Original upload date: Thu, 07 Nov 2013 00:00:00 GMT
Archive date: Sat, 04 Dec 2021 14:35:41 GMT
A drydock (also commonly dry dock) is a narrow basin or vessel that can be flooded to allow a load to be floated in, then drained to allow that load to come to rest on a dry platform. Drydocks are use
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d for the construction, maintenance, and repair of ships, boats, and other watercraft.
Among the logistical marvels employed by the U.S. Navy in the Pacific were various kinds of floating dry docks. These were towed to advanced bases by tugs and came in a variety of sizes.
At the time war broke out in the Pacific, the Navy had three steel floating dry docks. One, YFD-2, was assigned to Pearl Harbor and was occupied by destroyer Shaw when the harbor was attacked on 7 December 1941. Both destroyer and drydock were badly damaged but subsequently repaired. Another, Dewey, was at Olongapo and was scuttled to prevent it falling into Japanese hands. The third, ARD-1, was built in 1933 to a sophisticated design, meant to be self-sustaining once towed into place at an advanced base. It had its own ballast pumps, power station, machine shops, and crew accomodations, and could lift ships of up to 2200 tons. It was also assigned to Pearl Harbor.
Source: http://pwencycl.kgbudge.com/F/l/Floating_Dry_Docks.htm
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