The origins of the LTV can be traced back to the Alligator, a civil vehicle designed for rescue in swampy areas that could not be reached with other means. The Landing Vehicle, Tracked, Mark 2, commonly known as Water Buffalo, was an improved version of the first military model, the LTV-1, with a Continental W670-9A engine, the same transmission from the M3A1 tank, new suspension and extra armor; it was produced from 1942, when it was developed, until 1945. It was first used in Tarawa, with 50 units responding to the 2nd Amphibian Tractor Battalion. Despite some evident limits and the appearance of improved models, the LTV-2 saw service in the major Pacific campaigns, up to the invasion of Okinawa. Its production, in seven different plants, reached 2,963 units.