This is a biographical history of the revolutionary World War II landing craft and the brave men who manned them. McGee's careful research, hundreds of interviews, and a point-blank writing style combine to capture the very essence of the amphibians' assignments in the World War II 'Gator Navy. Includes a brief history of amphibious warfare, from the Revolutionary War to the 1942 Guadalcanal and North Africa campaigns. The book profiles the famed 'Green Dragons', the high-speed destroyer transports that filled a pressing Marine Corps need for ship-to-shore delivery prior to the availability of the new landing craft. Focuses on the 'Earlybird' Flotilla Five LCTs, LSTs and LCIs, from design and construction, to on-the-job warfare training in the Southern Solomons - in preparation for their first invasion of enemy-held territory, Operation TOENAILS.