The American company that built the first LVT amphibious tractors was FMC, the Food Machinery Corporation. Its earlier experience making agricultural and insecticide-spraying equipment helped it manufacture the new tracked vehicle.
The LVT grew from Donald Roebling’s civilian Alligator, a swamp-rescue vehicle developed in Florida during the 1930s. The U.S. Marine Corps recognized that a militarized version could carry supplies and troops across shallow water and beaches. After testing and redesign, the first production LVT-1 was delivered in July 1941.
FMC received the contract for the first 200 LVTs. These vehicles were built at the company’s plant in Dunedin, Florida, where much of the improvement work had taken place. Later production expanded to facilities in Lakeland, Riverside, and San Jose.
The early LVT-1 was lightly protected and intended mainly for logistics, but Marines soon saw its assault potential. Later Buffalo and Amtank variants added better suspension, armor, weapons, and greater battlefield utility.