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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive
Contributed by Anthony J. Basile

USS Crandall (YHLC-2)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

National Defense Service Medal - Vietnam Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
YHLC-1 Class Salvage Lifting Craft, Heavy
  • Built in Germany in 1942 as the Salvage Barge Ausdauer by Seebeck Werft, Bremerhaven, Germany
  • Launched, date unknown
  • Delivered and placed in service, date unknown
  • Leased by the United Nations in 1957 to clear the Suez Canal
  • Laid up upon completion to clearing wrecks in the Suez Canal
  • Purchased by the US Navy in 1967 at Bremerhaven, Germany from Bugsier-, Reederei & Bergungs - AG, Bremerhaven / Hamburg, Germany, named AHLC II
  • Renamed and commissioned USS Crandall (YHLC-2) in 1967
  • Assigned to Harbor Clearance Unit One at Naval Station Subic Bay R.P.
  • Decommissioned, date unknown
  • Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown
  • Custody transferred to the Maritime Administration, 11 February 1976, for lay up in the James River National Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, VA.
  • Permanent custody to the Maritime Administration, 1 October 1977
  • Title transferred to the Maritime Administration, 11 December 1993
  • Final Disposition, sold for scrapping, 28 November, 2001 to Transforma Marine, Brownsville, TX.
    Specifications
    Displacement 1732 t.(lt) 1867 t.(fl)
    Length unknown
    Beam unknown
    Draft unknown
    Lifting Capacity 4800 t.
    Accommodations unknown
    Armament none
    Propulsion none
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    YHLC-2 103k
    Namesake

    Orson Leon Crandall was born on 2 February 1903 at St. Joseph, Missouri. He enlisted in the Navy in June 1922, serving in several ships over the next decade. Trained as a diver in 1932-33 and designated a Master Diver in March 1939, he was serving in USS Falcon (ASR-2) when she supported the rescue and salvage effort on the sunken submarine Squalus (SS-192) in May-September 1939. Chief Boatswain's Mate Crandall was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism as Master Diver during that operation. During World War II, Crandall became a commissioned officer and served in a variety of salvage and diving-related positions. He transferred to the Fleet Reserve in June 1946 and retired in December 1952. Lieutenant Orson L. Crandall died in May 1960.
    USS Crandall (YHLC-2), 1967-1993, was named in honor of Lieutenant Crandall.
    US Navy photo #: NH 57890
    Chief Boatswain's Mate Orson L. Crandall, USN Photographed, 19 January 1940, just after being presented with the Medal of Honor for heroism during rescue and salvage operations on USS Squalus (SS-192), following her accidental sinking on 23 May 1939.
    He was Master Diver on board USS Falcon (ASR-2) during that time.
    Official U.S. Navy Photograph, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.    		 Bill Gonyo
    YHLC-2 754k The Salvage Barges Ausdauer and Energie lifting a vessel in the port of Bremerhaven, Germany, in May 1965. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    YHLC-2 780k AHLC II (foreground) and AHLC I (background) in port at Bremerhaven, Germany, in 1967 shortly before departing for the United States. Gerhard Mueller-Debus
    YHLC-2 58k USS Crandall (YHLC-2) at anchor, at Naval Station Subic Bay, R. P., circa 1967. Note she still wears her civilian colors although she is flying a union jack which indicates she is in commission in the US Navy.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, October 1967.    		 Anthony J. Basile HCU 1
    YHLC-2 59k USS Crandall (YHLC-2), right and USS Crilley (YHLC-1) left at Naval Station Subic Bay, R. P., circa 1967. Note they both are still wearing their civilian colors.
    US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, October 1967.    		 Anthony J. Basile HCU 1
    YR-94 217k USS Crandall (YHLC-2) alongside YRST-1 at Naval Station Subic Bay, R. P., date unknown. Anthony J. Basile HCU 1
    YHLC-1 257k USS Crandall (YHLC-2) left, and USS Crilley (YHLC-1) right, raising the hull of the French steamer SS Paul Bert, at My Tho, South Vietnam, in 1966. The steamer, sunk during World War Two, was salvaged to allow the establishment of a US Navy patrol boat base.
    US Navy photo from 1968-69 Edition of "Jane's Fighting Ships"    		 Robert Hurst
    There is no DANFS history record available for USS Crandall (YHLC-2) at NavSource
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 5 November 2014