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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Mike Smolinski

Artisan (AFDB-1)
ex
 USS AFDB-1 (1946 - 1979)
 USS ABSD-1 (1943 - 1946)

(Sections, A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,K)
IX-521 / IX-525

/International Radio Call Sign:
November - Yankee - Romeo - Bravo
 NYRB
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons


Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - American Campaign Medal
Bottom Row - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
AFDB-1 Class Large Auxiliary (10-section, non-self-propelled) Floating Dry Dock:
  • Constructed in sections during 1942 and 1943 at Everett Shipbuilding Co., Everett, WA., the Chicago Bridge & Iron Co., Eureka, CA., the Pollack-Stockton Shipbuilding Co., Stockton, CA.., and Chicago Bridge & Iron Co., Morgan City, LA.
  • Commissioned, USS ABSD-1, 10 May 1943, at Everett, WA., CAPT.. A.R. Mack, USN, in command
  • During World War II ABSD-1 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • ABSD-1 was towed to Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides and assembled for service in World War II
  • Disassembled and towed to Manicani Bay, P.I. and reassembled for service by September 1945
  • Decommissioned on 31 May 1946, in the Philippines
  • Redesigned AFDB-1 in August 1946
  • Disassembled and towed to Pearl Harbor for lay up in the Pacific Reserve Fleet
  • Recommissioned, 2 June 1951, at Pearl Harbor, HI.
  • Towed by sections to Orote, Guam, Marianas Islands, reassembled and ready for duty in March 1952
  • Decommissioned, 1 November 1956, at Apra Harbor, Guam, Marianas Islands
  • Five sections towed to Subic Bay, P.I. reassembled and place in service 17 November 1970
  • Named Artisan, 7 June 1979
  • Placed out of service and struck from the Naval Register in October 1986
  • Reinstated in the Naval Register in March 1987
  • Final/Current Disposition
    Specifications:
    Displacement 38,500 t.(lt) (10 sections)
    Length 927' (10 sections)
    Beam 256'
    Draft 9' (light), 78' (flooded)
    Height 28' (keel to welldeck)
    Inside Width 133' 7"
    Lifting Capacity 90,000 tons
    Complement 690

    Specifications: IX-521 and IX-525
    Displacement 3,500 t.
    Length 280'
    Beam 80'
    Draft 9' (light)
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source/ Contributed
    By
    USS ABSD-1
    ABSD-1 600k USS ABSD-1 commissioning ceremony, 10 May 1943 at Everett Shipbuilding Co., Everett, WA.
    		 Bob Crawford in honor of his father MACH/ENS (CDR) Arthur G. Crawford USN Ret. USS ABSD-1 and
    Norman Ninneman in honor of his father W. C. Ninneman ABSD-1
    ABSD-1 743k
    Cache
    091906724     		308k USS Cache (AO-67) on the blocks in drydock ABSD-1 in Pallikula Bay, Espiritu Santo. Cache was dry docked from 22 January to 21 February 1944 for torpedo damage repairs. Note covered lighter YF-326 at the foot of the drydock.
    US Navy photo from South Pacific World War II Museum    		 John Chiquoine
    LCI(L)-22 82k USS LCI(L)-22 drydocking in USS ABSD-1 at Guam seeking repairs to bomb damage, 14 March 1944.
    Photo from the USS LCI National Association's newsletter "Elsie Item", March 2010 issue.    		 Ardie Hunt
    ABSD-1 88k USS ABSD-1 with USS California (BB-44) in the dock, at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides Islands, circa 8 September 1944.
    US Navy photo from DANFS    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    BB-44 California 106k USS ABSD-1 with USS California (BB-44) in the dock, at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides Islands, 8 September 1944 as repairs to the ship nears completion. Scaffolding along the port side of the ship shows the damaged area. .
    ABSD-1 87k USS ABSD-1 with USS California (BB-44) in the dock, at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides Islands, circa 1944.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, October 1971.    		 Stanley C. Svec
    ABSD-1 98k USS ABSD-1 with an four LSTs in the dock, probably at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides Islands, date unknown.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, October 1971.    		 Stanley C. Svec
    LST-172 66k USS ABSD-1 with USS LST-172 in her dock, 29 September 1944, at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides Islands. Note the bluff bow and nearly square bulges that made LST's slow and poor seakeepers.
    Text and photo from "U.S. Amphibious Ships and Craft: An Illustrated Design History" by Norman Friedman.    		 Robert Hurst
    CL-55 248 USS Cleveland (CL-55) docked in USS ABSD-1, at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. January 1944.
    US Navy photo #2173-44    		 Darryl Baker
    Cleveland 76k USS Cleveland (CL-55) in USS ABSD-1 at Aessi Island, off Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, 12 January 1944.
    US Navy photo Center # NH 98059 for the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    Columbia 188k USS Columbia (CL-56) docked in USS ABSD-1 at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, January 1944.
    US Navy photo #2169-44    		 Darryl Baker
    Columbia 199k USS Columbia (CL-56) docked in USS ABSD-1 at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, January 1944.
    US Navy photo #2170-44

    		.
    E.A. Poe 460k E.A. Poe (IX-103) entering USS ABSD-1 at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides Islands for repairs, 3 June 1944.
    A US Navy Bureau of Ships photo now in the collections of the US National Archives (RG 80G).    		 Frank A.Gerhardt
    BB-48 West Virginia 381k West Virginia (BB-48) on 8 November 1944 underwent a period of upkeep in USS ABSD-1 for her damaged screws.
    US Navy photos #'s 80-G-289691, 80-G-289692 and 80-G-289693 from NARA, College Park, MD.    		 Sean Hert, Webmaster & Editor ModelWarships.com
    BB-48 West Virginia 441k
    BB-48 West Virginia 487k
    BB-48 West Virginia 126k West Virginia (BB-48) , 9 November 1944 entering floating dry-dock USS ABSD-1.
    US Navy photo # 80-G-314220 now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		  
    AFDB-1 133k USS ABSD-1 with USS West Virginia (BB-48) high and dry in the dock, off Aessi Island, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, 13 November 1944. The battleship was docked for upkeep and repair to propellers damaged when she touched ground off Leyte on 21 October, 1944.
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-314220, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 US Naval Historical Center
    LSM-67/218 83k USS ABSD-1 at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, with USS LSM-67 and USS LSM-218 in the dock, 17 November 1944.
    US Navy photo, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    LSM-67/218 90k USS ABSD-1 at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, with, front, left to right USS LSM-67 and USS LSM-218 and at the rear, left to right, USS LSM-269 and USS LSM-219, 17 November 1944.
    US Navy photo # NH 22082A, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 Bill Brinkley and the USS LSM/LSMR Association
    LSM-67/218 97k USS ABSD-1 at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, with, front, left to right USS LSM-67 and USS LSM-218 and at the rear, left to right, USS LSM-269 and USS LSM-219, 17 November 1944.
    US Navy photo, from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center.    		 USS LSM / LSMR Association
    Antelope
    NH 97018    		 72k USS Antelope (IX-109) entering USS ABSD-1 at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides Islands, 5 January 1945.
    US Navy photo # NH 97018 from the collections of the US Naval Historical Center and US National Archives photo # 80-G-314230 a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.    		 Mike Green
    Antelope
    80-G-314230    		 107k
    LST-120/Antelope 150k USS ABSD-1 with USS Antelope (IX-109) and USS LST-120 in the dock at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides Islands, 8 January 1945
    US National Archives photo # 80-G-314233, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.     		Bob Crawford in honor of his father MACH/ENS (CDR) Arthur G. Crawford USN Ret. USS ABSD-1
    IX-104 128k USS P. H. Burnett (IX-104) dry docked in USS ABSD-1, 2 February 1945.
    US National Archives RG-80-G photo # 80-G-314236, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives.     		Mike Green
    ABSD-1 692k USS ABSD-1 M Division with Division Officer Ensign (CDR) Arthur G. Crawford USN Ret. Front row center. Bob Crawford in honor of his father MACH/ENS (CDR) Arthur G. Crawford USN Ret. USS ABSD-1
    ABSD-1 246k USS ABSD-1 laid up in reserve at the Ship Inactive Maintenance Facility, Pearl Harbor, HI., date unknown.
    Photo by Martian Longseth    		 Ron Reeves
    USS AFDB-1
    AFDB-1 67k USS AFDB-1 at Orote, Guam, Marianas Islands, with USS Wisconsin (BB-64) in her dock, circa April 1952
    US Navy photo from DANFS    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    AFDB-1 67k USS AFDB-1 decommissioning crew, 1 November 1956, at Apra Harbor, Guam, Marianas Islands
    US Navy photo    		 A. L. Vick EMP1 USNR USS AFDB-1
    AFDB-1 235k USS AFDB-1 decommissioning crew, 1 November 1956, at Apra Harbor, Guam, Marianas Islands. Orote Point in the background.
    US Navy photo    		 A. L. Vick EMP1 USNR USS AFDB-1
    AFDB-1 273k USS AFDB-1 decommissioning crew, 1 November 1956, at Apra Harbor, Guam, Marianas Islands
    US Navy photo    		 A. L. Vick EMP1 USNR USS AFDB-1
    Artisan (AFDB-1)
    AFDB-1 60k Artisan (AFDB-1) in service at Ship Repair Facility, Subic Bay, Philippines, circa 1970s. Gary W. Rogers AFDB-1 1966
    Tappahannock 25k USS Tappahannock (AO-43) drydocked at Ship Repair Facility Subic Bay, Philippines in Artisan (AFDB-1) in 1969. Richard Miller BMCS USNR Ret.
    Artisan 115k USNS Spica (T-AFS-9) drydocked at Ship Repair Facility Subic Bay, Philippines in Artisan (AFDB-1), 1 January 1987. Moored to the right of Artisan is USS Proteus (AS-19) with two Sturgeon class nuclear-powered attack submarines nested alongside. The Naval Supply Depot is in the background.
    Defense Imagery photo # DNST9301078, a US Navy photo by PH2 Ellenwood    		 Tommy Trampp

    For more photos and information about USS ABSD-1 / AFDB-1, see;
  • Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
  • Commissioning Program
  • Armed Forces Day 1956 Program
  • Decommissioning Program
    • Commanding Officers
    01CAPT. Mack, Andrew Robert, USN (17)10 May 1943 - 31 August 1944
    02CAPT. Parker, Ross Calvin, USNR31 August 1944 - 25 January 1946
    03CAPT. Williams, Clarence S., USNR25 January 1946 - 31 May 1946
     Decommissioned25 January 1946 - 1950
    04CDR. Wickens, Justin Leo, USN1950 - June 1951
    05CDR. Stein, Otto, USNRJune 1951 - 12 September 1952
    06CDR. Sperling, Jack S., USNR12 September 1952 - July 1953
    07CDR. Decker, Joe Bruce, USNJuly 1953 - 4 December 1954
    08CDR. Bengal, William George, USN4 December 1954 - 13 June 1956
    10CDR. Barrington, Francis William13 June 1956 - 1 November 1956
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    Last Updated 12 May 2024