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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

SS Gopher State (ACS-4)

Keystone State Class Crane Ship):

Laid down, 26 July 1971, at Bath Iron Works, Bath, ME. as SS Export Leader, a Maritime Administration type (C5-S-73b) hull under Maritime Administration contract (MA 257)

Launched, 8 July 1972

Delivered to the Maritime Administration, 22 January 1973

Assigned by the Maritime Administration to the Military Sealift Command (MSC)

Placed in service as SS Gopher State (ACS-4), date unknown

SS Gopher State is berthed at Newport News VA. and is maintained in a 5-day readiness status (ROS-5)

Specifications:
Displacement 13,900 t.(lt) 31,500 t.(fl)
Length 668'
Beam 76' 1"
Draft 33' 5"
Speed 17 kts.

Complement

Full Operational Status 89 civilian mariners,

Reserve Operational Status 5 civilian mariners

Cargo Capacity 300+ standard containers

Cranes six 30 ton capacity cranes

Armament none

Propulsion

two boilers

two General Electric steam turbines; 17,500shp

one propeller

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Source
	71k	*SS Gopher State* (ACS-4)** underway, date and location unknown. US Navy photo.	MSC web site
09760411	201k	*SS Gopher State* (ACS-4)** arrives at Johnston Atoll during "Operation Steel Box", November 1990 . The ship was delivering chemical munitions to the U.S. Army Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System for storage and disposal. U.S. Department of Defense photo VIRN # DF-ST-92-02441 by SSgt. Val Gempis	Robert Hurst
	43k	Tugs push *SS Gopher State* (ACS-4)** into place along side the pier at Johnson Island, 1 November 1990.DOD photo # DFST9202443, by SSGT James M. Bowman	Defense Visual Information Center
	54k	*SS Gopher State* (ACS-4)** moored pierside at Johnson Island, 1 November 1990, as chemical munitions are unloaded during Operation Steel Box. The munitions will be taken to the U.S. Army Chemical Activity on the atoll for storage and disposal. DOD photo # DFST9202472, by SSGT Val Gempis.	Defense Visual Information Center
	42k	*SS Gopher State* (ACS-4)** moored pierside at Johnson Island, 1 November 1990, as chemical munitions are unloaded. DOD photo # DFST9202471, by SSGT Val Gempis.	Defense Visual Information Center
	48k	*SS Gopher State* (ACS-4)** moored pierside at Johnson Island, 1 November 1990. Note, the Coast Guardsmen in a rigid-hull inflatable boat passing through the harbor. DOD photo # DFST9202442, by SSGT James M. Bowman	Defense Visual Information Center
	48k	*SS Gopher State* (ACS-4)** moored pierside at Johnson Island, 1 November 1990. Note, line handlers on the pier ready to cast off the ships mooring lines. DOD photo # DFST9202442, by SSGT James M. Bowman	Defense Visual Information Center
	48k	*SS Gopher State* (ACS-4)** getting under way at Johnson Island after off-loading chemical munitions, November 1990. DOD photo.	Peter Westdijk
	82k	*SS Gopher State* (ACS-4), operated by the Military Sealift Command, off loaded equipment from the lighterage onto the pier at Chuk Samet, Sattahip, Thailand, 4 May 2002.. Equipment transported from the lighterage was off loaded from MV 1st Lt. Jack Lummus (AK-3011) and MV PFC. Dewayne T. Williams (AK-3009) of Maritime Prepositioning Squadron Ships Three** in support of Exercise Cobra Gold 2002. Cobra Gold 2002 is the 21st U.S. Pacific Command exercise conducted in Thailand demonstrating the ability of U.S. forces to deploy rapidly and conduct joint-combined operations with the Thai and Singapore armed forces.US Navy photo # 020504-N-9818S-001 by PH2 Jennifer A. Smith.	Chief of Naval Information
	89k	*SS Gopher State* (ACS-4)** uploading Side Loading Warping Tugs (SLWT), lighterage and other equipment, date and place unknown.	Federation of American Scientists
	56k	*SS Gopher State* (ACS-4)** under way, date and location unknown.	Federation of American Scientists
09760626	152k	From right to left; *SS Cornhusker State* (T-ACS-6), SS Gopher State (T-ACS-4) and SS Flickertail State (T-ACS-5)** moored at Victory Landing Park in Newport News, VA., 2 April 2015. Photo by Smash the Iron Cage (real name unknown)	Robert Hurst
09760412	115k	*SS Gopher State* (ACS-4)** in Boston's Dry Dock Number 3, at sunset, 20 December 2016. Courtesy of Arnold Reinhold. This file is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license	Robert Hurst