The USS ''Sustain'' (AFDM-7), (formerly ''YFD-63''), was a ''AFDM-3''-class floating dry dock built in 1945 and operated by the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

Construction and career

''YFD-63'' was built by the Everett Pacific Shipbuilding Co., in Everett,

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in 1945. Melucta with ''YFD-63'' in tow departed Everett for

Moore Dry Dock Co. Moore Dry Dock Company was a ship repair and shipbuilding company in Oakland, California. In 1905, Robert S. Moore, his brother Joseph A. Moore, and John Thomas Scott purchased the National Iron Works located in the Hunter's Point section o ...

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, on 23 January 1945. She would be commissioned later in 1945 after her delivery to the Navy on 1 January. On 1 August 1946, the dry dock was re-designated as AFDM-7. On 28 October 1950, the dry dock would be on commercial lease. In 1956, ''AFDM-7'' was towed through the

Panama Canal The Panama Canal ( es, Canal de Panamá, link=no) is an artificial waterway in Panama that connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean and divides North and South America. The canal cuts across the Isthmus of Panama and is a conduit ...

and leased to

Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company The Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company (ADDSCO) located in Mobile, Alabama, was one of the largest marine production facilities in the United States of America during the 20th century. It began operation in 1917, and expanded dramaticall ...

. In October 1971, the Navy would reacquire the dry dock as the lease was over. ''AFDM-7'' would be repaired and refitted by the Navy Seabees at Davisville, January 1972. Stationed at Melville from June 1972 until 1974. In December 1972,

USS Nantahala (AO-60) USS ''Nantahala'' (AO–60), the second ship of this name, was laid down under Maritime Commission contract by Bethlehem Sparrows Point Shipyard, Inc., Sparrows Point, Maryland, on 31 October 1943. Launched on 29 April 1944; sponsored by Miss M ...

was dry docked inside ''AFDM-7'' at Melville. towed to

Norfolk Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...

in April 1974 and later stationed at

from 1974 until 1997. On 7 June 1979, the dry dock was finally named Sustain. In 1984,

USS Arthur W. Radford (DD-968) USS ''Arthur W. Radford'' (DD-968) was a in the United States Navy. She was named for Admiral Arthur W. Radford USN (1896–1973), the first naval officer to be Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. She was decommissioned on 18 March 2003 aft ...

subsequently undergone sea trials and repairs inside ''Sustain''. From 4 September until 9 October 1984, USS Ainsworth (FF-1090) completed work inside ''Sustain'' at Norfolk.

USS Kidd (DDG-993) USS ''Kidd'' (DDG-993) was the lead ship in her class of destroyers operated by the U.S. Navy. Derived from the , these vessels were designed for air defense in hot weather. The vessel was the second named after Medal of Honor recipient Rear ...

returned to Norfolk and conducted an emergent dry docking with floating dry dock ''Sustain'' on 30 May, staying there for over a week for an ASW groom and implementation of the combat system operational sequencing system on 4 June 1990. ''Sustain'' was decommissioned on 1 August 1997 and leased to Atlantic Marine and Dry Dock, Inc., Jacksonville on 30 November 1999. The dry dock broke the towline in a storm off Cape Hatteras on 14 January 2000 and drifted for 300 miles in the

Gulf Stream The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension the North Atlantic Current, North Atlantic Drift, is a warm and swift Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic ocean current that originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows through the Straits of Florida a ...

until taken under control by salvage team and towed to

Bermuda ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = " Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , e ...

. Finally arrived at Jacksonville on 24 February 2000. Sustain was struck from the

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on 30 January 2007 and later sold outright to Atlantic Marine on 29 February 2008. In May 2010, Atlantic Marine was acquired by

BAE Systems BAE Systems plc (BAE) is a British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company based in London, England. It is the largest defence contractor in Europe, and ranked the seventh-largest in the world based on applicable 2021 revenues. ...

renamed

BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards is a division of BAE Systems Ship Repair, which itself is a subsidiary of BAE Systems Inc., the North American arm of British defense conglomerate BAE Systems. It was formed through the acquisition of Atlantic Mari ...

. In 2015, the shipyard was awarded a $27,625,758 by the Navy to dry dock USS Nitze (DDG-94), for docking selected restricted availability. On 29 March 2019,

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

was dry docked for repairs inside of the former ''Sustain''.

Awards

American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was first created on November 6, 1942, by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was intended to recognize those military members who had perfo ...

* Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal * World War II Victory Medal * National Defense Service Medal * Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation

References

External links

NavSource: AFDM-7Naval Vessel Register: Sustain (AFDM-7)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sustain (AFDM-7) World War II auxiliary ships of the United States Cold War auxiliary ships of the United States Floating drydocks of the United States Navy 1945 ships Ships built in Everett, Washington