Higgins, Andrew Jackson (1886-1952), an American shipbuilder, designed and built landing craft to take troops and tanks ashore for amphibious assaults dsuring World War II (1939-1945). His firm, the Higgins Aircraft Company and Higgins Engine Company, Inc., also made plywood cargo planes for the Army. After the war, the firm made prefabricated houses. He organized his business in 1930. Higgins was born on Aug. 28, 1886, in Columbus, Nebraska. He began building boats when he was 12 years old. Later, Higgins worked as a lumberman and established his own lumber company. He died on Aug. 1, 1952.