Type B ship explained

The Type B ship is a United States Maritime Administration (MARAD) designation for World War II barges. Barges are very low cost to build, operate and move. Barges were needed to move large bulky cargo. A tug boat, some classed as Type V ships, could move a barge, then depart and move on to the next task. That meant the barge did not have to be rushed to be unloaded or loaded. Toward the end of World War 2, some ships that had not been completed in time for the war were converted to barges. US Navy barges are given the prefix: YWN or YW. Due to shortage of steel during World War II, concrete ship constructors were given contracts to build concrete barges, with ferrocement and given the prefix YO, YOG, YOGN. Built in 1944 and 1945, some were named after chemical elements.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

World War II barge types

Steel Barge

Freight Barges YF – YFN

YFN barges were not self-propelled. YF barges were self-propelled. A YFN could carry a load of 550 long tons. YFN worked near shore and had a steel hull. They worked in harbors, rivers and other protected waters. They were 110 feet long, had a 32-foot beam and maximum draft of 8 feet.The Pacific Bridge Company built 27 YFN Freight Barges in 1943: YFN 576 to YFN 603. Pollock-Stockton Shipbuilding Company built: FN 619 to FN 742 YFN 998 to YFN 1016.[8] [9]

Refrigerated Freight Barges YFR – YFRN

YFRN Barges were not self-propelled. YFR Barges were self-propelled. Olson & Winge of Seattle WA made 10 YFRN: YFRN-833 to YFRN-841 in 1943, for the war. Defoe Shipbuilding Company of Bay City, Michigan built three: YFR-888, YFR-889 and YFR-890 in 1945. Long Beach Naval Shipyard of Long Beach, California built the YFRN-997 in 1945. A few barges were converted to refrigerated barges, also called a reefer barge.[10]

Repair Barges

Yard Repair Berthing and Messing are repair Barges type TR, YR, YRB, YRBM, YRDH, YRDM, YRR, LBE were built for World War 2. Repair Barges were self sustaining, 530 tons and 153 feet long. Built in 1944, they had a beam of 36 feet and a draft of 6 feet. Repair Barges had a machine shop and living quarters. They repaired small boats and craft. The barge had generators, a distilling plant, an air compressor and steam boiler. The living space had berths, a mess hall to support a crew of 48 men.[11] [12] [13]

Barracks Barge

US Navy Barracks Barges, also called berthing barge was 1,300 tons and 261 feet long. They were used as a temporary barracks for sailors or other military personnel. A barracks ship also saw use as a receiving unit for sailors who needed temporary residence prior to being assigned to their ship. Barracks Barges are a type of auxiliary ship, called an APL for auxiliary personal living.[15] [16]

Aircraft Barge – YCV

YCV Barge were built to transport Aircraft, but by Alameda Works Shipyard and Pearl Harbor NSY at 480 tons.[19]

Landing Barge, Kitchen

Landing Barge, Kitchen or LBK, was a landing craft used to support amphibious landings in Northwestern Europe during and after the Normandy invasion of Second World War. Its primary purpose was to provide hot meals to the crews of the many minor landing craft not fitted with galley facilities. Constructed of steel, this shallow-draft lighter had storage and serving space to feed 900 men for one week. The kitchen capacity was able to provide 1,600 hot meals and 800 cold meals a day. They were used by both the US and British on D-Day.[20] [21]

Landing Barge, Vehicle

Landing Barge, Vehicle (LBV 1, mark 1) was a barge with a ramp added to load and unload vehicles like: jeeps and trucks during World War 2. A nine-foot, four-inch ramp was added to the stern for loading and unloading. LBV 2, Mark 2, had an engine that could propel the LBV at 4.5 knots. They were powered by 2 Chrysler RM Gas engines and were used by both the US and British on D-Day. Built in three sizes: small (S) 70 feet long, medium (M) 78 feet long and large (L) 82 feet long. Each had a draft of about 4 feet when loaded.[22] [23]

Landing Barge, Oiler

Landing Barge, Oiler (LBO) and YO and YON stored fuel oil or diesel fuel for landing craft. They had a 40-ton fuel tank, with two compartments and an engine that could propel them at 4.5 knots. They were used by both the US and British on D-Day.[24] [25] [26] [27]

Landing Barge, Water

Landing Barge, Water (LBW or YW) a barge with a 33-ton fresh water tank and an engine that could propel them at 4.5 knots. They were World War 2 landing support vessels. Used by both the US and British on D-Day. YWN are non-self propelled.[28] [29]

Landing Barge, Flak

Landing Barge, Flak (LBF) a Landing Barge with a 40mm anti-aircraft gun, manned by a crew of five. Also had Two 20-mm Hispano AA guns or two twin Lewis guns. The LBF were 60 to 90 feet long. They could transport 15 troops. Used by both the US and British on D-Day.[30]

Deck barge

Deck barges offered a large flat platform, on which many types of gear could be moved. The only downside was the cargo had a slightly higher center of gravity. A number of shipyards built deck barges. Kyle and Company built of Stockton, California built US Army BC 522 to BC 535 deck barges in 1942, that had a length of 110 feet, a beam of 35 feet, a draft of 6 feet, light displacement of 170 tons, full displacement of 500 tons, and deadweight of 330 tons.[31] [32]

Concrete Barge

B7-A2 were 5,786 deadweight tons concrete barges.

Type B5-BJ1 were covered dry cargo barges mostly operated by the Army. They were 265 feet long with a deadweight of 1,632 tons.


Trefoil-class concrete bargeType: B7-D1 were built by Barrett & Hilp in South San Francisco, California. They had a tonnage of M.C. Deadweight: 5,687, Full Load: 10,970 tons.Dimensions: Length: 366'4" by Beam: 54' with max. Draft: 26'

B7-A1B7-A1 were 5,786 deadweight tons concrete barges.

C1-S-D1C1-S-D1 were made by McCloskey & Company Shipyard in Hookers Point, Tampa, Florida in 1944. McCloskey built 24 C1-S-D1. Many were sunk after the as war as breakwater barriers. B7-A1 were 5,004 deadweight tons concrete barges.Name – Completed – Fate

Wood Barge

A number of different types of wood barges were used in the war. A flat bottom wood barge could be used in shallow ports or be towed onto beaches. They were low cost to build and could be abandoned after used if needed. To stop wooden hull rot many had copper-sheathed hulls. With the shortage of steel, a fleet of wood barges was built and a fleet of concrete barges were also built.[41] [4]

YFNB

YFNB Large Covered Lighter, non-self-propelled barge, such as US Navy YFNB_47, a 152 feet, 36 feet beam barge that was used for repair, e.g. YR 47 and YRR 9 .

YFNX

YFNX were Special Purpose Barges, that were non-self-propelled and used at shore. Most were a modified YC or YFN hull. The modified barge gave the craft a specialized use, such as a laboratory, sonar research or stowage for submarine goods.[44] [45]

YFND

YFND or Dry Dock Companion Craft, were non-self-propelled barges. YFND were a special purpose barge used to support the auxiliary floating drydocks, which had little crew support space.[46]

YFP

YFP were Floating Power Barges, a non-self-propelled barge with fuel and a generator to make a mobile power station, and were able to produce up to 20,000 kilowatts of power.[47]

YOG – YOGN - YG

YOG were self propelled Gasoline Barges, with tanks for gasoline that had a capacity of 8,200 Bbls. YOGN were non-self-propelled Gasoline Barges.[27]

YG

YG were Garbage Barges, also called Lighter, and were self-propelled with one direct-drive Atlas diesel engine to a single propeller, 240 shp.[48]

YGN

YGN were Garbage Barges that were non-self-propelled.[49]

YPD

YPD were Floating Pile Drivers, and were non-self-propelled barges, used to build piers.[50] [51]

YSR

YSR were Sludge Removal Barges, a non-self-propelled sludge removal barge 110 foot long with a 34-foot beam. Built for cleaning fuel oil or other tanks that have sludge and/or foreign matter.[52]

US Army

The United States Army barges were given the prefix of "B". For World War II over 6,000 barges were built for the Army, by 130 different shipyards. Often used for assault landings, if there was no harbor, a bulldozer or tank could tow the barge onto the beachhead, so supplies would be available to the Troops. Barges were also used for ship-to-ship transfers and as a way to unload ships quickly, then move by a tugboat, also called a Sea mule.[53] [54]

World War I barge types

Many World War I barges were used in World War II, due to the high demand.

Steel

Wood

Concrete

Concrete Barges were used in WW1. Louis L. Brown built concrete barges at Verplank, New York.[60]

(12 Concrete ships were also built, like the SS Atlantus.)

Notable incidents

United Kingdom

Current barge classes

Type B I barge hull. Designed to ensure no uncontrolled release of cargo to the water or atmosphere.

Type B II barge hull. Designed to carry products which require substantial preventive measures to ensure no uncontrolled release of cargo to the water or atmosphere, but only if the release does not constitute a long term hazard.

Type B III barge hull. Designed to transport products classed as minor hazards, thus needing less degree of control.[87]

See also

Other MARAD designs

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Concrete Ship Constructors Shipyard. www.militarymuseum.org.
  2. http://shipbuildinghistory.com/merchantships/1barges.htm shipbuildinghistory.com, Merchant Ships Barge
  3. http://shipbuildinghistory.com/merchantships/1wood.htm Wooden Ships and Barges
  4. Web site: Miscellaneous Photo Index. www.navsource.org.
  5. Web site: US Navy Hull Classification Symbols.
  6. http://shipbuildinghistory.com/smallships/yc2.htm Open Lighters (YC) Built or Acquired During WWII shipbuildinghistory
  7. Web site: Miscellaneous Photo Index. www.navsource.org.
  8. Web site: YFN – Steel Covered Lighter. www.globalsecurity.org.
  9. http://shipbuildinghistory.com/smallships/yf3.htm shipbuildinghistory.com Freight Barges (YF, YFN) and Refrigerated Freight Barges (YFR, YFRN) Built or Acquired Since WWII
  10. Web site: Freight Lighters Wartime YF YFN YFND YFR YFRN YFRT.
  11. Web site: YR – Repair Barge. www.globalsecurity.org.
  12. Web site: Repair and Berthing Barges YR YRB YRBM YRDH YRDM YRR.
  13. Web site: YRR – Radiological Repair Barge. www.globalsecurity.org.
  14. Web site: Miscellaneous Photo Index. www.navsource.org.
  15. Web site: The Turbo Electric Vessel Rangatira of 1971 . Castell . Marcus . The New Zealand Maritime Record . 2003–2005 . 29 May 2013 . 14 September 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130914030656/http://www.nzmaritime.co.nz/r4.htm . dead .
  16. Web site: Navy to Replace 70-Year-Old Berthing Barges. www.nationaldefensemagazine.org.
  17. Web site: Non Self-propelled Barracks Ship (APL). www.navsource.org.
  18. Web site: US Navy Barracks Ships and Barges APB APL.
  19. Web site: Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard.
  20. http://www.combinedops.com/Training%20in%20Landing%20Craft%20Operations.htm Training In Small Landing Craft Operations
  21. Web site: BBC – WW2 People's War – My Story: On a London Barge off Normandy. bbc.co.uk.
  22. Operation Neptune: The Inside Story of Naval Operations for the Normandy, By BB Schofield, page 128 a
  23. Web site: D-Day : Normandy 1944 – Allied Landing Craft. www.6juin1944.com.
  24. Operation Neptune, By BB Schofield, page 128 b
  25. Web site: D-Day : Normandy 1944 – Allied Landing Craft. www.6juin1944.com.
  26. http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/ref/ONI/ONI-226/ONI-226.pdf US Navy, Landing ships
  27. Web site: NavSource Auxiliary Ship Photo Archive. www.navsource.org.
  28. Book: Schofield, BB. Operation Neptune. 129. Pen and Sword. 2008. 978-1-84415-662-7.
  29. Web site: NavSource Auxiliary Ship Photo Archive. www.navsource.org.
  30. Book: Allied Landing Craft and Ships. US Navy. 65. 1944. ONI-226.
  31. Web site: Naval Vessel Register. No Name (YC 1686) . US Navy .
  32. Web site: October 27, 2012. U.S. Army Barges (B**) Built During WWII. shipbuildinghistory.com.
  33. Web site: Concrete Barges (YO-144 and YOG-40 Classes) . www.shipscribe.com.
  34. Web site: Emergency Shipbuilders of WWII. August 2021. shipbuildinghistory.com.
  35. Web site: Gasoline Tankers YOG YOGN.
  36. http://www.navsource.org/archives/14/12idx.htm navsource.org
  37. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/b/beans-bullets-black-oil.html Beans, Bullets, and Black Oil, The Story of Fleet Logistics Afloat in the Pacific During World War II, Special Type Ships Useful, page 99-100
  38. Web site: Yard Oiler (YOG) Photo Index. www.navsource.org.
  39. Web site: navy.mil, U.S. Navy to Provide 500,000 Gallons of Fresh Water to Fukushima Power Plant, 3/25/2011.
  40. Web site: US rushes freshwater to help Japan nuclear plant. March 26, 2011. San Diego Union-Tribune.
  41. Web site: Barge Builders.
  42. Web site: Miscellaneous Photo Index. www.navsource.org.
  43. https://hiddencityphila.org/2017/05/rediscovering-the-dead-fleet-of-the-delaware-river/ Rediscovering The Dead Fleet Of The Delaware River, May 23, 2017, by Bob McNulty
  44. Web site: YFNX – Special Purpose Barge. www.globalsecurity.org.
  45. Web site: US Navy YFNX 30.
  46. Web site: US Navy YFND 30.
  47. Web site: Floating Power Barge (YFP). www.navsource.org.
  48. Web site: Miscellaneous Photo Index. www.navsource.org.
  49. Web site: Garbage Lighter (YG). www.navsource.org.
  50. Web site: Pile Driver (YPD) Photo Index. www.navsource.org.
  51. Web site: Pile Driver (YPD) Photo Index. www.navsource.org.
  52. Web site: NavSource Auxiliary Ship Photo Archive. www.navsource.org.
  53. http://shipbuildinghistory.com/smallships/armybarges.htm shipbuildinghistory.com US Army, barges
  54. https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/army.htm globalsecurity.org Army Craft
  55. http://shipbuildinghistory.com/smallships/armydb1.htm shipbuildinghistory.com BC: Derrick barge
  56. Web site: NavSource Auxiliary Ship Photo Archive. www.navsource.org.
  57. Web site: AmShip Superior, Superior Shipbuilding, American Steel Barge.
  58. Web site: Anacortes Shipways.
  59. Web site: Allen Marine.
  60. Web site: NH 99345 Concrete Barge # 442. NHHC.
  61. Web site: SP & ID: Harbor and Service Craft.
  62. Web site: navsource.org, YC-516, Coal Barge #516.
  63. Web site: USN Ships--Concrete Barge # 442, later Coal Barge # 442 and YC-442. www.ibiblio.org.
  64. Web site: Concrete Ships: The World War I Emergency Fleet. www.concreteships.org.
  65. Web site: Yard Oiler (YOG) Photo Index. www.navsource.org.
  66. Web site: Naval Losses WWII. usspennsylvania.org.
  67. World War II Wrecks of the Philippines: WWII Shipwrecks of the Philippines, By Tom Bennett
  68. World War II Wrecks of the Philippines
  69. Web site: Yard Oiler (YOG) Photo Index. www.navsource.org.
  70. Web site: Fleet Oiler (YO) Photo Index. www.navsource.org.
  71. http://www.navsource.org/archives/14/17114.htm navsource.org, YW-114
  72. Web site: Fleet Oiler (YO) Photo Index. www.navsource.org.
  73. Web site: Mary E. O'Hara (1941).
  74. Reports of the Department of Commerce and Labor, By United States. Department of Commerce and Labor, page 564
  75. Web site: Ships not hit by U-boats – uboat.net. uboat.net.
  76. Web site: F2 and Barge : Scapa Flow Wrecks. www.scapaflowwrecks.com.
  77. Web site: Allegheny . Uboat . 19 April 2012.
  78. http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?182935 wrecksite.eu YCK-8
  79. Web site: Official Chronology of the US Navy in WWII . Ibiblio . 4 January 2014.
  80. The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II, By Robert Cressman, YO-159
  81. Web site: Naval losses WWII . USSPennsylvania.com . 5 November 2014 . 5 November 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141105223900/http://www.usspennsylvania.com/NavalLosses.htm . dead .
  82. Web site: Silica. Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Department of the Navy. 20 November 2011 . Washington, D.C..
  83. Web site: Miscellaneous Photo Index. www.navsource.org.
  84. Web site: Civilian Vessel. www.navsource.org.
  85. Web site: Thames dumb barge converted into landing craft for Normandy landings. www.naval-history.net.
  86. Web site: British naval vessels lost at sea in World War 2 – La Combattante to Myrtle. www.naval-history.net.
  87. Web site: 46 CFR § 32.63-5 – Barge hull classifications – B/ALL.. LII / Legal Information Institute.