USNS Benjamin Isherwood

Last updated

USNS Benjamin Isherwood
USNS Benjamin Isherwood (T-AO-191).jpg
USNS Benjamin Isherwood (T-AO-191), left, being prepared for long-term storage at the Norfolk Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company in Norfolk, Virginia on 26 August 1994. The guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG-60) is at right.
History
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
Namesake Benjamin F. Isherwood (1822–1915), an early U.S. Navy engineer and rear admiral
Awarded6 May 1985
BuilderPennsylvania Shipbuilding Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Tampa Shipbuilding Company, Tampa, Florida
Laid down12 July 1986
Launched15 August 1988 a at Pennsylvania Shipbuilding; christened 7 December 1991 at Tampa Shipbuilding
In serviceNever
Stricken29 December 1997
Identification IMO number:  8508876
FateScrapped, 2011
NotesConstruction contract cancelled 15 August 1993 when ship 95.3% complete
General characteristics
Class and type Henry J. Kaiser-class replenishment oiler
Type Fleet replenishment oiler
Tonnage31,200 deadweight tons
Displacement
  • 9,500 tons light
  • Full load variously reported as 42,382 tons and as 40,700 long tons (41,353 metric tons)
Length677 ft (206 m)
Beam97 ft 5 in (29.69 m)
Draft35 ft (11 m) maximum
Installed power
  • 16,000 hp (11.9 MW) per shaft
  • 34,442 hp (25.7 MW) sustained total
PropulsionTwo medium-speed Colt-Pielstick PC4-2/2 10V-570 diesel engines, two shafts, controllable-pitch propellers
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Capacity
Complement103 (18 civilian officers, 1 U.S. Navy officer, 64 merchant seamen, 20 U.S. Navy enlisted personnel)
Armament
Aircraft carriedNone
Aviation facilities Helicopter landing platform
Notes
  • Five refueling stations
  • Two dry cargo transfer rigs

USNS Benjamin Isherwood (T-AO-191) was a Henry J. Kaiserclass fleet replenishment oiler of the United States Navy. She was never completed.

Contents

Construction

Benjamin Isherwood, the fifth Henry J. Kaiser-class ship, was laid down by the Pennsylvania Shipbuilding Company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 12 July 1986. Her construction encountered numerous problems. Although she was launched on 15 August 1988, a her construction contract with Pennsylvania Shipbuilding was cancelled on 31 August 1989. Along with her unfinished sister ship USNS Henry Eckford (T-AO-192), the incomplete Benjamin Isherwood was towed to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Philadelphia on 27 October 1989 for lay-up.

A new contract to complete Benjamin Isherwood was awarded on 16 November 1989 to the Tampa Shipbuilding Company of Tampa, Florida. She was towed from Philadelphia to Tampa. She was christened there on 7 December 1991. However, construction problems continued, and that contract also was cancelled, on 15 August 1993, when the ship was 95.3 percent complete. Cost overruns had run into the millions of U.S. dollars.

Reserve

The Navy decided that completion of Benjamin Isherwood as an oiler was no longer necessary, and considered converting her into an ammunition ship, but the conversion was found to be cost-prohibitive. Instead, the nearly complete Benjamin Isherwood was turned over to the Maritime Administration and towed up the James River in Virginia, where she was placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet as part of the United States Navy's James River Reserve Fleet at Lee Hall, Virginia. She was struck from the Navy List on 29 December 1997, and her title was transferred to the Maritime Administration on 1 February 1999. She and Henry Eckford were the only units of the 18-ship Henry J. Kaiser class not completed.

Scrapping

On 12 July 2011, the Benjamin Isherwood departed for Brownsville, Texas, to be recycled by International Shipbreaking Limited. [1]

Related Research Articles

<i>Henry J. Kaiser</i>-class replenishment oiler

The Henry J. Kaiser class is an American class of eighteen fleet replenishment oilers which began construction in August 1984. The class comprises fifteen oilers which are operated by Military Sealift Command to provide underway replenishment of fuel to United States Navy combat ships and jet fuel for aircraft aboard aircraft carriers at sea. One ship, operated by the United States from 1987 to 1996, was sold to Chile in 2009 and commissioned into the Chilean Navy in 2010; and two ships were scrapped in 2011 while still incomplete.

USNS <i>John Ericsson</i> (T-AO-194) Oiler of the United States Navy

USNS John Ericsson (T-AO-194) is a Henry J. Kaiser-class underway replenishment oiler operated by the Military Sealift Command to support ships of the United States Navy.

USS <i>Saugatuck</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Saugatuck (AO-75) was a Suamico-class replenishment oiler of the United States Navy.

USNS Petrolite (T-AO-164) was a Suamico-class T2 tanker laid down on 12 October 1943 under Maritime Commission contract. The ship was built at Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. in Chester, Pennsylvania. Launched on 13 January 1944; the ship was delivered to the United States Navy at Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 31 January 1944.

USNS <i>Tippecanoe</i> (T-AO-199) Oiler of the United States Navy

USNS Tippecanoe (T-AO-199) is a Henry J. Kaiser-class underway replenishment oiler operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC) to support ships of the United States Navy. She serves in the United States Pacific Fleet. Tippecanoe, the thirteenth ship of the Henry J. Kaiser class, was laid down at Avondale Shipyard, Inc., at New Orleans, Louisiana, on 19 November 1990 and launched on 16 May 1992. She entered non-commissioned U.S. Navy service under the control of the MSC with a primarily civilian crew on 8 February 1993.

USNS <i>Joshua Humphreys</i> (T-AO-188) Oiler of the United States Navy

USNS Joshua Humphreys (T-AO-188) is a Henry J. Kaiser-class replenishment oiler of the United States Navy. She was named for Joshua Humphreys, who designed the six original US Navy frigates. She entered service in 1987 and was placed in reserve just nine years later, but has twice been brought out of reserve and as of 2015 is once more on active duty.

USNS <i>Henry Eckford</i> (T-AO-192) Oiler of the United States Navy

USNS Henry Eckford (T-AO-192) was a Henry J. Kaiser-class fleet replenishment oiler of the United States Navy. She was never completed.

USS <i>Passumpsic</i> (AO-107) Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Passumpsic (AO-107), the only United States Navy ship to bear the name, was an Ashtabula-class fleet replenishment oiler that served in the U.S. Navy from 1946 to 1973, then transferred to the Military Sealift Command to continue service as United States Naval Ship USNS Passumpsic (T-AO-107). She was the only U.S. Navy ship to bear the name Passumpsic, after the Passumpsic River in Vermont.

USS <i>Mispillion</i> (AO-105) Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Mispillion (AO-105) was an Ashtabula-class oiler that served in the United States Navy from 1945 to 1974. She was then transferred to the Military Sealift Command to continue in non-commissioned service as United States Naval Ship USNS Mispillion (T-AO-105), in which capacity she served until 1994. Thus far, Mispillion has been the only U.S. Navy ship to bear the name.

USS <i>Pawcatuck</i> (AO-108) Oiler of the United States Navy

USS Pawcatuck (AO-108) was a T3 Ashtabula class replenishment oiler tanker that served in the U.S. Navy from 1946 to 1975, then transferred to the Military Sealift Command to continue in non-commissioned service with a civilian crew as United States Naval Ship USNS Pawcatuck (T-AO-108). She was the only United States Navy ship to bear the name Pawcatuck.

USNS <i>Kanawha</i> (T-AO-196) Oiler of the United States Navy

USNS Kanawha (T-AO-196) is a Henry J. Kaiser-class fleet replenishment oiler of the United States Navy in non-commissioned service in the Military Sealift Command.

USNS <i>Henry J. Kaiser</i> (T-AO-187) United States Navy resupply ship

USNS Henry J. Kaiser (T-AO-187) is a United States Navy fleet replenishment oiler and the lead ship of her class. Her mission is to resupply U.S. Navy and allied ships at sea with fuel oil, jet fuel, lubricating oil, potable water, and dry and refrigerated goods, including food and mail.

USNS <i>Andrew J. Higgins</i> Oiler of the United States Navy

USNS Andrew J. Higgins (T-AO-190) was a Henry J. Kaiser-class oiler of the United States Navy which saw active service from 1987 to 1996. Sold to Chile in 2009, she was commissioned as Almirante Montt in the Chilean Navy in 2010.

USNS <i>Big Horn</i> (T-AO-198) Oiler of the United States Navy

USNS Big Horn (T-AO-198) is a Henry J. Kaiser-class replenishment oiler of the United States Navy.

USNS <i>Patuxent</i> (T-AO-201) Oiler of the United States Navy

USNS Patuxent (T-AO-201) is a Henry J. Kaiser-class underway replenishment oiler operated by the Military Sealift Command to support ships of the United States Navy.

USNS <i>Laramie</i> (T-AO-203) Oiler of the United States Navy

USNS Laramie (T-AO-203) is a Henry J. Kaiser-class underway replenishment oiler operated by the Military Sealift Command to support ships of the United States Navy.

USNS <i>John Lewis</i> (T-AO-205) Oiler of the United States Navy

USNS John Lewis (T-AO-205) is a United States Navy replenishment oiler and the lead ship of her class. She is part of the Military Sealift Command fleet of support ships.

<i>John Lewis</i>-class replenishment oiler Class of ship

The John Lewis class is a class of fleet replenishment oilers which began construction in September 2018. The class will comprise twenty oilers which will be operated by Military Sealift Command to provide underway replenishment of fuel and limited amounts of dry cargo to United States Navy carrier strike groups, amphibious ready groups, and other surface forces to allow them to operate worldwide.

USNS <i>Harvey Milk</i> (T-AO-206) John Lewis-class oiler of the United States Navy

USNS Harvey Milk (T-AO-206) is the second of the John Lewis-class of underway replenishment oilers, operated by the Military Sealift Command (MSC) to support ships of the United States Navy.

References