ABSD-1
| Country | United States |
| Commissioned | 10 May 1943 |
| Decommissioned | 1 Mar 1987 |
| Displacement | 38,500 tons standard |
| Length | 927 feet |
| Beam | 256 feet |
| Draft | 9 feet |
| Crew | 690 |
| Lifting Capacity | 90,000 tons |
| Inside Width | 133 feet 7 inches |
Contributor: C. Peter Chen
ww2dbaseFloating drydock USS ABSD-1 was a non-powered naval vessel designed to be able to deployed, with relative speed, to combat zones for ship repair operations, thus saving the time necessary to transport a damaged ship back to the continental United States. She was built in ten separate sections in United States between 1942 and 1943 by various shipyards, including Everett Shipbuilding Company at Everett, Washington; Chicago Bridge & Iron Company at Eureka, California and at Morgan City, Louisiana; and Pollack-Stockton Shipbuilding Company at Stockton, California. She was commissioned at Everett, Washington on 10 May 1943 with Captain Andrew R. Mack in command. She was towed to Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides in two separate convoys between Jul and Oct 1943. While she was being put together at Espiritu Santo, one of the sections sank, killing 13. By the end of the year, she became operational as a floating drydock with eight sections being put together. In Apr 1944, all ten sections were put together. In mid-Apr 1945, she was ordered to be disassembled for transport forward to Leyte Gulf in the Philippine Islands. The disassembly was completed in early Jun, and by mid-Sep she was operational. She remained in the Philippine Islands until Feb 1946 when she was prepared for inactivation. After her decommissioning in May 1946, she remained in the Philippine Islands. In Aug 1946, she was redesignated AFDB-1. Some time after Nov 1946, she was towed in separate sections to Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii and was placed in reserve. She was recommissioned into service in Jun 1951, and in the following month was towed to Guam, Mariana Islands to repair ships damaged during the Korean War. Her assembly completed in Mar 1952 and served until Jan 1955. She remained in reserve at Guam until 1970 when five of her sections were towed to and assembled at Subic Bay, Philippines for service. In Jun 1979, USS AFDB-1 was renamed USS Artisan. She was placed out of service in Oct 1986 and was decommissioned from service in the following year. Two of her sections, D, and C, remain in service through the time of this writing.
ww2dbaseSources:
NavSource.org
Wikipedia
Last Major Revision: Oct 2012
ABSD-1 Interactive Map
Photographs
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ABSD-1 Operational Timeline
| 10 May 1943 | USS ABSD-1 was commissioned into service at Everett, Washington, United States with Captain Andrew R. Mack in command. |
| 14 Jul 1943 | Two of the ten sections of USS ABSD-1 began to be towed from Morgan City, Louisiana, United States for the South Pacific. |
| 28 Aug 1943 | Eight of the ten sections USS ABSD-1 began to be towed from San Francisco, California, United States for the South Pacific. |
| 24 Sep 1943 | Two of the ten sections of USS ABSD-1 arrived at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. |
| 2 Oct 1943 | Eight of the ten sections of USS ABSD-1 arrived at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. |
| 2 Nov 1943 | One of the ten sections of USS ABSD-1 sank at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides during assembly, killing 13. |
| 19 Jun 1944 | USS Nashville entered floating drydock ABSD-1 at Espiritu Santo for 15 days of repairs following battle damage. |
| 3 Jul 1944 | USS Nashville undocked from floating drydock ABSD-1 at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. |
| 31 Aug 1944 | Captain R. C. Parker was named the commanding officer of USS ABSD-1. |
| 30 Jun 1945 | Six of the ten sections of USS ABSD-1 began to be towed from Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. |
| 7 Jul 1945 | Four of the ten sections of USS ABSD-1 began to be towed from Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. |
| 27 Jul 1945 | Six of the ten sections of USS ABSD-1 arrived at Manicani Bay, Samar, Philippine Islands. |
| 30 Jul 1945 | The assembly of the ten sections of USS ABSD-1 began at Manicani Bay, Samar, Philippine Islands. |
| 2 Aug 1945 | Four of the ten sections of USS ABSD-1 arrived at Manicani Bay, Samar, Philippine Islands. |
| 28 Feb 1946 | USS ABSD-1 prepared for inactivation while at Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands. |
| 31 May 1946 | USS ABSD-1 was decommissioned from service at Leyte Gulf, Philippine Islands. |
| 2 Jun 1946 | Captain C. S. Williams stepped down as the commanding officer of USS ABSD-1. |
| 2 Jun 1951 | USS AFDB-1 was recommissioned into service at Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, US Territory of Hawaii under the command of Captain O. J. Stien. |
| 26 Jun 1951 | The ten sections of USS AFDB-1 arrived at Apra Harbor, Guam, Mariana Islands under tow. |
| 12 Sep 1952 | Commander J. S. Sperling was named the commanding officer of USS AFDB-1. |
| 4 Dec 1954 | Commander W. G. Bengal relieved Commander J. B. Decker as the commanding officer of USS AFDB-1. |
| 13 Jun 1956 | Commander F. W. Barrington was named the commanding officer of USS AFDB-1. |
| 1 Nov 1956 | USS AFDB-1 was decommissioned from service at Guam, Mariana Islands. |
| 7 Jun 1979 | USS AFDB-1 was renamed USS Artisan, and with only five of her ten sections assembled she began operation at Subic Bay, Philippines. |
| 1 Mar 1987 | USS Artisan was decommissioned from service. Her sections A, G, H, and I were sold for scrapping on the same day; her sections B and E were placed in reserve at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, United States; her section F was disposed of. |
| 16 Aug 1996 | Section D of floating drydock Artisan was reclassified a miscellaneous vessel, receiving the new designation of IX-521. |
| 2 Mar 1998 | Section C of floating drydock Artisan was reclassified a miscellaneous vessel, receiving the new designation of IX-525. |
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Visitor Submitted Comments
1 Nov 2015 10:23:10 AM
I was on this drydock at the New Hebrides and on during the move to the Phillipines. It says 10 sections were moved but there was only nine moved. There was originally ten, one sank and only nine after that. Only ten at Phillipins. I was on there till war was over. I am 91 now but remember the USS ABSD #1.
9 Dec 2015 09:39:19 PM
My grandfather served in "M" Division I believe, Gordon Caldwell. Just checking to see if any folks like anonymous may have worked with him.
29 May 2020 01:19:05 PM
Hi I'm from Poland and I'm interested in this topic. I'd like to describe this great idea of sectional docks to polish hobbyists. Over one year I'm collecting an information about it. Maybe could sombody give me any advices about searching some interesting things about ABSD
4 Mar 2021 01:32:34 PM
My grandfather, Frank Cavanagh, served on the ABSD-1. I have precious little information and want to know more. Did anyone out there remember his name?
12 Apr 2023 04:51:12 PM
My Father served on the ABSD-1 from 1944-1945. His name was Albert Lee Cotton looking for any information.
22 Apr 2023 07:27:50 PM
My father served in ww2 on the absd1 his name was orville dotzauer
23 Nov 2024 08:47:17 PM
My father Walter C. Ninneman served on the ABSD-1 from Morgan City to 1945. Any info?
All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB.
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Winston Churchill, on the RAF
24 May 2013 07:44:10 AM
My father served on this floating drydock during WWII (he also served on a battleship during WWI). I remember him describing how a ship was hauled into the drydock, which was submerged for this operation. Sailors on the wing walls manuallyn pulled the ship into the drydock directed by an officer with a whistle standing on the bridge that connected the wing walls. Years later he met a soldier who had been stationed on the island who did know what he was protecting, it was so secret.