USS Resourceful (AFDM-5), (former YFD-21), was a AFDM-3-class floating dry dock built in 1943 and operated by the United States Navy.[1]

USS Resourceful and USNS Spica
History
United States
NameResourceful
NamesakeResourceful
BuilderEverett Pacific Shipbuilding Co.
Acquired1 February 1943
CommissionedFebruary 1943
Decommissioned22 August 1997
ReclassifiedAFDM-5, 1945
Stricken22 August 1997
HomeportSubic Bay
Identification
Motto
  • Alta Et Sica
  • (High and Dry)
Honors and
awards
See Awards
Fate
General characteristics
Class and typeAFDM-3-class floating drydock
Displacement7,000 t (6,889 long tons)
Length552 ft 10 in (168.50 m)
Beam124 ft 0 in (37.80 m)
Draft7–15 ft (2.1–4.6 m)
Installed power1,600 hp (1,193 kW)
Speed22.9 knots (42.4 km/h; 26.4 mph)
Capacity18,000 t (17,716 long tons)
Complement4 officers, 146 enlisted

Construction and career

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YFD-21 was built at the Everett Pacific Shipbuilding Shipyard, in Everett, Washington in 1943. She was commissioned in February 1943.[2]

Assigned to the Pacific Fleet, USS Chickasaw (AT-83) departed Seattle, Washington, on 11 March 1943 for Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, towing the floating dry dock YFD-21, and arrived on 30 March 1943.[3] Draco towed YFD-21 from Seattle by way of Pearl Harbor to Espiritu Santo, arriving 5 May 1943.[4] On 4 July 1945, USS Wildcat (AW-2) shifted to YFD-21 for the remainder of her repairs.[5] In 1945, the unnamed dry dock was re-designated AFDM-5. The USS Safeguard (ARS-50) added section G of AFDM-5 to her tow and continued on to Pearl Harbor on 29 July 1946, in company with three YTBs.[6]

During the Vietnam War, AFDM-5 was recommissioned and in 1962, was given the motto "Alta Et Sica", which translates to "High and Dry". She was based in Subic Bay for the rest of her career. After a short period drydocked in AFDM-5 at Subic Bay, the USS Benner (DD-807) sailed to Hong Kong for rest and recreation on the 31 January 1967.[7] The USS Albatross (MSC-289) entered the floating dry dock on the 15th and, by 25 October 1967, was underway for Sasebo.[8] USNS Corpus Christi Bay (T-ARVH-1) was in the floating drydock in 1968.[9] USS Grasp (ARS-24) made another dry dock period but this time inside the AFDM-5, in late September 1968.[10] On 26 April 1969, the USS Abnaki (ATF-96) got underway bound for Guam with AFDM-5 in tow.[11]

USS Sanctuary (AH-17) was dry docked inside AFDM-5 in 1970.[12] In 1979, she was finally named Resourceful.[2]

On 1 January 1987, USNS Spica (T-AFS-9) and USS Catawba (T-ATF-168) were dry docked inside Resourceful.[13][14] Later in the same year, USNS Silas Bent (T-AGS-26) was also dry docked.[15]

In early 1990s, USS Kinkaid (DD-965) was being repaired on board the dry dock. On 19 April 1992, Resourceful was towed to Yokosuka after the closure of the U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay.[16][17] On 22 August 1997, Resource was decommissioned for the last time and stricken on the same day. She would then be transferred to the Local Redevelopment Agency (LRA), in the Philippines on 6 April 1999.

The dry dock has kept the name AFDM-5 and provided repair services around the Subic Bay Freeport Zone.[18] In 2012, MV Logos Hope was dry docked inside AFDM-5.[19] From 30 October 2017 to 15 February 2018, BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16) was dry docked inside of her.[20] From 26 March to 26 April 2018, she repaired the MV Lorcon Bacolod.[21] In late 2018, the dry dock was seen sunk in port until it was removed in late 2021.[22]

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ "RESOURCEFUL (AFDM 5)". Naval Vessel Register. 29 June 2000. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock (AFDM)". www.navsource.org. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  3. ^ "Chickasaw III (AT-83)". NHHC. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Draco". NHHC. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Wildcat (AW-2)". NHHC. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Safeguard". NHHC. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Benner (DD-807)". NHHC. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  8. ^ "Albatross VI (MSC 289)". NHHC. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  9. ^ U.S. Navy All Hands magazine. January 1969.
  10. ^ "Grasp I (ARS-24)". NHHC. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Abnaki (ATF-96)". NHHC. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  12. ^ "USS Sanctuary (AH 17) WestPac Cruise Book 1969-70 - Events and Activities". www.navysite.de. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  13. ^ Department of Defense. Department of the Navy. Naval Imaging Command. 1988-ca. 1993 (Predecessor); Department of Defense. Defense Audiovisual Agency (Predecessor); Department of Defense. American Forces Information Service. Defense Visual Information Center. (1994 - 10/26/2007) (1 January 1987). The combat stores ship USNS SPICA (T-AFS-9) rests on blocks in the medium auxiliary floating dry dock Resourceful (AFDM-5). The submarine tender USS PORTEUS (AS-19), with two Sturgeon class nuclear-powered attack submarines nested alongside, is on the right. The Naval Supply Depot is in the background. Series: Combined Military Service Digital Photographic Files, 1921 - 2008.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ "The fleet tug USNS CATAWBA (T-ATF-168) sits in the medium auxiliary floating dry dock Resourceful (AFDM-5) while undergoing routine hull maintenance". The U.S. National Archives. 1 January 1987. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  15. ^ U.S. Navy All Hands magazine. May 1987.
  16. ^ "U.S. Navy tows its last drydock from Philippines". UPI. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  17. ^ Schultz, Jim (1 March 1993). "DN-SC-95-00657 Floating dry dock AFDM-5 at US Fleet Activities Yokosuka 1993". U.S. DefenseImagery. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  18. ^ "Subic Drydock Co. Philippines". Shipyards Directory worldwide with locations map. Retrieved 7 February 2022.
  19. ^ Logos Hope 2012 Dry Dock In Subic Bay, Philippines, retrieved 7 February 2022
  20. ^ "BRP RAMON ALCARAZ". Subic Drydock Company. 15 February 2018.
  21. ^ "MV LORCON BACOLOD". Subic Drydock Corporation. 26 April 2018.
  22. ^ Google Earth Pro
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