Waterford ARD-5

Artist rendition of Waterford ARD-5 by W. H. Ravell. The original is in the town hall of Waterford,

CT.

WATERFORD (ARD-5) is an Auxiliary Repair, Class II, Floating Drydock built by the Pacific Bridge Company of Alameda, California. The keel was laid on 22 September 1941, launched on 12 March 1942, and commissioned USS ARD-5 on 3 July 1943. Upon being commissioned, USS ARD-5 was assigned to the Western Pacific to tend submarines and destroyers. With brief assignments in Sann Francisco, California and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, USS ARD-5 was anchored at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides on 7 February 1943. On 24 November 1944, USS ARD-5 returned to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to support the fleet. USS ARD-5 arrived at the Submarine Base New London, CT on 26 February 1946. Originally, she was assigned to New London Group Sixteenth Fleet which was comprised of submarines in reserve commission. USS ARD-5's status was officially changed on 30 August 1946 to "Out of Commission/In Service". That status was retained until her inactivation.

The name "WATERFORD" was adopted in 1976 to conform with the newly established practice of naming all Navy floating drydocks after cities having nuclear powered generators or research facilities. Waterford, a neighboring city to the Naval Submarine Base New London, is the site of the Millstone Nuclear Power Generating Facility. As a result of the close proximity, the ARD-5 was officially named "WATERFORD (ARD-5).

WATERFORD (ARD-5) is 482' 7" long with the stern gate shut. and has a maximum beam of 76'. The drydock's basin is 412' 8' long and the clearance between the wingwall fenders is 48' 7". WATERFORD (ARD-5) was capable of providing berthing, messing and laundry services to her crew and the tended unit. When operational, she was the Navy's oldest and narrowest drydock in service. On 9 September 1997, WATERFORD (ARD-5) was inactivated during a ceremony at the Naval Submarine Base, New London, CT.

Pictures of the WATERFORD (ARD-5) in action

WATERFORD ballasting down to receive a submarine
WATERFORD crew looking on as a Navy tug assists with the submarine "at the sill"
WATERFORD "warping" a unit into dock
WATERFORD crew in front of a 637 class submarine repaired and ready to return to the fleet
WATERFORD and her sister dock, WEST MILTON. Taken sometime in the mid 1960's
WATERFORD and her sister dock, WEST MILTON. Another view of the two docks.

WWII Docking pictures New