USS Klondike (AD-22)

The USS "Klondike" (AD-22) was one of four destroyer tenders built at the tail end of World War II for the United States Navy. The lead ship in her class, she was named for the Klondike River in the Yukon Territory, Canada, which was the scene of the gold rush of 1897. The "Klondike" Class destroyer tenders were a Navy adaptation of the Maritime Commission's C3 fast cargo ship design.

"Klondike" was launched 12 August 1944 by Todd Shipbuilding Corporation out of San Pedro, California, sponsored by Mrs. Dorothy J. Diirck, and commissioned at San Pedro on 30 July 1945, Commander Maurice Edward Hatch in command. After shakedown, "Klondike" loaded hundreds of tons of spares and stores in preparation for the important task of supplying and maintaining the speedy, hard-hitting destroyers. Designed as a "mother ship" for the "greyhounds of the fleet," she departed San Pedro 19 October for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii arriving the 25th. Recalled to the West Coast, she sailed from Pearl on 7 November with 500 home-bound veterans embarked and arrived in San Diego, California on 15 November. On 21 November she became the flagship for Commander, San Diego Group, 19th Fleet and commenced inactiviation operations on ships scheduled for the Pacific Reserve Fleet. Placed on an inactive status (in commission, in reserve) on 30 November 1946, "Klondike" was placed in service in late September, 1948. She served as flagship of the San Diego Group, Pacific Reserve Fleet until 11 May 1955. "Klondike" recommissioned 15 July 1959 at Long Beach, California with Commander Fred Ferguson Mullins, Jr. in command. Returning to San Diego 4 December, she provided repair facilities as a unit of SerRon 1. On 20 February 1960 she was re-classified as repair ship USS "Klondike" (AR-22) and she repaired vessels at San Diego, Long Beach, and San Francisco until 15 July 1961. "Klondike" then departed San Diego for duty in the Far East. Assigned to SerRon 3, she arrived at Yokosuka, Japan 4 August and until 23 February 1962 she provided repair facilities at Sasebo and Iwakuni, Japan and Subic Bay, Philippines for the peace-keeping ships of the mighty 7th Fleet. Returning to the West Coast 11 March, she resumed her duty out of San Diego. Departing San Diego 17 July 1963, "Klondike" steamed via Pearl Harbor for the Western Pacific. While en route to Sasebo, she offered assistance 6 through 9 August to distressed Greek freighter "Cryssism" during a raging typhoon. Reaching Sasebo on 11 August, she proceeded to Subic Bay 15 August for repair ship station duty. "Klondike" operated in the Far East until 30 November, then she returned to the United States, arriving San Diego 14 December. During the next year she continued servicing ships while operating out of San Diego. "Klondike" continued to repair the ships of the Pacific Fleet into mid-1969 Her last Far Eastern deployment began 25 February 1969 when she departed San Diego. The Klondike make two trips to Portland,Oregon for the annual Rose Festival, one in 1967 and the last one in 1968. She also make a WESTPAC cruse in 1967/1968. She was Decommissioned on 15 December 1970.

"Klondike" was struck from the Naval Register 15 September 1974, after which time custody was transferred to the Maritime Administration for disposal. "Klondike" was sold by MARAD 8 May 1975, fate unknown.

References

*
* cite web|title=AD-22 / AR-22 "Klondike"|work=Service Ship Photo Archive
url=http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/2522.htm|accessdate=January 2|accessyear=2007

ee also

* List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy

External links

* [http://www.ussklondike.org/ USS "Klondike" (AD/AR-22)]
* [http://oldbluejacket.com/klondike.htm USS "Klondike" (AR-22)]
* [http://www.destroyers.org/DH_AD/DH_AD-28.html The National Association of Destroyer Veterans]