Silica was acquired for use as a store ship to be used to provide general supplies at advance bases. She was assigned to Service Squadron 8, Service Force, Pacific Fleet. On 30 June, Gulf Star took her in tow at San Francisco and departed for Pearl Harbor, arriving on 13 July. Three days later, the barge was towed to Eniwetok. Megrez (AK-126) towed her from there to Ulithi where she remained from 16 October 1944 to 7 May 1945. Serrano (ATF-112) towed her to the Philippine Islands where she remained until August when she was towed to Okinawa.
Wrecked by a typhoonedit
Silica was driven aground in Buckner Bay on 9 October 1945 by Typhoon Louise. A Board of Inquiry found her damaged beyond economical repair and recommended that she be destroyed or sunk in deep water. Silica was decommissioned on 30 November 1945 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 3 January 1946.
silica, trefoil, class, concrete, barge, designated, unclassified, miscellaneous, vessel, only, ship, united, states, navy, named, silica, keel, laid, down, bauxite, hull, 1331, december, 1943, barrett, hilp, belair, shipyard, francisco, california, launched, . USS Silica IX 151 a Trefoil class concrete barge designated an unclassified miscellaneous vessel was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for silica Her keel was laid down as SS Bauxite T B7 D1 MC hull 1331 on 5 December 1943 by Barrett amp Hilp Belair Shipyard San Francisco California She was launched on 31 December 1943 sponsored by Mrs William O Neill and acquired by the Navy and commissioned on 8 June 1944 HistoryUnited StatesNameUSS SilicaBuilderBarrett amp Hilp Belair Shipyard San Francisco CaliforniaLaid down5 December 1943Launched31 December 1943Commissioned8 June 1944Decommissioned30 November 1945Stricken3 January 1946FateWrecked by a typhoon 9 October 1945General characteristicsClass and typeTrefoil class cargo bargeDisplacement5 636 long tons 5 726 t Length366 ft 4 in 111 66 m Beam54 ft 16 m Draft26 ft 7 9 m PropulsionNoneSpeedNot self propelledComplement52 officers and menArmament1 40 mm AA gun Contents 1 Service history 1 1 World War II 1944 45 1 2 Wrecked by a typhoon 2 ReferencesService history editWorld War II 1944 45 edit Silica was acquired for use as a store ship to be used to provide general supplies at advance bases She was assigned to Service Squadron 8 Service Force Pacific Fleet On 30 June Gulf Star took her in tow at San Francisco and departed for Pearl Harbor arriving on 13 July Three days later the barge was towed to Eniwetok Megrez AK 126 towed her from there to Ulithi where she remained from 16 October 1944 to 7 May 1945 Serrano ATF 112 towed her to the Philippine Islands where she remained until August when she was towed to Okinawa Wrecked by a typhoon edit Silica was driven aground in Buckner Bay on 9 October 1945 by Typhoon Louise A Board of Inquiry found her damaged beyond economical repair and recommended that she be destroyed or sunk in deep water Silica was decommissioned on 30 November 1945 and struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 3 January 1946 References editThis article incorporates text from the public domainDictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships The entry can be found here Navsource org Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title USS Silica amp oldid 1149644992, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
