U.S. Navy Service Craft

Although little known and mostly anonymous, members of the “Dungaree Navy” are essential contributors to the operations, maintenance and readiness of the U.S. battle force. They include a variety of tugboats, barges, floating dry docks, lighters and scores of other “blue collar” vessels such as range tenders, floating derricks and ferries. These behind-the-scenes workhorses of the Navy are collectively known as “service craft.”
With more than 500 photos, this unique book provides the histories and discusses the operations and characteristics of more than 4,000 ships, boats and other craft in some 140 classifications and types that have served in the Navy as utility vessels from World War I to today. This comprehensive work includes such rare listings as drone aircraft catapult ships, light salvage lift craft and radiological repair barges. In addition, readers will discover a virtual flotilla of houseboats, dredges, torpedo trials craft and many other unsung ships and boats.

Ken W. Sayers is a former naval officer who served on board a Pacific Fleet destroyer escort and in the Pentagon on the staff of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs). An IBM veteran, he lives in Ridgefield, Connecticut.

Ken W. Sayers
Format: softcover (8.5 x 11)
Pages: 436
Bibliographic Info: 525 photos, glossary, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2025
pISBN: 978-1-4766-9006-3
eISBN: 978-1-4766-5363-1
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments       ix
Preface       1
Glossary of Abbreviations and Special Terms       3
Introduction       9

1—Harbor Tugs       11
Section 1. Yard Motor Tugs (YMT)       11
Section 2. District Tugs/Harbor Tugs (YT)       16
Section 3. Large Harbor Tugs (YTB)       63
Section 4. Small Harbor Tugs (YTL)       102
Section 5. Medium Harbor Tugs (YTM)       112

2—Oil and Water Barges       121

Section 1. ­Self-Propelled Fuel Oil Barges (YO)       121
Section 2. ­Self-Propelled Gasoline Barges (YOG)       139
Section 3. ­Non-Self-Propelled Gasoline Barges (YOGL)       145
Section 4. ­Non-Self-Propelled Gasoline Barges (YOG/YOGN)       145
Section 5. ­Non-Self-Propelled Fuel Barges (YO/YON)       149
Section 6. ­Non-Self-Propelled Oil Storage Barges (YOS)       154
Section 7. ­Self-Propelled Water Barges (YW)       157
Section 8. ­Non-Self-Propelled Water Barges (YW/YWN)       163

3—­Self-Propelled Lighters and Barges       167
Section 1. ­Self-Propelled Covered Lighters (YF)       167
Section 2. ­Self-Propelled Refrigerated Covered Lighters (YFR)       182
Section 3. Range Tenders (YFRT)       182
Section 4. Harbor Utility Craft (YFU)       183
Section 5. ­Self-Propelled Garbage Lighters (YG)       194
Section 6. ­Non-Self-Propelled Garbage Lighters (YGN)       200

4­—­Non-Self-Propelled Lighters and Barges       202
Section 1. Ash Lighters (YA)       202
Section 2. Coal Barges (YC)       203
Section 3. Open Lighters (YC)       211
Section 4. Fueling Barges (YCD)       226
Section 5. Car Floats (YCF)       227
Section 6. Open Cargo Lighters (YCK)       230
Section 7. Aircraft Transportation Lighters (YCV)       230
Section 8. Ammunition Lighters (YE)       231
Section 9. Covered and Open Lighters (YF)/(YFN)       232
Section 10. Large Covered Lighters (YFNB)       243
Section 11. Dry Dock Companion Craft (YFND)       246
Section 12. Special Purpose Covered Lighter (YFNG)       247
Section 13. Special Purpose Lighters (YFNX)       247
Section 14. Torpedo Transportation Lighters (YFT)       249
Section 15. Stevedoring Barges (YS)       250
Section 16. Sludge Removal Barges (YSR)       250

5­—Other ­Self-Propelled Craft       254
Section 1. Miscellaneous Auxiliary Craft (YAG)       254
Section 2. Ocean Station Radar Picket Ships (YAGR)/Radar Picket Ships (AGR)       263
Section 3. Degaussing Vessels (YDG)       265
Section 4. Diving Tenders (YDT)       268
Section 5. Ferry Boats and Launches (YFB)       271
Section 6. Ambulance Boats (YH)       282
Section 7. House Boats (YHB)       284
Section 8. Salvage Lift Craft (YLC)       288
Section 9. Light Salvage Lift Craft (YLLC)       288
Section 10. Dredges (YM)       289
Section 11. Motor Mine Planters (YMP)       294
Section 12. Net Tenders (YN)       294
Section 13. Net Tender Tugs (YNT)       297
Section 14. District Patrol Vessels/Patrol Craft/Seamanship Training Craft/Training Patrol Craft (YP)       299
Section 15. Seaplane Wrecking Derricks (YSD)       303
Section 16. Torpedo Testing Barges/Torpedo Trials Craft (YTT)       309
Section 17. Seaplane Barges/Drone Aircraft Catapult Control Craft (YV)       311
Section 18. Miscellaneous Unclassified Craft (YX)       313

6—Other ­Non-Self-Propelled Craft       318
Section 1. Floating Derricks/Floating Cranes (YD)       318
Section 2. Diving Tenders (YDT)       331
Section 3. Floating Power Barges (YFP)       331
Section 4. Heavy Salvage Lifting Craft (YHLC)       333
Section 5. Mud Scows (YMD)       334
Section 6. Medium Salvage Lifting Craft (YMLC)       334
Section 7. Gate Vessels (YNg)/Gate Craft (YNG)       336
Section 8. Floating Pile Drivers (YPD)       339
Section 9. Floating Workshops (YR)       341
Section 10. Repair and Berthing Barges (YRB)       346
Section 11. Repair, Berthing and Messing Barges (YRBM)       348
Section 12. Large Repair, Berthing and Messing Barges (YRBML)/(YRBL)       351
Section 13. Floating Dry Dock Workshops–Hull (YRDH)       352
Section 14. Floating Dry Dock Workshops–Machinery (YRDM)       352
Section 15. Radiological Repair Barges (YRR)       354
Section 16. Salvage Craft Tenders (YRST)       354

7—Miscellaneous Yard and District Craft       357
Bow Docks (YBD)       357
Yard Diving Boats (YDB)       357
Covered Lighter (YFL)       357
YFO 5       357
Refrigerated Covered Lighters (YFRN)       357
Heating Scows (YHT)       358
Open Landing Lighter (YLA)       358
­YMN-1       358
Auxiliary Motor Minesweepers (YMS)       358
Coastal Tankers (YOL)       359
Pontoon Stowage Barges/Pontoon Storage District Barges (YPK)       359
Submarine Rescue Chambers (YRC)       359
Repair Covered Lighters (YRL)       360
Stowage Pontoons/Salvage Pontoons (YSP)       360
YTLX 318       361
Catapult Lighter (YVC)       361
­Non-Self-Propelled Water Distilling Barge (YWDN)       362

8—Floating Dry Docks (YFD)       363

9­—Other Miscellaneous Service Craft, Boats and Ships       371
Crane Ship (AB)       371
Presidential Yachts (AG)       371
Deep Submergence Support Ships (AGDS)       372
Research Submarines (AGSS)       372
Barracks Craft (APL)       372
Berthing Barges (APL)/Auxiliary Personnel Lighters (APL)/Small Auxiliary Personnel Lighters (APL[S])       373
Advanced SEAL Delivery System (ASDS)       373
Auxiliary Swimmer Delivery Vessels (ASDV)       374
Catapult Lighter (AVC)       374
Dry Deck Shelters (DDS)       374
Drone Recovery Craft (DR 1)       375
Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicles (DSRV)       375
Deep Submergence Vehicles (DSV)       376
Miscellaneous Unclassified Vessels (IX)       377
Large Scale Vehicles (LSV)       377
Inshore Minesweeper (MSI)/Research Vessels       378
Research Submersible (­NR-1)       379
Patrol Gunboats (PG)/Research Craft       379
Research Support Boat/Range Support Boat (­RSB-1)       380
­Self-Defense Test Ships (SDTS)       380
SEAL Delivery Vehicles (SDV)       381
Surface Effects Ships (SES)       382
Target and Training Submarines (SST)       382
Range Support Ship/Hull Form Research Ship/SWATH Research Craft       383
Oil Ship Waste ­Off-Loading Barge (SWOB)       383
Midget Submarine (X)       384

10—Various Vessels in Service and Support Roles       385
Acoustic Research Craft       385
Aerial Target Launch Ship (ATLS)       385
USS Arizona Memorial Ferry Boats       386
Barrier Boats       386
Catamaran Ferry       387
Construction Platform       388
Fast Sea Frame Ship (FSF)/Sea Fighter       388
Floating Instrumentation Platform (FLIP)       389
Hull Form Research Ship/Sea Slice       389
Minelaying Practice Craft       390
Mini Tugboats       390
Missile Retrievers       391
Mobile Ship Target/MST       392
­Patrol-Escort Craft       392
Propulsion Trials Craft/Jupiter II       393
Rescue Support Vessel/HOS Dominator       393
Salvage Tender/Keywadin       393
Salvage Training Hulks       394
Sonobuoy Trials Craft       394
Space Booster Recovery Ship/Independence       395
Submarine Escort Ships (­T-AGSE)       395
Submarine Targets/WSTTT & MASTT       396
Submersible Support Craft and Ships       396
Test Craft/Hiddensee       398
Torpedo and Decoy Retriever/Rangemaster       398
Torpedo/Weapon Retrievers       398
Trials Support Craft       401

Chapter Notes        403
Bibliography        409
Index        413