USS Waterford (ARD-5)

USS Waterford (ARD-5) was an Auxiliary floating drydock of the United States Navy during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf War as an Auxiliary floating drydock. She later served the Chilean Navy as Talcahuano (133).

USS Waterford (ARD-5)
USS Waterford (ARD-5) at New London, Connecticut
History
United States
Name: USS Waterford
Namesake: Waterford, Connecticut
Builder: Pacific Bridge Company
Laid down: 22 September 1941
Launched: 12 March 1942
Commissioned: 3 July 1943
Decommissioned: 9 September 1997
Reinstated: 1999, Chilean Navy
Motto: "We Lift The Fleet!"[1][2] "We Preserve" [3]
Status: In service with Chilean Navy[4]
General characteristics
Class and type: ARD-2-class Auxiliary Repair Dock
Displacement: 4,800 tons (Light)
Length: 482 Feet, 7 Inches
Beam: 71 Feet
Draft: 5 Feet
Complement: 6 Officers, 125 Enlisted
Armament: Two single 20mm gun mounts
Aircraft carried: None
Aviation facilities: None

Ship History

Waterford (ARD-5) was originally the unnamed, steel-hulled, auxiliary repair drydock ARD-5. She was completed in June 1942 at Alemeda, California, by the Pacific Bridge Company. During the war, she served Pearl Harbor and San Francisco. At the end of World War II she was serving at the navy yard at Mare Island, California. She remained there until shifting to the east coast to serve the repair needs of the Atlantic Fleet. ARD-5 was named Waterford on 17 November 1976. She remained active, "in service" with the Atlantic Fleet into 1979—serving Groton and Naval Submarine Base New London. In 1984, Waterford assisted in repairs of the USS Sculpin.

Fate

In February 1997, the nuclear research submarine NR-1 docked, and undocked by late March.[5] Waterford was decommissioned on 9 September 1997, and struck from the Naval Register on 1 October 1997. On 10 March 1999, she was disposed of via the Security Assistance Program to the Republic of Chile. She was renamed Talcahuano (133) on 30 August 1999.

International radio call sign of
USS Waterford (ARD-5)
November Charlie Echo Alpha

Ship Awards
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Battle Effectiveness Award with Wreathed 'E' (7 awards) American Campaign Medal
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal World War II Victory Medal National Defense Service Medal with 2 service stars
  • - NavSource, ARD-5 WATERFORD
  • - The USS Waterford
  • Page 40-43, All Hands Magazine, March 1984
  • - U.S. Naval Register, ARD-5
  • - Navy Crew List ARD-5

References
  1. https://bluejacket.com/usn/insignia/sp/a/ard5_insig.jpg
  2. http://www.hullnumber.com/crew1.php?cm=ARD-5
  3. http://www.navy.mil/ah_online/archpdf/ah198403.pdf
  4. http://shipbuildinghistory.com/smallships/auxafd.htm
  5. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ship/ardm.htm

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.

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