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World War II barges From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.[2][3][4][5][6][7][8]
This article may require copy editing for random capitalization throughout. (November 2023) |
YFN barges were not self-propelled. YF barges were self-propelled. A YFN could carry a load of 550 long tons. YFN worked near shore and had a steel hull. They worked in harbors, rivers and other protected waters. They were 110 feet long, had a 32-foot beam and maximum draft of 8 feet. The Pacific Bridge Company built 27 YFN Freight Barges in 1943: YFN 576 to YFN 603. Pollock-Stockton Shipbuilding Company built: FN 619 to FN 742 YFN 998 to YFN 1016. [9][10]
YFRN Barges were not self-propelled. YFR Barges were self-propelled. Olson & Winge of Seattle WA made 10 YFRN: YFRN-833 to YFRN-841 in 1943, for the war. Defoe Shipbuilding Company of Bay City, Michigan built three: YFR-888, YFR-889 and YFR-890 in 1945. Long Beach Naval Shipyard of Long Beach, California built the YFRN-997 in 1945. A few barges were converted to refrigerated barges, also called a reefer barge.[11]
Yard Repair Berthing and Messing are repair Barges type TR, YR, YRB, YRBM, YRDH, YRDM, YRR, LBE were built for World War 2. Repair Barges were self sustaining, 530 tons and 153 feet long. Built in 1944, they had a beam of 36 feet and a draft of 6 feet. Repair Barges had a machine shop and living quarters. They repaired small boats and craft. The barge had generators, a distilling plant, an air compressor and steam boiler. The living space had berths, a mess hall to support a crew of 48 men.[12][13][14]
US Navy Barracks Barges, also called berthing barge was 1,300 tons and 261 feet long. They were used as a temporary barracks for sailors or other military personnel. A barracks ship also saw use as a receiving unit for sailors who needed temporary residence prior to being assigned to their ship. Barracks Barges are a type of auxiliary ship, called an APL for auxiliary personal living.[16][17]
YCV Barge were built to transport Aircraft, but by Alameda Works Shipyard and Pearl Harbor NSY at 480 tons.[20]
Landing Barge, Kitchen or LBK, was a landing craft used to support amphibious landings in Northwestern Europe during and after the Normandy invasion of Second World War. Its primary purpose was to provide hot meals to the crews of the many minor landing craft not fitted with galley facilities. Constructed of steel, this shallow-draft lighter had storage and serving space to feed 900 men for one week. The kitchen capacity was able to provide 1,600 hot meals and 800 cold meals a day. They were used by both the US and British on D-Day.[21][22]
Landing Barge, Vehicle (LBV 1, mark 1) was a barge with a ramp added to load and unload vehicles like: jeeps and trucks during World War 2. A nine-foot, four-inch ramp was added to the stern for loading and unloading. LBV 2, Mark 2, had an engine that could propel the LBV at 4.5 knots. They were powered by 2 Chrysler RM Gas engines and were used by both the US and British on D-Day. Built in three sizes: small (S) 70 feet long, medium (M) 78 feet long and large (L) 82 feet long. Each had a draft of about 4 feet when loaded.[23][24]
Landing Barge, Oiler (LBO) and YO and YON stored fuel oil or diesel fuel for landing craft. They had a 40-ton fuel tank, with two compartments and an engine that could propel them at 4.5 knots. They were used by both the US and British on D-Day.[25][26][27][28]
Landing Barge, Water (LBW or YW) a barge with a 33-ton fresh water tank and an engine that could propel them at 4.5 knots. They were World War 2 landing support vessels. Used by both the US and British on D-Day. YWN are non-self propelled.[29][30]
Landing Barge, Flak (LBF) a Landing Barge with a 40mm anti-aircraft gun, manned by a crew of five. Also had Two 20-mm Hispano AA guns or two twin Lewis guns. The LBF were 60 to 90 feet long. They could transport 15 troops. Used by both the US and British on D-Day.[25][31]
Deck barges offered a large flat platform, on which many types of gear could be moved. The only downside was the cargo had a slightly higher center of gravity. A number of shipyards built deck barges. Kyle and Company built of Stockton, California built US Army BC 522 to BC 535 deck barges in 1942, that had a length of 110 feet, a beam of 35 feet, a draft of 6 feet, light displacement of 170 tons, full displacement of 500 tons, and deadweight of 330 tons.[32][33]
B7-A2 were 5,786 deadweight tons concrete barges.
Type B5-BJ1 were covered dry cargo barges mostly operated by the Army. They were 265 feet long with a deadweight of 1,632 tons.
Trefoil-class concrete barge
Type: B7-D1 were built by Barrett & Hilp in South San Francisco, California. They had a tonnage of M.C. Deadweight: 5,687, Full Load: 10,970 tons.
Dimensions: Length: 366'4" by Beam: 54' with max. Draft: 26'
B7-A1 B7-A1 were 5,786 deadweight tons concrete barges.
C1-S-D1 C1-S-D1 were made by McCloskey & Company Shipyard in Hookers Point, Tampa, Florida in 1944. McCloskey built 24 C1-S-D1. Many were sunk after the as war as breakwater barriers. B7-A1 were 5,004 deadweight tons concrete barges. Name – Completed – Fate
A number of different types of wood barges were used in the war. A flat bottom wood barge could be used in shallow ports or be towed onto beaches. They were low cost to build and could be abandoned after used if needed. To stop wooden hull rot many had copper-sheathed hulls. With the shortage of steel, a fleet of wood barges was built and a fleet of concrete barges were also built.[42][5]
YFNB Large Covered Lighter, non-self-propelled barge, such as US Navy YFNB_47, a 152 feet, 36 feet beam barge that was used for repair, e.g. YR 47 and YRR 9 .
YFNX were Special Purpose Barges, that were non-self-propelled and used at shore. Most were a modified YC or YFN hull. The modified barge gave the craft a specialized use, such as a laboratory, sonar research or stowage for submarine goods.[45][46]
YFND or Dry Dock Companion Craft, were non-self-propelled barges. YFND were a special purpose barge used to support the auxiliary floating drydocks, which had little crew support space.[47]
YFP were Floating Power Barges, a non-self-propelled barge with fuel and a generator to make a mobile power station, and were able to produce up to 20,000 kilowatts of power.[48]
YOG were self propelled Gasoline Barges, with tanks for gasoline that had a capacity of 8,200 Bbls. YOGN were non-self-propelled Gasoline Barges.[28]
YG were Garbage Barges, also called Lighter, and were self-propelled with one direct-drive Atlas diesel engine to a single propeller, 240 shp.[49]
YGN were Garbage Barges that were non-self-propelled.[50]
YPD were Floating Pile Drivers, and were non-self-propelled barges, used to build piers.[51][52]
YSR were Sludge Removal Barges, a non-self-propelled sludge removal barge 110 foot long with a 34-foot beam. Built for cleaning fuel oil or other tanks that have sludge and/or foreign matter.[53]
The United States Army barges were given the prefix of "B". For World War II over 6,000 barges were built for the Army, by 130 different shipyards. Often used for assault landings, if there was no harbor, a bulldozer or tank could tow the barge onto the beachhead, so supplies would be available to the Troops. Barges were also used for ship-to-ship transfers and as a way to unload ships quickly, then move by a tugboat, also called a Sea mule.[54][55]
Many World War I barges were used in World War II, due to the high demand.
Concrete Barges were used in WW1. Louis L. Brown built concrete barges at Verplank, New York.[61]
(12 Concrete ships were also built, like the SS Atlantus.)
Type B I barge hull. Designed to ensure no uncontrolled release of cargo to the water or atmosphere.
Type B II barge hull. Designed to carry products which require substantial preventive measures to ensure no uncontrolled release of cargo to the water or atmosphere, but only if the release does not constitute a long term hazard.
Type B III barge hull. Designed to transport products classed as minor hazards, thus needing less degree of control.[88]
Other MARAD designs
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