D-Day invasion. Higgins inspired a level of patriotic zeal in his employees that was nearly unrivaled, meaning they met the intense deadlines delivered by the beleaguered US Navy. His grit and determination guided not only his design efforts, but the manufacturing as well. The boats, now known as “Higgins boats”, were more stable and surprisingly nimble on the water. The hours Higgins spent to re-tool every feature paid off. About 24 hours after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Higgins was at the patent office to present his most refined version of the LCVP’s. Then came the defining moment – a date which will live in infamy. ![]() Their maneuverability and power caught the eye of the Coast Guard and soon Higgins’ handiwork was outsmarting rum runners nationwide during Prohibition. These vessels helped ferry cargo to and fro in the shallow waters of the South. These flat-bottomed boats first came into being a couple decades earlier, when Higgins built prototypes for his lumber mill customers. This amazing creation goes by the official title of “Landing Craft, Vehicle and Personnel” (or LCVP’s for short). I humbly suggest that this fact change as one of Andrew’s inventions paved the way for the Allied victory during WWII. Hailing from Columbus, his isn’t a name that’s featured prominently in history books. ![]() At the top of the list, I’ll honor the gentleman who set this idea in motion and also saved the world!Įveryone, please meet Andrew Higgins. ![]() I’ll start with my home state of Nebraska. ![]() An article, commemorating D-Day, inspired me to create a new series celebrating vintage icons from each of our beautiful fifty states. It’s always fun being an internet sleuth and discovering where people grew up. I love a great retro movie and find myself pausing the credits so I can Google the history of the people involved in the production. ![]()
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