Los Alamos (AFDB 7) - Naval Cruise Book

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Our cooks provide a barbecue on dock- ing days. The dock is on the bubble - now ready to receive unit. 3 5 M.-f.43ivq,,,A,e. 'nk ,. ' ,L --:iw f 4 .ig,.,ig,- ,T7.','111' . Another shot of linehandlers, pausing for a few seconds before shifting their line to another cleat. Back in Dock Control ENC Cordonicr and MMI Sargent operate the Ballast Control Panel, ensuring the dock stays on the bubble. The Docking Officer keeps in constant com- munication with all areas of operation. the unit. t , ,i AK2 Brown stands by to operate one of the capstans. A nice shot of the unit exactly on center. 'D The port crane lowers the brow, with safety nets piled in center, onto u L Undocking procedures are the same as docking procedures, only in reverse. Here the unit has backed out of the basin after a successful undocking. f an Other units docked have included tugboats. HT2 Hendrickson admires his crew's handiwork. H ,ml v EKVN T, The Centering Team stands on the bow and ensures the unit is exactly on our centerline. This photo of the basin shows our mission readiness: with both a barge and a tug in dock, we still have a complete centerline cradle ready. 11

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A docking begins with the construction of the 'cradle in the basing each block must be exactly the right measurement as per docking plan. The skipper stays on deck throughout the entire docking evolution. ' rf: -w-am W M. f 6 5' 'Tiff W , .7.,.2 ' w- N1 7 ..M.-., - , Wa- fs V, Hendrickson and HT2 Baker stand proudly by a completed cradle. Dock Control is a beehive of activity, from Man Docking Stations to Secure HT1 Correa, CW04 Keller and IC3 Rietveld ensure smooth ops. Some of our crew patrols the basin for fl0aters , using a small wcrkboat. Floaters are dangerous obstructions to submarines. On one occasion, the CO addressed the crew from the flying bridge, and was heard all the way aft to the delta wingwall. .w , ',., V f ff Our mission must go on, regardless of the weather. r ewmwfzz' ' 774: The Men who Make it Happen : C0 Docking Officers, and Bosun. -t ig xi f The moment we've waited for: the unit to be docked approaches the basin. f Deflection readers are important to the stability of the dock. Linehandlefs stand read ' thing on t ' some U HT3 Hackett and HT3 Williams provide starboard side read- Y he port wlngwall. Bingham must Se? booth. ings- funny from the port deflecflon ewffiff1-WwwmwawzemelwzmfmX , U .K R, ., . s ......-may i 5 4 9 , i i it-vw... 1 Ztlfllvgiruy 7

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,-eg112,fQ3'h A Brief History of LOS ALAMOS and the Holy Loch It is fitting at this point to touch upon the history of LOS ALAMOS, because she has played a vital role in the mission of the submarine fleet for the past thirty years, but it is equally fitting to bring to light certain facts about her construction, original commissionf ing, and pre-Holy Loch history. Space does not allow the mention' ing of every fact, so only those felt to be most pertinent will be seen here. LOS ALAMOS is one of seven sectional drydocks originally desigf nated Advance Base Sectional Dock CABSDD. ABSD 1 f 3 were ten-section construction with a lift capacity of9l,000 tons. ABSD 4 f 7 were sevenfsection construction with a lift capacity of 56,000 tons. ABSD 7 was designed under the direction of the Bureau of Yards and Docks by the consultant marine engineering firm of Frederick R. Harris, Inc., New York fMr. Harris KEY DATES 06 Jan 45 First commissioned USS ABSD-7 . Mar 45 Original construction of all sections completed fnote that commis, sioning was held prior to completion of constructionl. Aug 45 Under tow via Pearl Harbor and Enweitok to Kwajalein when hostili- ties in Pacific ended. Aug 46 Designation changed from ABSD 7 to AFDB 7. Aug 46 Decommissioned. Jan 47 Berthed in Green Cove Springs, Florida. 01 May 61 Four sections QA, B, C, Dj activated in early 1961 and departed Mayport, Florida, on this date enroute to Holy Loch. 01 Jun 61 Arrived in Holy Loch. 03 Jun 61 Assembly and erection of AFDB 7 commenced by approximately 350 men and officers of Mobile Con- struction Battalion FOUR and 150 men and officers of AFDB 7. 10 Nov 61 Placed infservice and cus- was formerly RADM Harris, i tody transferred to COMSUBRON 14. Chief Of Bufeaul- The Original Top. AFDB-7 seen from af., 1969, with D pontoon removed, during 3 yard period. Nm items 20 NOV 61 First docking, USS construction of the sections was aSf 02X:fa'W?:'S-and '1 'PC'S2'f'f'I1j0fh'Zi2aag2 fog GEORGE WASHINGTON QSSBN completed in March 1945 by the Arms 1 p ly h 1969 s i. Y... slr.. Q..e.n'.i-1.11. ri.. im efes ungpm of af. 598J. Shipyardsz gh k dh hf dl ZAFDB 7 h AS 33 in dock, b ecause in reality AFDB-7 co Id have NOV First undocking. cleaned on SSBN 598. l 08 Jul 64 Self-docked Section B. AIG Pollack Stockton Stockton, California QEFOB-7137 name USS LOS BICIDIF Chicago Bridge Sr Iron Works Morgan City, Louisiana 2,4 Jun 91 Last Submarine docking, E PittsburghfDes Moines Steel Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USS WILL ROGERS QSSBN 6591. W- 19 April 1973: Charlie Engine Room receives a new diesel engine. AFDB-7 undergoes a crane changeout, very likely in late 1960s. Sub tenders have come and gone during the past 30 years, but only LOS ALAM' OS has been constant. 1991 photo show' ing USS SIMON LAKE QAS-33J. TIE? 157- :1'.31f'f'7f rv'-'EXW' r?7f??5155iP?f!.TiE?P'? f 1f 1 -'ff' Xwvfrfz-rf-fr-. -':f,:1-- vw. fa- --v--.W ,.,,. fm K M .. - -- -f- - . V 1 -1. - - .,,.-nz. -. 1 .:'-rfvm..-Hb. 571. fxmziw-'zrnv-:vm .ww-:fm-Y.,-4.-m-.1-.-v, f,-,....f-.,.-.,,-,,.-..v..m.fnrmw1wri1s:9-!1:3'.!,4ifSfS