Covered Lighter

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, and can transport bulky cargo. Because barges lack engines for self-propulsion, they are usually moved by a tugboat, some classed as Type V ships. Once the barge is moved into position, the tugboat departs and can do another task. This means there is no immediate rush to load or unload the barge.

Toward the end of World War II, some ships that had not been completed in time for the war were converted into barges. US Navy water barges are given the hull classification symbols YWN or YW. Some barge classification symbols contain -N, indicating that the barge was not self-propelled. Due to the shortage of steel during World War II, concrete ship constructors were given contracts to build ferrocement barges for oil or gasoline, which were given the hull symbols YO, YOG, and YOGN; built in 1944 and 1945, some were named after chemical elements.

World War II barge types

Overview

Freight (Lighter) Barges (YF – YFN)

YF barges were self-propelled. YFN barges were not self-propelled. YFN worked near shore in harbors, rivers, and other protected waters, and could carry a load of 550 long tons. They had steel hulls, 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 – YFN-603). Pollock-Stockton Shipbuilding Company built FN-619 to FN-742 and YFN-998 to YFN-1016.

Refrigerated Freight Barges (YFR – YFRN)

YFR Barges were self-propelled. YFRN barges were not self-propelled. Olson & Winge of Seattle made 10 (YFRN-833 – YFRN-841) in 1943 for the war. The 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 reefer barges.

Repair Barges

Yard Repair Berthing and Messing (barracks ships) are repair barges type TR, YR, YRB, YRBM, YRDH, YRDM, YRR, LBE built in 1944 for World War II. Repair Barges were self-sustaining, 530 tons and 153 feet long. 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 a steam boiler. The living space had berths and a mess hall to support a crew of 48 men.

Barracks Barge

The US Navy Barracks Barges, also called ''berthing barges'', were each 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 (auxiliary personal living).
* APL-1 to APL-58 are non-self-propelled barracks ships built in 1944 and 1945. APL displaced 2,600 tons at full load. Dimensions are 261.2 feet long, 49.2 feet beam, draft 8.5 feet when fully loaded. WW2 armament was four 20 mm guns. Crew quarters could accommodate 71 officers and 583 men. Some are still in use, such as the USS ''Mercer'' (APL-39).
* APL-59 to APL-72 are post-WW2 barracks ships.

Landing Barge, Kitchen

Landing Barge, Kitchen (LBK) was a landing craft used to support amphibious landings in northwestern Europe during and after the Normandy invasion of World War II. 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.

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 two Chrysler RM gas engines and were used by both the US and British on D-Day. Built in three sizes: small (70 feet long), medium (78 feet long), and large (82 feet long). Each had a draft of about 4 feet when loaded.

Landing Barge, Oiler

Landing Barge, Oiler (LBO; also 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.Operation Neptune, By BB Schofield, page 128 b

Landing Barge, Water

Landing Barge, Water (LBW or YW) were barges with a 33-ton freshwater 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.

Landing Barge, Flak

Landing Barge, Flak (LBF) were landing barges with a 40mm anti-aircraft gun, manned by a crew of five. They 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.

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 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.

Concrete Barge

Concrete Barges were built by Concrete Ship Constructors in National City, California, in 1944 and 1945. These were a type of concrete ship built with ferrocement. Steel shortages led the US military to order the construction of small fleets of ocean-going concrete barge and ships. Typical displacement: , full load: 12,910 tons; length: , beam: , draft: ; crew: 52 officers and men. Ship armament one to four 40 mm AA gun.

Concrete ships were fitted as needed. Some had diesel-electric power generators for refrigeration or tool use, or equipment for water distilling. Others were used to store fuel or water (up to 60,000 barrels), while others served as the Quartermaster general store.

Type MC B7-A2 were concrete tank barges (5,786 deadweight tons) made by Concrete Ship Constructors Inc in National City, CA.
* ''YOG-85''
* ''YO-144''
* ''YOG-40''
* ''YOG-41''
* ''YOG-42'' – Beached off a Hawaiian island, visible from the shore
* ''YOG-64'' – Service history unknown, now wrecked at the Staten Island boat graveyard, currently known as the Donjon Iron and Metal Scrap Facility
* ''YO-145''
* ''YO-146'' – Sank in accident, July 1957
* ''YOG-53''
* ''YO-159'' – Sunk by Japanese submarine RO-42 off New Hebrides, 14 January 1944
* '' YO-160'' – Atomic bomb test at Bikini Atoll, 25 July 1946
* ''YO-161'' – Sank at Eniwetok, 29 November 1946
* ''YO-162''
* ''YO-163''
* ''YO-182''
* ''YO-183''
* ''YOGN-82'' – Sunk on June 23, 2018, to form an artificial reef in Powell River, B.C.
* ''YO-184'' – Sank at Eniwetok during typhoon in September 1946
* ''YO-185'' – Sank off Saipan, 16 March 1946
* ''YOG-83'' – Sank off Kwajalein, 16 September 1948
* ''YO-186'' – Sank at sea off Guam, 5 April 1948
* ''YO-187'' – Lost by grounding off Midway Island in 1957
* ''YOG-84'' – Lost during typhoon at sea off Saipan, 14 November 1948

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.

* ''Barium''
* ''Helium''
* ''Nitrogen''
* ''Radium''
* ''Argon''
* ''Cadmium''
* ''Chromium''
* ''Cobalt''
* ''Iridium''
* ''Lithium''
* ''Magnesium''
* ''Neon''
* ''Nickel''
* ''Phosphorus''
* ''Sodium''
* ''Sulphur''
* ''Tellurium''
* ''Tungsten''
* ''Uranium''
* ''Bismuth''
* ''Bromide''
* ''Hydrogen'' – with reefer storage
* ''Calcium'' – with reefer storage
* ''Antimony'' – with reefer storage
* ''Cerium'' – maintenance barges
* ''Radon'' – maintenance barges
* ''YOGN 104'' – built by Alabama Dry Dock Mobile AL Ex-C 105, disposed of 1947
1950s

* Built by Trinity Industries in Nashville, TN (165 feet long, 245 tons)
** ''YOGN-110''
** ''YOGN-111''
** ''YOGN-112''
** ''YOGN-113''
* Built by Albina Engine & Machine in Portland, OR (165 feet long, 245 tons)
** ''YOGN-114''
** ''YOGN-115'' – used to support cooling efforts at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power
** ''YOGN-116''
** ''YOGN-117''
** ''YOGN-118''
** ''YOGN-119'' – renamed YON 367, sunk as target 1973
** ''YOGN-120'' – renamed Ex-BG 1165, sunk as target 1978
** ''YOGN-121''
** ''YOGN-122'' – Ex-BG 8452, scrapped 1986
** ''YOGN-123'' – Ex-BG 6380, YON 252
** ''YOGN-124'' – Ex-BG 6383, struck 2006
** ''YOGN-125'' – Ex-YWN 154, now YON
* Built by Manitowoc SB in Manitowoc, WI (174 feet long, 440 tons)
** ''YOGN-196'' – renamed Ex-YO 196, sunk as target 2000

Trefoil-class concrete barge – Type: 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", beam: 54', with max draft 26'.

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B7-A1 were 5,786 deadweight tons concrete barges.
* MacEvoy Shipbuilding Corporation of Savannah, Georgia, made seven B7-A1 concrete barges in 1944.
* San Jacinto Shipbuilding Corporation of Houston, Texas, made four B7-A1 concrete barges in 1943.

Concrete ships

Steel Barges

Wood Barges

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 had low construction cost 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 and a fleet of concrete barges were also built.

US Army

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 quick unloading, and were moved by a tugboat (also called a sea mule).

World War I barge types

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

Steel

* Built by American Steel Barge Company in Superior, WI, from 1891 to 1945.
** Water Barge self-propelled
*** ''YW,'' ''YW-1'' to ''YW-132''
** Water Barge non-self-propelled
*** ''YWN-145'' (was YW-145)
*** ''YWN-146'' (was YW-146)
*** ''YWN-147''
*** ''YWN-148'' ex YON-187
*** ''YW-149''
*** ''YW-150''
*** ''YW-151''
*** ''YW-152''
*** ''YWN-153''
*** ''YWN-154''
*** ''YW-155''
*** ''*YWN-156'' ex YOGN-116
*** ''YWN-157'' ex YOG-32

Wood

Concrete

Louis L. Brown built concrete barges at Verplank, New York.
* YC-516 – Barge #1 (Coal Barge #516), built 1918
* YC-442 – Barge #442, built 1918, displacement 922 tons
* For WW1, 12 emergency fleet concrete barges were ordered for the war, but were not completed in time and so were sold to private companies.
(12 Concrete ships were also built, like the SS Atlantus.)

Notable incidents

* ''YOG 42'', gasoline barge – Under tow by ''Navajo'' (AT64) when Navajo was torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-39 on 12 September 1943, 150 miles east of Espiritu Santo. Recovered by USS Sioux (AT-75).
* ''YO-64'' – Sank due to enemy action in the Philippines in January 1942.
* ''YO 41'' and ''YO 42'' fuel oil barges – Sank 22 February 1942 during enemy action in the Philippines.
* ''YSP-44, YSP-46, YSP-47, YSP-48, YSP-49'' – Salvage barges and the ''YSR-2'', a sludge barge, sank 22 February 1942 during enemy action in the Philippines.
* ''YW-54'' water barge – destroyed in early 1942 in enemy action in the Philippines.
* ''YW-50'', ''YW-55'', and ''YW-58'' water barges – captured 10 December 1941 with the surrender of American forces on Guam.
* ''YC-891'' – Sank on 18 April 1945, while under tow by the tug ''Mauvila'' (YT-328) off Key West, Florida.
* ''USS YOG-76'' – Sank on 13 November 1969 in Cua Viet Cove, South Vietnam after two underwater explosions hit her. Refloated and taken to Da Nang, South Vietnam. Not repaired due to severe damage.
* ''Syncline YO-63'' – A Bullwheel Class fuel oil barge, Self-propelled, sank in 1972 north of Tahiti.
* ''YW-114'' – A YW-83 Class self-propelled water barge. Sank when cargo shifted at Tongass Narrows near Ketchikan, Alaska on 12 August 1989.
* ''YF-1079'' – Ran aground and damaged at Buckner Bay, Okinawa, after Typhoon Louise in October 1945. ''YF-757'' also sank in the storm.
* ''YON-184'' – Sank at Eniwetok in a typhoon in September 1946.
* ''Winifred Sheridan'' – A sea-going coal barge. Sank with the ''Mary E. O’Hara'' a sailing fishing ship after they collided on 20 January 1941, in blinding snowstorm off The Graves Light.
* ''Chickamauga'' – While under tow by the steamer ''Samuel Mitchell'' in fog, she collided with the Mitchell at Houghton Point, Lake Superior, on 18 May 1908.
* ''Dunaj 2'' – Sank after striking a mine in the Sea of Azov on 29 September 1943.
* ''YC21'' – Sank in a storm on 15 November 1968.
* ''Allegheny'' – Shelled and sunk in the Atlantic Ocean east-southeast of the Metopkin Inlet, Virginia () by U-boat on 31 March 1942. All three crewmembers were rescued by ().
* ''YCK-8'' – Wooden barge sank 2.7 miles off Key West, Florida on 12 December 1943. She was under tow by Army tug LT-4.
* – A self-propelled fuel oil barge. Torpedoed and damaged east of Espiritu Santo () by on 14 January 1944. Two torpedoes hit YO-159's concrete hull, causing the loss of her fuel oil cargo which caught fire. She was scuttled the following day by .
* – An S-class Trefoil concrete barge was wrecked at Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, in a storm on 6 October 1944.
* USS ''YO-156'' and USS ''YO-157'' – World War II self-propelled fuel oil barges. Lost at Sitka, Alaska, in May 1945.
* – An S-class Trefoil concrete barge. Ran aground on 9 October 1945 during a Typhoon Louise off Okinawa.
* ''YON-160'' – Sank in Operation Crossroads. The fuel oil barge was sunk as a target by an atomic bomb at Bikini Atoll on 25 July 1946.
* USS Lignite (IX-162) – Wrecked by a typhoon, 9 October 1945.
* ''YC-442'' – Barge sank 11 September 1923.

United Kingdom

Thames Lighters, or ''dumb barges'', were non-self-propelled barges. The original Thames barges were sailing vessels that were converted for the war. Some LB (Landing Barge) vessels had ramps added and were called LBR (Landing Barge, Ramped). Some had engines and rudder added and were referred to as LBV (Landing Barge Vehicle). They were used for different tasks: Landing Barge Oiler (LBO), Water (LBW), Kitchen (LBK), and Emergency Repair (LBE), Landing Barge Flak (LBF) and Gun (LBG). There was also one Landing Barge Cable (LBC). Many brought supplies to Normandy.

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.

See also

* Barracks ship, barge
* Rhino ferry
* Ramped cargo lighter
* Marinefährprahm
* Operation Sea Lion
* United States Merchant Marine Academy
* List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy
* List of yard and district craft of the United States Navy

Other MARAD designs
* Liberty ship (Type EC2-S-C1 ship)
* Type C1 ship
* Type C2 ship
* Type C3 ship
* Type V ship
* Victory ships (Type VC2-S-AP1 ship)

References

*

External links

History of ferro-concrete ships



Images of concrete vessels from the National Monuments Record
Photographic record of the construction and launch of the ''Cretemanor'' at Preston and the Seacraft Concrete Co on the Mersey.

"Pour in the Concrete and Take Out a Ship"
February 1919 ''Popular Science''

'' "How Pour Ships Are Made"'', June 1943, Popular Science

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Ship types
World War II merchant ships of the United States