Published: Sat, Aug. 16, 2008 12:30AM

Modified Sat, Aug. 16, 2008 01:28PM

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It was shipped to England, then Baltimore before being trucked to Beaufort.

Three experts have examined the boat and agreed it was likely built in 1943, Herbert said. Still, it's unclear whether it was used in the Normandy invasion, and so far museum workers haven't found a serial number that might help determine its history. A bulkhead with an ID number had been replaced, and the original engine is gone.

Still, there is no question that it's special, Herbert said. "This is sort of a crown jewel of our collection, first of all because of its historical significance -- not only to the division but the history of the United States -- and also because it's so rare," he said.

Recrafting history

The restoration will begin with cleaning and an inventory of remaining parts so the restoration crew will know what odd items they need to seek, Prentice said. Historically inaccurate modifications will be removed, and workers will use old drawings to reconstruct parts such as the bulkhead between the helmsman and the cargo area.

Eventually, the hull will be lifted off its steel cradle so remnants of some fairly recent fiberglass sheathing can be removed and any rot repaired. One of the hardest tasks will be removing and repairing the bent main rudder, Prentice said. A replacement engine will be found and fitted.

When the work is done, the Higgins boat will go to the museum, though it may not be on display until 2010, when a new wing is expected to be completed, Herbert said.

Higgins boats may be a triumph of logic and function, but some troops who rode them into battle weren't focused on the boat's fine points.

Many got seasick from the combination of diesel exhaust and ocean swells, said Demetrius "Pete" Lypka of King, N.C. He came ashore at North Africa and Sicily on a Higgins boat and was on a larger type at Normandy.

He said he thought they were metal and would never have climbed aboard if he had known they were made of plywood.

"They got us on the beach, though," he said. "They did a masterful job."