USS Richland (YFD-64)

Last updated
AFDM-8 Richland.jpg
History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameRichland
Namesakenamed for the city of Richland, Washington, site of the Hanford atomic energy research and production plant
BuilderChicago Building & Iron Co., Eureka, California
Laid downdate unknown
Launcheddate unknown
Commissioned28 November 1944, as USS YFD-64
Decommissioned8 June 1946, at Guam
In service1 January 1947
Out of servicec. 22 August 1997
RenamedRichland, 6 April 1968
ReclassifiedAFDM-8, 1 August 1946
Stricken22 August 1997
Fatetransferred to the local redevelopment authority in Guam on 6 April 1999.
History
Flag of Guam.svg Guam
NameRichland
OwnerLocal Redevelopment Authority of Guam
OperatorGuam Shipyard
Acquired6 April 1999
FateAcquired by Harbor Star Maritime Service Inc. and being towed to the Philippines since 28 January 2016.
General characteristics
TypeAFDM-3-class medium auxiliary floating drydock
Displacement8,000 tons
Length622'
Beam124'
Draft6’
Propulsionno engine; must be towed
Speedvaried with tow conditions
Complement4 Officers, 146 Enlisted
Armamentduring the war: two 40 mm and four 20 mm machine guns

USS Richland (YFD-64/AFDM-8) was an AFDM-3-class medium auxiliary floating drydock built in California for the U.S. Navy. Originally named USS YFD-64, she was towed to the Philippines and Guam where she served until war's end.

Contents

In 1946 she was placed back into service to support submarine maintenance at Guam for the next forty years.

History

United States Navy

Construction

The second ship to be so named by the Navy, Richland (AFDM-8) was built by the Chicago Building & Iron Co., Eureka, California, and commissioned as YFD-64 on 28 November 1944.

World War II

Drydock YFD-64 remained on the west coast until 15 December 1944 when she was towed to Pearl Harbor. On 25 January 1945 she was towed into Eniwetok and then on to Ulithi. She was next towed to San Pedro Bay where she worked until November when she was towed to Guam. She decommissioned there on 8 June 1946.

Post-war reactivation and service

YFD-64 was redesignated AFDM-8 on 1 August 1946, placed in service at Guam on 1 January 1947. The floating drydock supported Fleet Ballistic Missile submarine maintenance at Guam for over forty years. She was named Richland on 6 April 1968.

Dispositioning at end of service

The drydock was struck from the Navy List on 22 August 1997 and transferred to the local redevelopment authority in Guam on 6 April 1999.

Transfer to the Philippines

After its service with the U.S. Navy, Richland became an asset owned by Guam Shipyard. The drydock was reportedly bought from Guam Shipyard in January 2016 to an undisclosed buyer. [1] Richland was then moved to the Philippines. On January 28, 2016, local tugboats and the 467-ton Philippine tug Rhocas began moving the drydock an operation that would take several days. [2]

It was later reported that Philippine maritime service provider Harbor Star Shipping Services bought the floating drydock, and was also providing the towing from Guam to the Philippines. [3]

October 2017 Currently waiting for repair, in RRYD, yacht and ship repair, AFAB, Mariveles, Bataan. Coincidentally is same location for the Zero KM Bataan Death March Marker

Honors and awards

Qualified Richland personnel were eligible for the following:

Related Research Articles

USS <i>Artisan</i>

USS Artisan (ABSD-1), later redesignated as (AFDB-1), was a ten-section, non-self-propelled, large auxiliary floating drydock of the United States Navy. The only U.S. warship with this name, Artisan was constructed in sections during 1942 and 1943 by the Everett-Pacific Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company, in Everett, Washington; the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, in Eureka, California; the Pollock-Stockton Shipbuilding Company, in Stockton, California; and the Chicago Bridge & Iron Company, in Morgan City, Louisiana. This ship was commissioned at Everett, Washington, on 10 May 1943, Captain Andrew R. Mack in command. With all ten sections joined, she was 927 feet long, 28 feet tall, and with an inside clear width of 133 feet 7 inches.

USS <i>Sculptor</i> (AK-103) Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Sculptor (AK-103) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the US Navy for service in World War II. Sculptor was named after the constellation Sculptor. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater.

USS <i>Dewey</i> (YFD-1)

USS Dewey (YFD-1) was a floating dry dock built for the United States Navy in 1905, and named for American Admiral George Dewey. The auxiliary floating drydock was towed to her station in the Philippines in 1906 and remained there until scuttled by American forces in 1942, to prevent her falling into the hands of the invading Japanese.

USS <i>Adept</i> AFDL-1-class dry dock of the United States Navy

USS Adept (AFD-23) was a AFDL-1-class small auxiliary dry dock of the United States Navy Auxiliary floating drydock built for World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Auxiliary floating drydock</span> Type of United States Navy drydocks

An auxiliary floating drydock is a type of US Navy 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.

YFD-2 United States Navy drydock

YFD-2 was an auxiliary floating drydock built for the United States Navy in 1901. The first parts were laid down in early 1901 at Maryland Steel Co. of Sparrows Point, Maryland. YFD-2 was the first of its kind, steel movable auxiliary floating drydock, used to raise large ships out the water for repair below the ship's waterline. YFD-2 had a 18,000 tons lifting capacity.

USS <i>AFDM-2</i> Large auxiliary floating drydock of the US Navy

USS AFDM-2,, is an AFDM-3-class medium auxiliary floating drydock built in Mobile, Alabama by the Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company for the U.S. Navy. Originally named USS YFD-4, Yard Floating Dock-4, she operated by Todd Shipyards at New Orleans, Louisiana for the repair of US ships during World War II. YFD-4 was renamed an Auxiliary Floating Dock Medium AFDM-2 in 1945 after the war.

USS <i>AFDB-2</i> Large auxiliary floating drydock of the US Navy

USS ABSD-2, later redesignated as AFDB-2, was a ten-section, non-self-propelled, large auxiliary floating drydock of the US Navy. Advance Base Sectional Dock-2 was constructed in sections during 1942 and 1943 by the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California for World War II. Her official commissioning ceremony took place on 14 August 1943 with CDR. Joseph J. Rochefort in command. With all ten sections joined, she was 927 feet long, 28 feet tall, and with an inside clear width of 133 feet 7 inches. ABSD-2 had a 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-2 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.

USS <i>ABSD-3</i> WWII American floating drydock

ABSD-3 is an advanced base sectional dock, constructed of nine advance base dock (ABD) sections for the US Navy as an auxiliary floating drydock for World War II. ABSD-3 was delivered to the US Navy in April 1944, and was commissioned on 27 October 1944. Advance Base Sectional Dock-3 was constructed in sections during 1942 and 1943.

USS <i>ABSD-6</i> WWII American floating drydock

ABSD-6 is an advanced base sectional dock which was constructed of nine advance base docks (ABD) sections for the US Navy as an auxiliary floating drydock for World War II. ABSD-6 was built by Mare Island Naval Shipyard at Vallejo, California. ABSD-6 was commissioned on 28 September 1944. Advance Base Sectional Dock-6 was constructed in sections during 1942 and 1943. Each section are 3,850 tons and are 93 feet long each. Each Section had a 165 feet beam, a 75 feet molded depth and had 10,000 tons lifting capacity each. There were 4 ballast compartments in each section. 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-2 had a 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-6 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.

USS <i>ABSD-4</i> Large auxiliary floating drydock of the US Navy

USS ABSD-4, later redesignated as AFDB-4, was a nine-section, non-self-propelled, large auxiliary floating drydock of the US Navy. Advance Base Sectional Dock-4 was constructed in sections during 1942 and 1943 by the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California for World War II. With all ten sections joined, she was 927 feet long, 28 feet tall, and with an inside clear width of 133 feet 7 inches. ABSD-4 had a 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-4 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.

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.

Everett-Pacific Shipbuilding & Dry Dock 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 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. in 1987 the shipyard became 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.

USS <i>Resourceful</i> AFDM-3-class dry dock of the United States Navy

USS Resourceful (AFDM-5),, was a AFDM-3-class floating dry dock built in 1943 and operated by the United States Navy.

USS <i>AFDM-3</i> AFDM-3-class dry dock of the United States Navy

USS AFDM-3,, was the lead ship of the AFDM-3-class floating dry dock built in 1943 and operated by the United States Navy.

USS <i>Competent</i> (AFDM-6) AFDM-3-class dry dock of the United States Navy

USS Competent (AFDM-6),, was an AFDM-3-class floating dry dock built in 1943 and operated by the United States Navy.

USS <i>Sustain</i> (AFDM-7) AFDM-3-class dry dock of the United States Navy

The USS Sustain (AFDM-7),, was a AFDM-3-class floating dry dock built in 1945 and operated by the United States Navy.

USS <i>Resolute</i> (AFDM-10) AFDM-3-class dry dock of the United States Navy

USS Resolute (AFDM-10),, was a AFDM-3-class floating dry dock built in 1945 and operated by the United States Navy.

USS <i>Steadfast</i> AFDM-14-class dry dock of the United States Navy

USS Steadfast (AFDM-14) is a AFDM-14-class floating dry dock built in 1945 and operated by the United States Navy.

References

  1. Dumat-ol Daleno, Gaynor (31 January 2016). "Dry-dock leaves Guam for Philippines". Pacific Daily News. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  2. "WWII-era drydock moving from Guam to Philippines". Stars and Stripes. 28 January 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  3. "Money talks" under "Breakaway Pascual drug group fights new family feud amid funding pain". Interaksyon.com. 11 March 2016. Retrieved 20 March 2016. Listed Harbor Star Shipping Services has acquired a World War II-era floating dry-dock [USS Richland] in Guam...