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Formerly serving as the ARD-19, OAK RIDGE was originally constructed by the Pacific Bridge Company, Alameda, California, in 1943-44 with a length of 488 feet, a beam of 80 feet and a lifting capacity of 6,800 tons. "As built" armament consisted of two 40mm antiaircraft and two 20mm antiaircraft guns.
ARD-19 was accepted and commissioned on 22 March 1944, LCDR P. D'Jurhuns in command. She was taken under tow under the control of SERVRON TEN. While in transit, she was used as a "moving van"and arrived at Seeadler Harbor carrying a YTL, 2 pontoon crane barges and 20 LCMs and LCVPs. From Manus, SERVRON TEN provided logistic support for the Palau offensive, then moved itself forward to Ulithi and Kossol Roads. The Leyte landings soon followed and the repair facilities were moved up to San Pedro Bay.
On 27 November 1944, ARD-19 was moored in San Pedro Bay with Ross (DD-563) in the dock. Shortly before noon, the Japanese launched an air attack. A "Tojo" fighter crashed into the drydock, passed through the starboard wingwall of the dock, and caused gasoline fed flames to encompass the dock basin, searing the Ross as they spread. As the fire was being fought, another Japanese plane began a strafing run, but was utterly destroyed by gunfire from the ARD-19, the Ross and LST-666. The damage kept the ARD busy on self repairs for a only short period of time. She soon resumed her drydocking and repair role, and continued that service at Subic Bay, Luzon, until the end of WWII.
ARD-19 was towed back to the states and on October 29, 1948, she reported for duty under the control of SERVRON 1 and the Pacific Reserve fleet at Long Beach, CA. For the next six months she was used to move small craft to various places on the west coast.
ARD-19 was placed out of service on 30 September 1949 and moored at the Reserve Fleet in Orange, Texas.
In September 1962, ARD-19 was towed to Gibbs Shipyard in Jacksonville, Florida. She was converted to the first mobile single unit dock capable of docking the relatively new, and significantly larger, Fleet Ballistic Missle Submarines. Her length was extended to 531 feet and her lifting capacity was increased to 7,961 tons. After the initial conversion, which lasted about twelve months, she was towed to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia for post-conversion overhaul and outfitting. The major improvement here was the replacement of the 2 ten ton cranes with 2 twenty five ton cranes.
On 4 June, 1964, the refurbished OAK RIDGE, (ARDM-1), was "underway" again, this time to her new homeport in Rota, Spain. She remained at Rota for exactly fifteen years, providing services to the forward deployed SSBN's. On 4 June, 1979, OAK RIDGE was taken under tow as the last Squadron Sixteen unit to leave the Rota Naval Base. OAK RIDGE was eventually towed to King's Bay, Georgia, rejoining Submarine Squadron Sixteen to continue providing services to the FBM fleet.
OAK RIDGE was "underway" once again in May 1997 enroute to her new homeport, Submarine Base, New London/Groton, CT. Upon arrival she was moored at pier 17 north. Pier 17 was specially constructed for OAK RIDGE and the newly commissioned SEA WOLF due to the deep drafts each vessel requires. After completing a NAVSEA recertification, OAK RIDGE went to work. Since June of 1997 she has docked the following submarines: (Read left to right for proper order)
| USS San Juan (SSN-751) | USS Pittsburg (SSN-720) |
| USS Albuquerque (SSN-706) | USS Providence (SSN-719) |
| USS Billfish (SSN-676) | USS Boston (SSN-703) |
| USS Hartford (SSN-768) | USS Augusta (SSN-710) |
| USS Memphis (SSN-691) | USS Philadelphia (SSN-690) |
| Submarine NR-1 | USS Miami (SSN-755) | USS Pittsburgh (SSN-720) | USS Augusta (SSN-710) | USS Alexandria (SSN-757) | Submarine NR-1 | USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN-705) | USS Hartford (SSN-768) | USS Miami (SSN-755) | USS Annapolis (SSN-760) | USS Augusta (SSN-710) | USS City of Corpus Christi (SSN-705) | Submarine NR-1 | USS Providence (SSN-719) | USS Alexandria (SSN-757) | USS Philadelphia (SSN-690) | Submarine NR-1 |
