Barracks ship

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US Navy barracks ship APL-61 in 2003 US Navy 031009-N-9693M-002 The U.S. Navy Barracks Craft Auxiliary Personnel Lighter Sixty One (APL-61) is moored alongside the U.S. Naval Academy's Dewey Seawall.jpg
US Navy barracks ship APL-61 in 2003

A barracks ship or barracks barge or berthing barge, or in civilian use accommodation vessel or accommodation ship, is a ship or a non-self-propelled barge containing a superstructure of a type suitable for use as a temporary barracks for sailors or other military personnel. A barracks ship, a military form of a dormitory ship, may also be used as a receiving unit for sailors who need temporary residence prior to being assigned to their ship. The United States Navy used to call them Yard Repair Berthing and Messing with designations YRBM and YRBM(L) [1] and now classes them as either Auxiliary Personnel Barracks (APB) or Auxiliary Personnel Lighter (aka barge) (APL). [2]

Contents

Early use

French ship Souverain, barracks for marines Mars-Souverain-Eylau--A Bougault.jpg
French ship Souverain, barracks for marines
USS Constitution as a barracks ship in Boston c. 1905 Constitutionasbarracksship.jpg
USS Constitution as a barracks ship in Boston c. 1905
USS Santee moored at the United States Naval Academy as a barracks ship in 1905. USS Santee LOC det.4a15789.jpg
USS Santee moored at the United States Naval Academy as a barracks ship in 1905.
U.S. Navy APL-40 at United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka in October 2021 APL-40 211016a.jpg
U.S. Navy APL-40 at United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka in October 2021

Barrack ships were common during the era of sailing ships when shore facilities were scarce or non-existent. Barrack ships were usually hulks. At times, barrack ships were also used as prison ships for convicts, prisoners of war or civilian internees.

Use in World War II

Barracks ships in the combat area provided necessary residence for sailors and merchantmen whose ship had been sunk, or whose ship had been so damaged that on-board berthing was no longer possible. They were also used as accommodation at advanced bases, and as mobile barracks for units such as construction battalions. Occasionally, they would be used for other roles such as providing office space.

APL were non-self-propelled barracks ships, which were used by the United States Navy in forward areas during World War II, especially in the Pacific Ocean, and were designated APL, such as APL-18 which was commissioned in 1944 and had the following specifications for APL-1 to APL-58:

The APL-17-class barracks ship covered APL-17 to APL-40 with APL-35 to APL-40 converted to become Benewah-class barracks ships.

Transport ships were also used as barracks by other war-time navies, such as the Kriegsmarine's SS General San Martin. One of the two abortive Jade class auxiliary aircraft carriers (Elbe) was also converted into a barracks ship.

Subsequent use

The United Kingdom used barracks ships to help garrison the Falkland Islands after it ousted the Argentinian occupation force in the 1982 Falklands War. The former car ferries MV St Edmund and TEV Rangatira were deployed to Port Stanley in 1982, and Rangatira stayed until September 1983. [3]

Rangatira is also an example of a civilian accommodation ship. She and another former ferry, MV Odysseus, housed workers who built an oil platform in Loch Kishorn in Scotland in 1977–1978, and Rangatira housed workers who built Sullom Voe Terminal in the Shetland Islands in 1978–1981. [3]

Post World War II USN use

A large number of United States Navy barges survived World War II [4] and continued to act in a support role. Some were used by the "Brown Water Navy" of the United States during the Vietnam War as bases for specialized river boats. The barge YRBM-18 (later renamed to APL-55) received the Presidential Unit Citation for service during the Vietnam War from 6 December 1968 to 31 March 1969.

The following Yard Repair types have been created: [4]

The YRB and YRBM barges were renames as Auxiliary Personnel Lighters (APL) [2] and are available to temporarily house personnel off ships. The 70 ships are assigned to the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) to bases around the world (Norfolk and Portsmouth, Virginia; San Diego; Bremerton, Washington ; Mayport, Florida; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Yokosuka and Sasebo in Japan; and Guam).

APL 65 class

The United States Navy placed a contract for two APL 65 berthing barges in August 1998 which were delivered to the Navy in November and December 2000. The APL 65 berthing barges include post office, barber shop, bank, classrooms, laundry, medical facilities and fitness services. [5]

APL 67 class

The older berthing barges are being replaced by five newer ships of the APL 67 class which are being purpose built by VT Halter Marine. [5] [6] The first contract was awarded in September 2018 with APL 67 launched in June 2020 and delivered to the USN in August 2021 followed by APL 68 which was delivered in November 2021. [7] [8]

The APL67 fleet is planned to be 14 in total. 26 'medium' APLs are also planned. [9]

On 21 November 2022, the Navy accepted APL68, saying it would support the impending USS Harry S. Truman carrier repair cycle. [9]

See also

Related Research Articles

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USS <i>Mercer</i> (APL-39)

The second USS Mercer is an Benewah-class barracks ship of the United States Navy. Originally classified as Barracks Craft APL 39, the ship was reclassified as Self-Propelled Barracks Ship APB 39 on 7 August 1944. Laid down on 24 August 1944 by Boston Navy Yard, and launched on 17 November 1944 as APB 39, sponsored by Mrs. Lillian Gaudette, the ship was named Mercer, after counties in eight states, on 14 March 1945, and commissioned on 19 September 1945.

USS <i>Zeus</i> (ARB-4)

USS Zeus (ARB-4) was planned as a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship, but was redesignated as one of twelve Aristaeus-class battle damage repair ships built for the United States Navy during World War II. Named for Zeus, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name.

Benewah-class barracks ship Class of United States Navy barrack ships

The Benewah-class barracks ship was a class of barracks ships of the United States Navy after the Second World War, in the late 1940s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Type B ship</span> World War II barges

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.

USS <i>Marlboro</i> USS Marlboro

 This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

USS <i>ABSD-5</i> WWII American floating drydock

USS ABSD-5, later redesignated as AFDB-5, was a nine-section, non-self-propelled, large auxiliary floating drydock of the US Navy. Advance Base Sectional Dock-5 was constructed in sections during 1943 and 1944 by the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company in Morgan City, Louisiana for World War II. With all nine sections joined, she was 825 feet long, 28 feet tall, and with an inside clear width of 133 feet 7 inches. ABSD-5 had two traveling 15-ton capacity crane with an 85-foot radius and two or more support barges. The two side walls were folded down under tow to reduce wind resistance and lower the center of gravity. ABSD-5 had 6 capstans for pulling, each rated at 24,000 lbf (110,000 N) at 30 ft/min (0.15 m/s), 4 of the capstans were reversible. There were also 4 ballast compartments in each section.

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.

USS <i>Nueces</i> Barracks ship of the United States Navy

USS Nueces (APB-40) is a Benewah-class barracks ship of the United States Navy. She was notable for her service in the Vietnam War.

USS <i>APL-5</i> Barracks ship of the United States Navy

USS APL-5 is an APL-2-class barracks ship of the United States Navy.

USS <i>APL-18</i> Barracks ship of the United States Navy

USS APL-18 is an APL-2-class barracks ship of the United States Navy.

USS <i>APL-45</i> Barracks ship of the United States Navy

USS APL-45 is an APL-41-class barracks ship of the United States Navy.

APL-2-class barracks ship Class of United States Navy barrack ships

The APL-2-class barracks ship was a class of barracks ships of the United States Navy after the Second World War, in the late 1940s.

APL-17-class barracks ship Class of United States Navy barrack ships

The APL-17-class barracks ship was a class of barracks ships of the United States Navy after the start of the Second World War, in the 1940s.

APL-41-class barracks ship Class of United States Navy barrack ships

The APL-41-class barracks ship was a class of barracks ships of the United States Navy after the Second World War, in the late 1940s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naval Base Eniwetok</span> Major US Navy Base in the Marshall Islands

Naval Base Eniwetok was a major United States Navy base located at Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands, during World War II. The base was built to support the island-hopping strategy used by allied nations fighting the Empire of Japan in the Pacific War. During 1944-5 Eniwetok was one of the busiest naval bases in the world with over 488 ships.

References

  1. ↑ "YRBM – Berthing Barge". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  2. 1 2 "The Navy has a floating barracks that is somehow worse than living on an actual ship". Task & Purpose. 26 July 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  3. 1 2 Castell, Marcus (2003–2005). "The Turbo Electric Vessel Rangatira of 1971". The New Zealand Maritime Record. Archived from the original on 14 September 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  4. 1 2 "Repair Barges (YR, YRB, YRBM, YRDH, YRDM, YRR)".
  5. 1 2 "Navy to Replace 70-Year-Old Berthing Barges". www.nationaldefensemagazine.org. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  6. ↑ "APL 67 Sails Away From Pascagoula". Naval Sea Systems Command. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  7. ↑ "APL 67". Naval Vessel Register . Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  8. ↑ "APL 68". Naval Vessel Register . Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  9. 1 2 New Temporary Home for USS Truman Sailors Features More Privacy, Better Computer Access, Navy Says, Military.com, 20222-11-22
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