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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

AFDB-3
ex
 USS ABSD-3
Sections, A through I

International Radio Call Sign:
November - India - Hotel - Bravo
 NIHB
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Campaign Medal - Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
AFDB-3 Class Large Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock:
  • Laid down, date unknown, as ABSD-3, a nine section dock, built in sections at four different shipyards:
    Section A - Pollack & Stockton Shipbuilding Co., Stockton, CA
    Sections B & F - Everett Pacific Co., Everett, WA
    Sections C & E - Chicago Bridge & Iron Co., Morgan City, LA
    Sections D, G, H & I - Pittsburgh Des Moines Steel Co., Pittsburgh, PA
  • Delivered, date unknown
  • Commissioned, USS ABSD-3, 27 October 1944, CDR. Asel B. Kerr, USN, in command
  • During World War II USS ABSD-3 was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater
  • Placed in service at Guam, Marianas Islands, circa 1944
  • Decommissioned, 1 April 1946
  • Reclassified AFDB-3, date unknown
  • Disassembled at Guam and placed out of Naval service in 1948
  • Section G laid up in the Atlantic Reserve Fleet, Green Cove Springs, FL
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 August 1981
  • Disposed of by transfer to Bath Iron Works, 1 April 1982
  • Final Disposition, sold to a shipyard in Croatia, circa 1999
    Specifications:
    Length 844'
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source/ Contributed
    By
    USS ABSD-3
    ABSD-3 91k USS ABSD-3 at Guam, Marianas Islands. Pennsylvania (BB-38) docked in ABSD-3 after the end of World War II. Note the white boxes on the barge, these are coffins that contain the remains of Pennsylvania crew members killed during the Kamikaze attack on her at Okinawa, 12 August 1945. The island at upper left was built between the two drydocks, ABSD-3 and ABSD-6. (ABSD-6 is to the left of the picture.) The island was built for supplies and Enlisted and Officers Clubs, movie theater, etc.
    US Navy photo.         		Homer N. Rich Jr. MM3/c USS ABSD-3
    ABSD-3 92k USS ABSD-3 crew photo. In the background is the battleship Pennsylvania (BB-38) in the dock. Homer N. Rich Jr. MM3/c USS ABSD-3
    ABSD-3 226k USS ABSD-3 engineering crew basketball team, July 1945 at Guam - "Champs"
    Standing - Larry Withrow, Skillings, Slim Comes, G.W. Crosby (George "Bing" Crosby),Linney Shaw
    Sitting - Leon (Farmer) Wendt, Ens. T. L. Johnston, Boot Sharon, Joe Morasky
    Absent - Wm. G. Rosenberger    		 Susan Crosby Gyllenskog for her father George Crosby ABSD-3
    ABSD-3 230k USS ABSD-3 engineering crew of Section D-E-F, at Guam in July 1945. George "Bing" Crosby - 2nd left - back row Susan Crosby Gyllenskog for her father George Crosby ABSD-3
    ABSD-3 107k USS Idaho (BB-42) drydocked in USS ABSD-3 at Guam, circa 1945 Robert Hurst
    ABSD-3 208k USS ABSD-3 at Guam, date unknown.
    US Navy photo from the collections of the US Navy Memorial.    		 Stan Svec
    BB-57 South Dakota 68k USS ABSD-3 with USS South Dakota (BB-57) drydocked after an accidental explosion, 6 May 1945, while rearming from USS Wrangell (AE-12). South Dakota (BB-57) was at Guam from 11 to 29 May 1945.
    US Navy photo, courtesy of Cathy Verschelden    		 Mauer D. Rell, S1/c USS South Dakota August 1943 - December 1946.
    Commercial Service
    ABSD-3 71k Ex-ABSD-3, in service at the Bath Iron Works Portland, ME yard, date unknown. The dock was used lift new DDG's built at Bath to install Sonar Domes on the bow. Chet Morris
    ABSD-3 71k
    ABSD-3 69k
    ABSD-3 521k Ex-ABSD-3, (eight sections), being loaded aboard the Heavy Lift Vessel MV Blue Marlin at Portland, ME. Bath Iron Works, Portland yard, used the dock to lift new DDG's built at Bath to install Sonar Domes on the bow. Bath Iron Works built a new land level facility in Bath and had no further use for the Portland yard and ex-ABSD-3. The drydock was split into two sections and transported to Croatia. Chet Morris
    ABSD-3 527k
    ABSD-3 513k
    ABSD-3 530k
    ABSD-3 558k
    There is no DANFS History available for USS ABSD-3 / AFDB-3 at NavSource
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Kerr, Asel Bayless, USN (20)27 October 1944 - 28 December 1944
    02LCDR. Kampman, Leo, USN28 December 1944 - 15 February 1945
    03CDR. Kerr, Asel Bayless, USN (20)15 February 1945 - 17 March 1946
    04LCDR. Kampman, Leo, USN17 March 1945 - 1 April 1946
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    USS ABSD-3 Docking Record - Guam - 5 March 45 - 5 March 1946 - kept by George W. Crosby MoMM2/c, submitted by his daughter Susan Crosby Gyllenskog
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 10 July 2015