USS Cliffrose (AN-42), circa 1945. | |
Class overview | |
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Builders |
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Operators |
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Preceded by | Aloe class |
Succeeded by | Cohoes class |
Built | 1942–1943 |
In commission | 1943–1947 |
Completed | 35 |
Lost | 2 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Net tender |
Tonnage | 1,100 long tons (1,118 t) GRT |
Length | 194–198 ft (59–60 m) |
Beam | 34.5–37 ft (10.5–11.3 m) |
Draft | 11.75–13 ft (3.58–3.96 m) |
Propulsion | Busch-Sulzer 539 diesel-electric, no reduction gears, 1 shaft, 1,200 hp (895 kW) |
Speed | 12 knots (14 mph; 22 km/h) |
Complement | 56 men |
Armament |
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The Ailanthus class were a group of 35 wooden-hulled net laying ships of the United States Navy built during World War II as part of the huge building programs of late 1941 and early 1942 for small patrol and mine warfare vessels. Five of the class were transferred to the British Royal Navy under Lend-Lease, and another five were converted while at their shipyards into Auxiliary Fleet Tugs, the ATA-214-class. [1]
In the original design, in addition to the 3-inch gun mounted forward of the bridge, there were two single 20 mm guns mounted on top of the bridge. In September 1944, as a trial, a third 20 mm gun was installed on a small elevated platform mounted on a pedestal between the bridge and the smokestack on Terebinth (AN-59), but it was found that the arc of fire was restricted, that the platform was too hot to permit the storage of ready ammunition, and that the gun crew became ill from engine fumes. Instead, two additional single 20 mm guns were installed at the after end of the deckhouse on AN 39-63 and 66-69. In April 1945 the four single mounts were ordered to be replaced with four twin mounts, but this change does not seem to have been made. [1]
Two ships of the class were lost during the war;
In early 1946 six of the ships, Cliffrose (AN-42), Cinnamon (AN-50), Silverbell (AN-51), Torchwood (AN-55), Catclaw (AN-60), and Shellbark (AN-67), were transferred to the Republic of China's Maritime Customs Service at Shanghai, while the remainder were disposed of in 1947 in a Maritime Commission sales program for small vessels. [1]
Ship name | Hull | Builder | Comm. | Decomm. | Fate |
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Ailanthus | YN-57 AN-38 | Everett-Pacific Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company | 2 Dec 1943 | n/a | Ran aground in Alaskan waters, 26 Feb 1944; declared total loss |
Bitterbush | YN-58 AN-39 | 15 Jan 1944 | 4 Jan 1946 | Sold to a commercial interest, 1948; destroyed by fire off Puerto Rico, 27 May 1954 | |
Anaqua | YN-59 AN-40 | 21 Feb 1944 | 7 Feb 1946 | Sold to a commercial interest, 6 Mar 1946; fate unknown | |
Baretta | YN-60 AN-41 | 18 Mar 1944 | 4 Apr 1946 | Fate unknown | |
Cliffrose | YN-61 AN-42 | 30 Apr 1944 | 7 Jan 1947 | Transferred to Taiwan, 7 Jan 1947; fate unknown | |
Satinleaf | YN-62 AN-43 | 8 Apr 1944 | 4 Apr 1946 | Sold to a commercial interest, 29 Apr 1947; fate unknown | |
Corkwood | YN-63 AN-44 | 16 May 1944 | 7 Mar 1946 | Fate unknown | |
Cornel | YN-64 AN-45 | 6 Jun 1944 | 15 Feb 1946 | Fate unknown | |
Mastic | YN-65 AN-46 | 4 Jul 1944 | 1 Mar 1946 | Sold to a commercial interest, 6 Jun 1947; fate unknown | |
Canotia | YN-66 AN-47 | 31 Jul 1944 | 18 Feb 1946 | Fate unknown | |
Lancewood | YN-67 AN-48 | Pollock-Stockton Shipbuilding Company | 18 Oct 1943 | 11 Feb 1946 | Transferred to France, 3 May 1947; fate unknown |
Papaya | YN-68 AN-49 | 1 Dec 1943 | 31 Jan 1946 | Fate unknown | |
Cinnamon | YN-69 AN-50 | 10 Jan 1944 | 25 Mar 1947 | Transferred to Taiwan; fate unknown | |
Silverbell | YN-70 AN-51 | 16 Feb 1944 | 10 Jan 1947 | Transferred to Taiwan; fate unknown | |
Snowbell | YN-71 AN-52 | 16 Mar 1944 | 5 Dec 1945 | Damaged beyond economical repair by Typhoon Louise, 9 Oct 1945; hulk blown up, 14 Jan 1946 | |
Spicewood | YN-72 AN-53 | 7 Apr 1944 | 20 Feb 1946 | Sold to a commercial interest; fate unknown | |
Manchineel | YN-73 AN-54 | 26 Apr 1944 | 11 Mar 1946 | Sold to a commercial interest, 20 Jun 1947; fate unknown | |
Torchwood | YN-74 AN-55 | 12 May 1944 | 26 Oct 1946 | Transferred to China; fate unknown | |
Winterberry | YN-75 AN-56 | 30 May 1944 | 15 Feb 1946 | Sold to a commercial interest, 31 Mar 1947; fate unknown | |
Viburnum | YN-76 AN-57 | 2 Jun 1944 | 3 Jan 1946 | Sold to a commercial interest; fate unknown | |
Abele | YN-77 AN-58 | Barbour Boat Works, New Bern, NC | 2 Jun 1944 | 1 Mar 1946 | Fate unknown |
Balm | YN-78 AN-59 | 5 Aug 1944 | 31 Jan 1946 | Sold to a commercial interest, 23 Apr 1946; fate unknown | |
Precept; served as HMS Precept (Z266) | YN-79 AN-73 | 14 Oct 1944 | 4 Jan 1945 | Fate unknown | |
Boxelder; served as HMS Precise (Z285) | YN-80 AN-74 | 21 Dec 1944 | 14 Dec 1945 | Fate unknown | |
Catclaw | YN-81 AN-60 | Snow Shipyards, Rockland, ME | 14 Jan 1944 | 19 Apr 1946 | Transferred to China; fate unknown |
Chinaberry | YN-82 AN-61 | 12 Mar 1944 | 26 Mar 1946 | Sold to a commercial interest, 27 Feb 1950; fate unknown | |
Hoptree | YN-83 AN-62 | 18 May 1944 | 1 Mar 1946 | Sold to a commercial interest, 23 Apr 1947; sold for scrap, 1954 | |
Whitewood | YN-84 AN-63 AG-129 | 17 Jul 1944 | 1 Apr 1949 | Sold for scrap, 8 Mar 1950 | |
n/a | YN-85 AN-64 | Canulette Shipbuilding Company, Slidell, LA | reordered as ATA-214 class tugboat | ||
n/a | YN-86 AN-65 | Snow Shipyards, Rockland, ME | reordered as ATA-214 class tugboat | ||
Pinon | YN-87 AN-66 | American Car and Foundry Company, Wilmington, DE | 31 Mar 1944 | 5 Mar 1946 | Sold to a commercial interest; destroyed by fire, 28 Aug 1961 |
Prefect; served as HMS Prefect (Z263) | YN-88 AN-75 | 3 Jun 1944 | 28 Dec 1945 | Fate unknown | |
Satinwood; served as HMS Pretext (Z284) | YN-89 AN-76 | 5 Aug 1944 | 22 Nov 1945 | Sold to a commercial interest; foundered off Newfoundland, 11 Nov 1982 | |
Seagrape; served as HMS Preventer (Z265) | YN-90 AN-77 | 5 Aug 1944 | 22 Nov 1945 | Transferred to New Zealand, 15 Aug 1956; sold to a commercial interest, Jun 1962; sunk, 11 Nov 1982 | |
Shellbark | YN-91 AN-67 | Canulette Shipbuilding Company, Slidell, LA | 12 Apr 1944 | 19 Apr 1946 | Transferred to China, 20 Apr 1946; fate unknown |
Silverleaf | YN-92 AN-68 | 26 May 1944 | 18 Apr 1946 | Sold for scrap, 31 Mar 1947 | |
Stagbush | YN-93 AN-69 | 30 Aug 1944 | 26 Mar 1946 | Sold to a commercial interest, Apr 1947; burned, 16 Oct 1954 | |
n/a | YN-94 AN-70 | reordered as ATA-214 class tugboat | |||
n/a | YN-95 AN-71 | reordered as ATA-214 class tugboat | |||
n/a | YN-96 AN-72 | reordered as ATA-214 class tugboat |
The 3-inch/50-caliber gun in United States naval gun terminology indicates the gun fired a projectile 3 inches (76 mm) in diameter, and the barrel was 50 calibers long. Different guns of this caliber were used by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard from 1900 through to 1990 on a variety of combatant and transport ship classes.
The Bayfield-class attack transport was a class of US Navy attack transports that were built during World War II.
A net laying ship, also known as a net layer, net tender, gate ship or boom defence vessel was a type of naval auxiliary ship.
USS Snowbell (YN-71/AN-52) was a Ailanthus-class net laying ship which served the U.S. Navy during World War II. She operated in the Pacific Ocean until she was destroyed by Typhoon Louise off Okinawa, 9 October 1945.
USS Winterberry (AN-56/YN-75) was an Ailanthus-class net laying ship which served with the United States Navy in the Pacific Ocean theatre of operations during World War II. Despite being attacked near Okinawa by enemy suicide planes, she managed to return safely home after the war with the ship bearing one battle star.
USS Satinleaf (AN-43/YN-62) was an Ailanthus-class net laying ship which served with the U.S. Navy in the western Pacific Ocean theatre of operations during World War II. Her career was without major incident, and she returned home safely after the war with two battle stars to her credit.
USS Ailanthus (AN-38/YN-57) was an Ailanthus-class net laying ship which served with the U.S. Navy in the western Pacific Ocean theatre of operations during World War II. She was assigned to the U.S. Pacific Fleet with her protective anti-submarine nets. She ran aground at Lash bay, Tanaga Island in the Aleutians 26 February 1944 and was declared a total loss. She was only six months old. Seabees of Naval Construction Battalion 45 assisted the ship's crew evacuate safely.
USS Aloe (AN-6/YN-1) was an Aloe-class net laying ship which was assigned to serve U.S. Navy ships and harbors during World War II with her protective anti-submarine nets.
USS ATA-216 was an ATA-214-class tug of the United States Navy built in 1944. Originally laid down as the net tender Allthorn of the Ailanthus class, she was redesignated before being launched. The ship was commissioned on 30 October 1944. ATA-216 had a brief naval career, and was decommissioned on 26 March 1946.
USS ATA-217 was an ATA-214-class tug of the United States Navy built near the end of World War II. Originally laid down as Tesota (YN-95), a net tender of the Ailanthus class, she was redesignated as AN-71, a net layer, before launch. Before completion, the name Tesota was cancelled and the ship was named ATA-217, an unnamed auxiliary ocean tug.
USS Yaupon (ATA-218) was an ATA-214-class tug of the United States Navy built near the end of World War II. Originally laid down as a net tender of the Ailanthus class, she was redesignated before being launched. The ship was commissioned on 10 March 1945. Yaupon had a brief naval career, and was decommissioned on 26 March 1946.
The T3 tanker, or T3, are a class of seaworthy large tanker ships produced in the United States and used to transport fuel oil, gasoline or diesel before and during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The T3 tanker classification is still used today. The T3 tanker has a full load displacement of about 24,830 tons.
The ATA-214 class was a group of five auxiliary tugs built for the United States Navy in World War II and decommissioned shortly thereafter. They were laid down initially as Ailanthus-class net laying ships, but on 10 July 1944 the last ten ships of the latter class were cancelled. On 5 August 1944 the cancellation was rescinded for those on which construction had commenced, and they were directed to be completed as tugs. The originally assigned names were dropped, and they were identified only by hull numbers ATA-214 through ATA-218. However, for reasons unexplained, ATA-218 was commissioned as USS Yaupon.
The Type B ship is a United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) designation for World War II barges. Barges are very low cost to build, operate and move. Barges were needed to move large bulky cargo. A tug boat, some classed as Type V ships, could move a barge, then depart and move on to the next task. That meant the barge did not have to be rushed to be unloaded or loaded. Toward the end of World War 2, some ships that had not been completed in time for the war were converted to barges. US Navy barges are given the prefix: YWN or YW. Due to shortage of steel during World War II, concrete ship constructors were given contracts to build concrete barges, with ferrocement and given the prefix YO, YOG, YOGN. Built in 1944 and 1945, some were named after chemical elements.
The Type V ship is a United States Maritime Commission (MARCOM) designation for World War II tugboats. Type V was used in World War II, Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Type V ships were used to move ships and barges. Type V tugboats were made of either steel or wood hulls. There were four types of tugboats ordered for World War II. The largest type V design was the sea worthy 186-foot (57 m) long steel hull, V4-M-A1. The V4-M-A1 design was used by a number of manufacturers; a total of 49 were built. A smaller steel hull tugboat was the 94-foot (29 m) V2-ME-A1; 26 were built. The largest wooden hull was the 148-foot (45 m) V3-S-AH2, of which 14 were built. The smaller wooden hull was the 58-foot (18 m) V2-M-AL1, which 35 were built. Most V2-M-AL1 tugboats were sent to the United Kingdom for the war efforts under the lend-lease act. The Type V tugs served across the globe during World War II including: Pacific War, European theatre, and in the United States. SS Farallon, and other Type V tugs, were used to help built Normandy ports, including Mulberry harbour, on D-Day, 6 June 1944, and made nine round trips to Normandy to deliver Phoenix breakwaters.
An auxiliary floating drydock is a type of US Navy auxiliary floating dry dock. Floating dry docks are able to submerge underwater and to be placed under a ship in need of repair below the water line. Water is then pumped out of the floating dry dock, raising the ship out of the water. The ship becomes blocked on the deck of the floating dry dock for repair. Most floating dry docks have no engine and are towed by tugboats to their destinations. Floating dry docks come in different sizes to accommodate varying ship sizes, while large floating dry docks come in sections and can be combined to increase their size and lift power. Ballast pontoon tanks are flooded with water to submerge or pumped dry to raise the ship.
Everett-Pacific Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company was established in 1942 to build ships needed for World War II. Yard construction began on 1 March 1942. As part of the Emergency Shipbuilding Program, the US Navy provided some of the capital to start Everett-Pacific Shipbuilding at Port Gardner Bay in Everett, Washington. Everett-Pacific was sold in 1945 to the Pacific Car and Foundry, who was already a major manufacturer of railcars and trucks. Pacific Car and Foundry was building barges for the US Navy during World War II at plants in Renton, Seattle and Tacoma in the state of Washington. The lease for the shipyard in Everett, Washington ended in 1949 and the yard closed. Pacific Car and Foundry in 1972 changed its name to Paccar Inc. to reflect its major products. The Everett-Pacific shipyard site later became part of Western Gear, a heavy machinery manufacturer. From 1987 to 1992, the shipyard was rebuilt to become part of Naval Station Everett. Everett-Pacific Shipbuilding was started by William Pigott Jr. a Seattle businessmen and his brother Paul Pigott (1900-1961). William Pigott Jr. was born in 26 Aug. 1895 in Pueblo, CO and died on 8 July 1947 in San Francisco, CA.
Pollock-Stockton Shipbuilding Company was established in 1942 to build ships needed for World War II. As part of the Emergency Shipbuilding Program the US Navy provided some of the capital to start Pollock-Stockton Shipbuilding at Stockton, California. The shipyard was located at San Joaquin River and Stockton Channel, near Louis Park. After the war the shipyard closed down in February 1946.
Fulton Shipyard was a shipbuilding company in Antioch, California. The shipyard was founded in 1924 by Frank Fulton and Angeline Fulton Fredericks. To support the World War II demand for ships, Fulton Shipyard built minesweepers, tugboats, and troopships. The shipyard was located on the Stockton Channel at 701 Fulton Shipyard Rd, Antioch, near Antioch pier and the Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge. The site was the former Jarvis Brothers, opened in 1918, then Laurtzen shipyard. In 1977 the site became the California Corporation. The shipyard closed in 1999 and the land is owned by the Fulton Family Trust. Fulton Shipyard was on the San Joaquin River and an inland port located more than seventy nautical miles from the ocean, emptying into Suisun Bay. Fulton Shipyard was featured in a 1914 movie called The Stolen Yacht, a short drama film released on November 5, 1914. Frank Fulton and Angeline's son James Lloyd Fulton became an operator of a Fulton Shipyard tugboat.
Splinter fleet or Splinter navy was a nickname given to the United States wooden boats used in World War II. The boats served in many different roles during the war. These boats were built in small boatyards on the West coast and East coast, Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. They could be built quickly, in just 60 to 120 days. Most of the boats were built by boatyards that already had the tools and knowledge from building yachts, sailboats and motor boats. Many were built by craftsmen in family-owned small businesses. Under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program and War Shipping Administration contracts went out to over fifty boatyards across the country. The boats were built for the US Navy, the United States Army Air Forces, United States Coast Guard, and US Army. Some of the wooden boats went to Allied nations on the Lend-Lease program.