USN
AFDB-1 Class
Large Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock
Built
US Navy Yard
Vallejo, CA
1944
Frank Morrill 1945
Jeff Hutchingson 2003
Wartime
History
Sailed from California to
the Admiralty Islands. The trip that took 48 days. Assigned
to Seeadler
Harbor off Lombrum Point on Manus in
1944
Attacked from Rabaul
On April 30, 1945
it was torpedoed by two Japanese B5N2 Kate torpedo bombers from Rabaul. After the war,
it was abandoned after the war and sill remains
to this day.
Frank Morrill adds:
"The ABSD's had their own living Quarters and a large barge along side for workshops. I did not know anyone aboard them. I came very close to them while 'cruising' around the harbor in an LCVP."
Dr. Marshall Lowry addss:
"I was pharacist mate second class abord ABSD-4. The doctor on board was Dr Billy Marshall. I remember the attack I stayed on the ABSD and took it apart before I transferred to Manus. I was a hospital corpsman send class, went to medical school after I was discharged. I am now 80 years."
Post War
Left at Manus, it was not officially struck from the US Navy register until April 15, 1989. Today, it is partially sunk and the walls of the dock remain.
References
The Siege of Rabaul talks about that attack by Kates. Voices
of the Pacific War includes an interview with Bob Addobati, who served
aboard the dry dock.
AFDB-4 Info
Photo Archive
