The floating dry-dock “Richland” (ADFM-8) was relocated from the confines of Apra Harbor, U.S. Naval Base Guam (NBG), January 28, as a multitude of vessels gathered at NBG’s inner harbor.
After all inspections and checks of seaworthiness were complete, the 212-foot, 467-ton tug Rhocas got underway from NBG with the Richland under tow. Rhocas was assisted by four additional civilian tug boats – the Mangilao, the Goliath, the Quipuha and the Talofofo, as she maneuvered away from the wharf and began her transit to the entrance of the harbor and open ocean.
Richland, a 622-feet long, 124-feet wide and 57-feet high dry dock owned by Guam Shipyard (GSY) has been located in Apra Harbor since 1968.
Richland was built in late 1943 by the Chicago Building & Iron Co., Eureka, Calif., and put into U.S. Navy commission in 1944. She was first towed to Pearl Harbor, then to Eniwetok and Ulithi Atolls before making her way to San Pedro Bay in the Philippines for working on U.S. and Allied ships involved in the closing stages of World War II. It was reclassified as Medium Auxiliary Floating Dry Dock (AFDM)-8 in 1946, and renamed Richland in 1968 when it came to NBG.
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