restoration of uss frank knox (ddr-742)

TORAYASU KAWASAKI

RESFOUTION OF USS F W KNOX (DDR-74)

THE AUTHOR

graduuted from the Naval Architecture Course, the Nagasaki Techni- cal College, Japan in 1948. Following graduation, he worked at the Koyakijim-Shipyard, Kawaminumi Industrial Co., LTD, Nagasaki, Japan. Serving there f rom 1948 to 1951 as head of the fabrication and subassembly section he engaged in conversion and new-ship-building of cargo ships/oiZ tankers and in expansion, rearrangement and devel- opment of the structural shops and building docks (100,000-130,000 Tons). He has been serving in U.S. Naval Ship Repair Facility, Yoko- suka, Japan since 1951 first as a planner (5 years), then as Ship Super- intendent ( 5 yeurs) and currently head of Operation Branch of the Shop Superintendents Division. It was f rom these duties that he was borrowed for his assignment as the Japanese Project O@er on the repair and restoration of the USS FRANK KNOX (DDR-742). He is a member of the Society of Naval Architects of Japan.

USS FRANK KNOX ARRIVAL AT SRF YOKOSUKA, JAPAN

0 N 27 SEPTEMBER 1965 the KNOX arrived at the US. Naval Ship Repair Facility, Yokosuka Japan. Soon after her arrival, she was maneuvered stern first into drydock #2 (just the size for a 692 class DD-478’L x 6 2 6 x 24’D), and the dock slowly pumped out. Just before the hull was to land on the blocks divers were busy placing wedges between the damaged hull and the blocks so as to distribute the weight as uniform as possible. After the hull was set down on the blocks and as the pumping out of the dry dock continued, more and more of the damaged underwater body came into view along with water that poured out of the many gaping holes in the compartments that had been flooded and foamed. For days afterwards water continued to drain from watersoaked foam.

Immediately design, planning and production people commenced inspection to assess the damage

in order to understand the scope or magnitude of work of the task that lay ahead. Figure 1 is a view looking forward and upward and shows the serious bow damage where the sonar dome use to be. Her stem was sagging many inches below her keel line and the keel itself had been pushed up and down, in many places as much as a foot or more. Prior to her arrival she had been in a floating drydock at the Fourth Chinese Shipyard, Kaohsiung, Taiwan where some strengthening of the hull and boxing in areas of the under water body were accomplished. This work was necessary to ensure a safe voyage to Yokosuka. Figures 2 and 3 show other views of the extensive bottom damage. The inspection of the interior of the ship was neces- sarily brief. The main deck access hatches of the forward fireroom (FFR) and forward engine room (FER) were opened, as were those of other forward

Naval Enpin*rn Journal, Octobrr 1968 677

RESTORATION USS FRANK KNOX KAWASAKI

0-1 US. Navy Photomph 1. VisW showiry dsrmyd bow an USS. F’EANE KNOX (DDE-742)

OdMol US. M a v v Photogt.oph Figure 2 View showing d.myae .nd ham in cornput-

m t A-503.

678 Naval Enpinoon Journal. October Itb8

KAWASAKI RESTORATION USS FRANK KNOX

Oflcial US. Navy Photograph Oflcial US. Navy Photograph Figure 5. View showing foamL removal from forward c m - Figure 4. View showing full of foam in CPO quarter.

partment.

compartments, however, the spaces as shown in Figure 4 were completely full of foam thereby mak- ing entrance impossible.

TUNNELING WORK IN DEEP SNOW IN SUMMER How to remove the foam without any futher

damages to equipment was a difficult problem. Though the foam looked like snow, it was different from real snow which can be melted by hot water or hot air. Burning work was prohibited, chemical to melt it might require a huge amount and be dangerous by its generation of gases. The attribute of this polyurethane foam as a floating material in the salvage phase was changed to the worst fault in the removal stage. The beginning of the snow-removal of approximately 52,000 Cubic Feet in FFR & FER was truly tunneling work from the hatch to the bottom. Though we did not have a trade with cognizance to remove foam, carpenters were assigned the removal job.

The foam removing work was more fittingly called an excavation tunneling job. During the early period of our digging, we got an illusion that we were digging a snow tunnel in a snow covered land. However, this “snow” was lukewarm and generated a strange smell. Everywhere was foam, foam and nothing else. We could not make out at all where the passage way began and where the ladder did exist. Our tentative objective was to dig down to the ship’s bottom. However the work did not proceed as smooth as we had hoped.

One carpenter had become a prisoner to an illusion where by he thought that he was in a bliz- zard-covered endless expanse of land covered with snow and that he was digging a snow hole alone by himself as shown in Figure 5. The photograph also shows the respiratory equipment required due to the minute portions of ammonia gas that was released when a piece of foam was hacked off.

It was at this time a water-jet-blaster arrived from Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard to help in the foam removal task. A fine stream of water under very high pressure from this machine was utilized very effectively in cutting through the foam as well as stripping the foam from irregular shaped components. It was however necessary to use the utmost in safety with this device since it’s stream could easily cut through inches of wood. Accord- ingly it was used in carefully controlled areas and the bulk of the foam removal was still necessary by good old fashioned methods.

The mechanical digging job had been started from portside hatches on the main deck downward toward lower bilges passing between and around machinery components seeking first the lower level deck plating and thence a route to the ships bottom (Figures 6 and 7) . It took about 10 days just to tunnel to the bottom plating. The bottom plat- ting at the tunnel ends was removed by drilling to prevent a fire hazard. These openings provided exits for the massive amounts of bits, pieces,

neled downward and outward by canvas chutes and collected in large wrap up canvas tarpaulins for removal from the dock floor. Although this refuse foam and associate debris was light, its handling was a problem due to its quantity and accumulation was undesirable from the f i e hazard standpoint. Its flammability quality however assisted the dis- posal/accumulation problem as it enabled hauling it off to a safe area for burning. Many branch tunnels were carved out to approach all corners, thus enabling full scale removal efforts.

Early in the task it was discovered that many cut electric cables existed in these spaces such that it was impossible to isolate them. Accordingly the ships lighting system could not be used for fear of setting off a fire in the foam packed spaces. Thus it

and chunks of dislodged foam. It was fun-

Moral Enqinoom Joumel. October I968 679


Figure 6. FWD Fire Rm. Looking Forward Figure 7. FWD Eng. Rm. Looking FWD

required that temporary lighting be rigged in the foam removal and other essential shipboard spaces. To be on the safe side the electrical power supply for this lighting also was provided from shore in lieu of energizing shipboard distribution panels.

Thus, gradually main turbines, reduction gear, main switchboards, s h p service turbo generators and other auxiliary machineries appeared to our sight. It was found to our amazement that the in- sides of both boilers including the tubes were Wed with foam. Foam removal in the FFR and FER was accomplished from 30 September to 10 Novem- ber by 40 men perday, its removal from the other 20 compartments continued until the end of Novem- ber. Over all foam removal required expending 15,000 man hours of labor effort. Distorted pillars, frames, botton and misc. foundation works were really pitiably damaged, covered by oil, salt water and snow-like foam just like a typhoon had passed through. Water wash down, chemical wash down were followed in FFR and FER to de-oiling and de- salting from surfaces of machineries. As mon as any stage of foam-removal permitted planning, design

and shop personnel commenced inspection of inside of the FFR, FER and other flooded and damaged compartments. (Figure 8) Figures 9, 10, and 11 are typical of the interior damage found, note it was extensive even on 3rd deck level.

ADVANCED P L A N N I N G OF MAJOR REPAIR WORK During the first month of foam removal it was

not known if SRF would be assigned the task of restoring and repairing the KNOX. However, guid- ance was given that directed all possible advance planning be accomplished. This phase of the task required an estimate of the whole job by listing all work to be accomplished. Man-day estimates on item-by-item such as main propulsion, auxiliary, damage control, weapon, electronics, electrical, boiler etc. and materials into 12 categories, and shop by shop. When SRF preliminarily computed the total repair package it was estimated at 84,000 Man-days and a material cost $1,000,000. We were waiting the go ahead directive from higher author- ity amidst a mixture of misgivings and hopes. It is not a lie to state that the job is the biggest scale of

Figure 8. Compartment Filled with Foam.

680 Ndvdl hqineers Journal. October 1968


O m 1 U.S. Navy Photograph Figure 9. View showing removal of foam and lagging from

Forward fire room.

Oflcial U.S. Navy Photograph Figure 10. View showing condition of compartment A-405M.

work SRF has ever been faced within its whole history.

Once the directive on restoration of the FRANK KNOX was received it was like an arrow had been fired, we should complete the job by all means. Steel material (210 sheets of plates; 200 tons) and 6,500 feet of section bars (40 tons) had been ordered immecbately expecting considerable time until receipt. Careful Production Scheduling and labor plannnig were set up for discussion on brick

O w l US. Navv Photograph Figure 11. View showing damage condition of compartment

A-303L.

pile chart weekly. Weekly work status and progress reporting was initiated based on “BUREAU OF SHIPS consolidated INDEX of materials and serv- ices related to construction and conversion (NAV- SHIPS 250-2702)”. Though unknown factors existed in many areas, policy was established getting help from outside of SRF as much as possible. The overall problem was the tremendous task ahead but there were many sub-problems to be discussed below.

TEMPORARY REPAIR AND SHIFT OF DRY DOCK

Now that we had the f u l l job of restoration assigned it was necessary to change her dry dock to another for best production purposes. A choice was available between dry docks #4 with a sonar pit or the larger #5. It would have been operationally dis- advantageous to tie up the valuable sonar pit in #4 for a long period of time, whereas utilization of the #5 for the past year had been almost solely for newly built commercial ships receiving their pre- delivery drydockings. Also since drydock #6 would be available for large aircraft carriers if required it was decided to use dry dock #5 for the KNOX restoration. It was further decided to use regular keel block heights rather than going to the additional height necessary for the sonar dome installation since the in dock period would be through the typhoon season and the always potential earth-

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KAWASAKI RESTORATION USS FRANK K N O X

quake danger. This meant that a future shift would be required for the sonar dome installation. The additional problem at this time was that foam removal by now had rendered the ship non water- tight in both FFR and FER. Consquently t e m p rary patchmg up was required in order to float her and move her to dry dock #5. This was successfully completed and K N O X was permanently settled down in dry dock #5 on 19 November 1965. With this key event and the anticipated arrival of steel by required dates in January and February 1966 it was projected that the restoration would complete 15 August 1966. Unless the bottom repair could proceed on an orderly schedule other major portions of the restoration would of necessity be held up.

STRIPPING OPERATION FROM ALL OVER THE SHIP

With her set down in dry dock #5, foam removal from forward compartments such as chief's quar- ters, magazines, and reefer spaces were being continued. Design Division was laying out repair plans including changing design to welded construction from original riveted construction. Approximately 70 per cent of bottom plating would have to be replaced. First thing to do in DD #5 was removal of equipment and machineries from FFR and FER as soon as possible. Openings were necessary for removal of main turbine, reduction gears, ship sew- ice turbo generators, huge main switch boards, pumps, valves, main steam lines, all pipings and other auxiliary machineries from FER and damaged outer and inner casings, tubes, ducts, pumps and pipe lines from FFR. These openings required cut- tings main deck, 01 deck and deck houses in accordance with drawings issued by Design. The first work to be accomplished upon completion of removal of foam was stripping operation from FER, FF'R and other compartments that had been damaged and flooded. All pumps, valves and pipe lines were disconnected after removal of soaked laggings and removed from the ship. Entire piping and electrical system including the huge main switch board were removed to either the shops or to temporary storages. Both #1 and #2 Boilers were stripped bare of all accessories and casings to a steam drum, 3 headers and tubes. As the year 1965 passed into history these boilers sat like skeletons in the cold- iron, dark spaces of the FRANK K N O X . The material and equipment which had been removed from the ship was strewn all over the shipyard. Inside machine repair shop, outside machine shop, pipe shop and electric shop were especially packed full of dismantled equipment. Towards the end of Feb- ruary 1966 the main reduction gear, A-frame and turbines (highpressure, cruising and lowpressure) were removed from the FER and the FER was now as desolate as a vacant house. The large access openings on the main deck let the falling snow gently drift in.

One of the biggest problems was how the main

condenser was placed during bottom repair and turbines work. It was not a simple task to remove the main condenser which is hanging from the L.P. turbine housing. If the housing is removed, the main condenser must be dismantled completely. The L.P. turbine lower housing is tightened on with main reduction gear lower case and fastening device on forward bulkhead with numerous reamer bolts. It is a big and time consuming job to dismantle the main condenser, turbine lower housing and lower case of main-reduction gear. Therefore, a careful check out of trueness, damage or cracks of the lower case and structural damage or deformation of the lower housing were made in place to determine whether removal to the shop was required. Fortunately the lower-case and the lower housing had no deficiency. We decided to leave the lower housing, main condenser and lower case in place. However this remained a worry until the final alignment of shafting, reduction gears, and turbines was completed. Because, if realignment was found later to be required due to deformation by extensive welding on bottom, sides, bulkheads and foundation work, it would have to be done under highly difficult conditions.

The main condenser was shored from dock bottom and from the main deck due to the possible buck- ling of forward FER bulkhead whle it had a free end on its lower portion which was to be replaced and reconnected to bottom plating. Lower casing and formation of main reduction gear were also supported by shoring from dock bottom to prevent lowering and deformation during the bottom removal and repair of damaged sections of foundation. Daily measurement of trueness and deformation of the lower case and the lower housing was being checked-out until completion of hull repair.

However the water-inlet side chest of the main condenser had been lifted to shop for repair since it had been pushed in and cracked at the root of main circulating line and the seriously damaged scoop injection line was completely removed and scrapped.

EQUIPMENT CLEANING OPERATION I N SHOPS

Two boiler chemical cleaning tanks were set up in inside machine repair shop where pumps, valves and other machineries were soaked in hot caustic soda solution to remove the salt, oil and rust. Two large steel tanks (20 FT x 8 FT x 5 FT) were con- structed and installed in outside machine shop. Al- though suitable for public bath tubs they were used to clean the huge reduction gears, turbines and casings. Sulphamic acid, metal conditioning solvent and other chemicals were maintained at a tempera- ture of 120°F-1500F. Many experiments were conducted to determine the best possible cleaning agent - even the one finally chosen left something to be desired in the effectiveness. Removal of oil, salts and

682 Naval hpino*n Journal, October 1968


rust without damaging the equipment and parts was not a simple task.

Experiment had shown that cleaning agent could quite easily seriously damage pump shafts. The cleaning agent did not begin to clean up the resi- dues adhering to the reduction gears, turbine rotors and blades. Many workers worked many days care- fuUy cleaning, wiping and polishing the many gear teeth, blades and corners of casings. Some equip ment was too large to be wholly submerged even in our large “bath tubs”. Such items as turbine casings and bull gear were dipped half-way into the baths, removed and turned over and then dipped again. The final cleanings was always done by hand.

Finally a stringent quality assurance (QUIC) inspection was given to each piece of machinery. It is felt that perhaps a type of ultrasonic cleaning method would have been the most efficient-although none is now available for such large pieces. After the cleaning was accomplished, careful inspection and measurement had been done and listed parts to be replaced or repaired and reported for planning and material procurement .More than 1,000 individual items on machines were found that required replacement. At the Pipe Shop, removed pipe lines were dipped into a hot water tank and sulphamic acid tank. However this method proved to be imperfect. Although chemical cleaning is cheaper and simpler, it was not thoroughly effective in cleaning up the machinery and piping of the FRANK KNOX. In the last analysis the final finishing touches had to be completed by hand. Luckily the personnel of those shops have above normal sensi- tive fingers; a superior weapon when encountering this kind of work. Upon completion of cleaning of all piping systems they were treated with anti-cor- rosive treatment, had their open ends blanked off to prevent foreign matters entering and were then stored to await the completion of the machinery installation upon completion of bottom repair. A small but extremely important task was the proper marking and identification of these thousands of pieces of pipe to facilitate future reassembling.

On board the ship, cleaning of L.P. turbine lower casing, lower case of main reduction gear and main

condenser was conducted by chemical and other cleaning solvent as necessary.

HULL REPAIR Scope of hull repair and replacement of plating

is shown in Figure 12. The most important thing was to maintain ship’s longitudinal and transverse strength without any more deformation of any section. Bottom sections to be replaced were divided into 17 Sub-sections and installation sequence was grouped by 5 order as shown in Figure 3.

1st group 1F 31 1F 71 1F llOE 2nd group 2F 40 2F 82 2F llOE 3rd group 3F 18 3F 50 3F 93 3F 119 4th group 4F 7 4F 61 4F 104 5th group 5F 130

As a group sequenced sections were scheduled to be removed and replacement new sections installed prior to removal of next group of sections to maintain- proper strength and shoring.

Maximum quantity of bottom work in the minimum time was required for inside work especially in FFR and FER. Work load of each trade for the scheduled period had been analyzed and discussed many times. Since installation of machinery, main engines, reduction gears, main switch boards and the large amount of piping could only proceed after completion of the FER bottom. It was necessary for the sequence of major portions of FTR and FER to be rescheduled to complete FER earlier than F’FR. Thus the bottle neck of not being able to proceed with engine room equipment was somewhat allevi- ated. Likewise work on #1 and #2 boilers such as retubing would be able to start and carry on using the temporary foundation while paralleling the bottom work, thereby squeezing considerable time.

Bilge strakes CF 70, CF 78 should be installed prior to installation of temporary I Beam to support boilers to be lifted, but this material did not arrive in time, therefore additional shores from dock bottom to the I Beam had to be installed. AFR and AER had not been seriously damaged except all bottom plating of AFR had to be replaced while leaving the #3 and #4 boilers in the space. Thus #3 and #4

Oflcial US. Navy Photograph Figure 12. Scope of Hull Repair

Naval Enpinmmrs Journal, Octobmr I968 683


boilers were also supported by temporary additional I Beams until completion of bottom, boiler foundations and lower casings could be completed.

It was soon recognized that the amount of metal forming required would severely tax the sources of shipfitter/welding shop. It could have been accomplished, but it would have hurt other important projects. Accordingly it was decided to “farm out” the prefabrication of much of the section sub-assem- blies. Interested local area shipyards were asked to bid on, Design Division prepared specifications and URAGA HEAVY INDUSTRIAL CO. LTD. URAGA DOCK was awarded the contract.

Coordinating careful scheduling of removal (by SRF) , completion of prefabricating (by URAGA) and installation (by SRF) were discussed most often and established first schedule to complete all pre-fab. sections by URAGA DOCK. However, despite the effort of Material Planning of SRF it soon became apparent that some of the structural material would arrive too late from the United States to meet the hull erection schedule. Unfortun- ately the material that was delayed was of such nature that it stopped prefabrication of almost every major sub-sections. Whenever possible substitute material was purchased from the Japanese market. Once the delays were recognized we did not have lead time enough to order the steel material (high tensile steel) from The Steel Industry in Japan. The result made it necessary to modify the planned erection schedule and in addition to request URAGA DOCK’S cooperation in rescheduling their own work Id.

Meanwhile KNOX in dry dock had the first sections cut out and the preparation of butts and seams was completed just waiting for prefabricated sub- sections.

COOPERATION OF URAGA DOCKYARD Plates and section bars which were arriving at

random from the United States were separated into each sub-section in the dock bottom for identification and material inspection prior to delivery to URAGA DOCK. Mold loft work at URAGA had been started immediately after the contract was awarded expecting all material available by the beginning of February 1966. Such repair type work required more close-joint-work than new-shipbuilding. An inspector and coordinator was provided from SRF shipfitter shop to facilitate smooth work and proper practices, modifications to suit in places on board ship and for workmanship and accuracy.

Since URAGA had a full work load as well as other shipyards in Japan, it was so difficult to insert some big job in the stream of production except by well advanced scheduling. Unscheduled work especially shot-blasting of material, fabrications in a spot, disturbed the current production line and stream of new-shipbuilding processes of the shipyards. This was applicable to URAGA too. Chang- ing of the material delivery schedule, erection schedule and anticipated material delivery schedule disturbed the URAGA so much and often. Though URAGA had long experience in building Destroy- ers for ex-Japanese Navy and Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force at present, the employees had their required qualifications for various classes except US. Navy. Welders were examined by U.S.N. qualification test, and detail specifications were provided :or highest quality control.

Thus, prefabrication of the first-sub-section (IF 31) commenced on 11 February, and was delivered to SRF on 26 March 1966 upon completion of radio- graphic inspection of all welds, sandblasted and preserved. However next major sub-sections could not start until May due to unexpected steel supply

684 Naval Engineers Journal. October I968


problem from the United States in spite of every possible effort. Pre-fabrication work might have been completed by that time, if we knew of the problem and ordered steel material from Japanese Steel Industry at the ordering stage.

Therefore, full scale prefabrication work by URAGA was not commenced until the end of May 1966. Another inspector from SRF Quality Assur- ance Branch (QUIC) was provided for inspection of work and day-to-day contact between URAGA and SRF and to witness all facets of the fabrication work. At various times, higher level discussions, conferences and inspection of the work at URAGA were necessary. Particularly when designation and application of materials had to be revised by the different or substituted material received from the united states.

Through many modifications and sequence changes produced myriad problems such as that prefabricated plating had to be changed on their butt joints to have margin on one end, this might change from templates or battens in mold-loft work. However the URAGA turned to with a will and met all demands placed on it. Finally all pre-fabeca- tion work was satisfactorily completed by 11 July 1966 and delivered to SRF.

Before this occurred, however, for Navy planning purposes it was necessary to revise the previously established 15 August 1966 completion date. So on 1 June 1966 the rescheduling of key event dates had the restoration of KNOX to complete on 30 October 1966.

INSTALLATION OF SUB-SECTIONS

Thus first section IF 31 shown in Figure 14 which was completed first was installed on 12 April and next section IF 71 was on 6 June due to material problem mentioned above, and the last section 4F 119E was finally installed on 20 July according-

OiPeiOl U.S. Nauy Photograph Figure 14. View showing pre-fab. section 1F31 arrived

from URACA DOCK.

O w l U.S. Navy Photograph Figure 15. View showing installation of Pre-fab. section

3F 18 in place.

ly. Figure 15 is a view showing installation of section 3F 18 in June 1966. Besides the huge amount of welding, shipfitting and rigging required for SRF to install the hull sections, we were also called up to perform one of the largest riveting jobs ever seen at SRF.

As the FRANK KNOX is an old type hull construction, it k different from the recent hull struc- ture. Riveted construction of outside plating, longitudinals and others were redesigned into welded construction as much as possible adopting every advantage of welded construction. Although the majority of the new hull is of welded construction the joining of the new hull to the old was accomplished by riveting. For long weeks the constant rat- tat-tat of the riveting hammers was a common sound in Dry Dock #5.

Before cutting out bottom plating l(Y’x10” wood- en side shorings had been installed at every two (2) frame space, from the stem to AER, where keel blocks and side blocks were to be removed during cutting out and installation of new-sub sections. Completed welded seams and butts were radio- graphic inspected for the quality of welding. Soon after completion of installation of bottom and side subsections, hydrostatic tests were being conducted for final inspection of welded and or riveted butts and seams. Thus, by 20 August, hull structural repair had been satisfactorily completed. Figure 16 is an after restoration view of compartment A-503A that was shown in damaged condition in Figure 2.

COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION OF #1 AND #2 BOILERS Bottom plating underneath #1 and #2 boilers had

to be completely replaced. However #1 and #2 boilers sitting on the broken, pushed up and severely buckled foundations on the heavily damaged bottom platings soon to be removed and replaced, were too gigantic to be taken ashore. Not only was

Naval Engineen Journal, October 1968 685


Oflciul U.S. Navy Photograph Figure 16. View showing compartment A-503A after repair

on board.

the bottom severely damaged but the compartment had been full of water-soaked foam, it had suffered a fire and both boilers required complete retubing with over 1700 tubes each, repair of header cracks, completely new brick and refractories throughout, and extremely extensive work on casings, fittings

and foundations. Casings and fittings were completely removed from both boilers to ashore from access holes on main deck and bottom.

The question arose how to support both these boilers when supporting hull structures( foundation, longitudinals & plates) were removed. At one point serious thought was given to complete removal of the boilers from the ship. Lifting the boilers through the fire room overhead was rejected since it would require cutting through the superstructures where a large amount of electronics equipment and smoke stack were located. Remov- ing the boilers through the sides of the ship was rejected for structural reasons.

There was not enough room between the bottom of the ship and dry dock floor to remove boilers through the bottom of the ship. Thus it was decided to keep the boilers withn the space and let them hang from temporarily installed stiffeners underneath main deck and rest on athwartship I beams temporarily installed at the turn of bilges. (Figure 17)

Our skillful riggers lifted up the boilers by several chain falls (5-10 ton capacity) as high as possible, then 16” x 12’’ I Beams and shoring from dock floor were installed at 2’ - 6” higher level than usual and boilers were lowered down to this bot-

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Ndval Enqinean Journal. October I968


tom I Beam gradually, maintaining the boiler up- right. (Figure 17). We considered the possibility of retubing work of boilers at least while they were on the temporary supports to minimize repair time after completion of bottom replacement. Realign- ment of drum and headers was done with minimum of old tubes left in place, and secured tightly in correct positions. The drum and headers were twisted by %‘’ to 1” with respect to each other. Thus retubing work proceeded step by step on the temporary foundation and staging rigged under boilers soon after completion of bending of tubes in shop.

Fortunately a large opening under #1 boiler which was kept open due to delay of bottom plates allowed nice ventilation from the dock bottom into the fire room. Just before the bottom sub sections (IF-71) were put in place, a temporary working platform extending outboard from the side at main deck level, starboard side had been installed. This was quite near the access opening cut into main deck over FFR. This platform was extremely use- ful as an arrival and departure station of boiler tubes, bricks, casings and other material. The nar- row weather passageway under 01 deck of the destroyer posed serious obstacles to the transportation of material. The advantages of this platform were fully utilized, not only for the material but workers who were working in the fire room without ventilation and the ship’s bottom now closed up. When one stood upon this platform extending 6 feet from the side of ship, 30 feet high from dock bottom, one felt as if transplanted to another world-a cool breeze usually passed over it-quite different from inside the fire room during the hottest sumxner dayssweltering months. On 16-17 July #1 and #2 boilers were set down on their new foundations, resting on the newIy completed hull sections. Near- ly 80 percent of the tubes were already replaced at this time, 20 percent were uncompleted because three turns of 2 inch rigging wires used to be on the steam drum for lifting and lowering operations.

After the boilers had been set down we proceeded with remaining retubing work, tube expansion, hydro-test, chemical cleaning, installation of brick work, casings, installation of main steam lines, duct work, lagging and so on-until final boiling out and lighting off on 1 October 1966 as scheduled. When I look back I now shudder at the thought of those jobs having been performed in a fire room surrounded by hot iron and without any ventilation during the sweltering months of June, July, August and September in Japan. Boiler shop people overcame all those difficulties by their great skill and shm-patience.

REPAIR AND RESTORATION OF STERN AREA AND INTERIOR COMPARTMENTS

While bottom work was proceeding we also prepared the after crew’s berthing areas so that

half the crew could move aboard by 1 June. As soon as the sheer strakes and below outside strakes were restored we commenced the chipping and cleaning of those compartments. After this those compartments were completely refurbished with complete repainting, new deck tiles, new bunks and lockers and other fixtures. Then, we started working on the forward crew’s berthing spaces, CPO berthing and mess, galley, mess decks, etc. in connection with progress of hull repairs. By 20 July the forward berthing areas were ready and the entire crew was now back aboard ship. On 19 September the galley went back into commission-the first time in almost one year. A mouth watering aroma floated out-of the galley and I felt as if the ship had, at long last, been brought back to life.

One of the most difficult of the internal construction jobs was that of the ship’s main refrigeration spaces and reefer machinery room. The platfonn and bulkheads of reefer space had to be replaced due to having been severely damaged and filled with foam for over four months. Removal of everything from the spaces had been done through the cut away damaged bottom. Corrosion resisting steel (CRES) sheathing material arrived very late, in fact just before the scheduled reinstallation of bottom subsection. Once the replacement bottom subsection was installed, very little access would be available for delivery sheet metal shop material to the inside of those compartments. It would mean only sheet smaller than 2 fee t wide and 5-6 feet long could be brought into spaces and then only after passing through several compartments. Yet the bottom work could not be delayed without jeopard- izing the undocking date.

However, the reefer space work was also very important bemg the largest single job handled by the sheet metal shop. If the shipfitter shop closed up the hull bottom, the sheet metal job would require hundreds of additional mandays and twice or three times as many working days. Futhermore the smaller plates would require many more joints al l over- the quality of the work might have suffered. The decision was made to delay installation of the but- tom subsection until the sheet metal shop had placed all of its material inside the reefer spaces. After the sheet metal shop delivered over 100 sheets of CRES plate and over 2,500 feet of angle iron, the shipfitter shop was given the g+ahead. As soon as the spaces passed hydrostatic and air test the sheet metal shop commenced reassembling and installing their material.

Fortunately this compromise worked out very satisfactorily since only a two day delay in flooding the drydock resulted and this could be a b r b e d in the overall schedule.

REINSTALLATION OF MAIN ENCINES AND AUXILIARY MACHINERY

As soon as portions of the bottom installation permitted, the reinstallation of the main and auxiliary

Naval Enginem Journal, October I968 687


machinery, that had been overhauled and laying idle in the shops for long days waiting completion of hull repair, commenced. On 10 July the foundation work of the reduction gears was completed. Hereafter reinstallation of the huge gear, “A” frame, pinion gears commenced and was followed by the installation of high pressure, cruising, and low pressure turbines and many pumps starting from lower level in FER and main propulsion shaftings which had been removed completely into shop for repair. Figure 18 is a view showing the bull gear being lowered into the forward engine room.

Reinstallation of huge quanity of piping was following up installed pumps in bilge area, careful assembling and alignment of turbines and reduction gears was also proceeding. Electrical wiring was also in progress. Installation of platform grating frame work was going parallel, according to the work going up. Turbine upper casings, distilling plants located on upper level were being worked, on temporarily rigged stageboards. If installation sequence were wrong, some main steam lines, valves, other pipe h e s and some equipment could not be put properly in places. It was just a battle operations in FER and FER being worked by’many trades of people at the same time, day and night. Huge main switchboards which had had so many, many parts problems and #1 ship service turbo generator set were lastly installed. Remaining main steam lines crossing underneath the access opening of the main deck port side were finally brought into the engine room just 4 days before the first flooding scheduled on 22 August 1966.

FLOODING AND REDOCKING

The first flooding of dry dock #5 was scheduled to test the new hull, allow reinstallation of the previously removed two forward 5-inch gun mounts (#51, #52), allow removal of the after 5 inch mount

OjJ!cial US. N a o u Pho tograph Figure 18. View showing the bull gear being lowered into

forward engine room

Oflcfut U.S. N a v y Pho tograph Figure 19. View showing the fist flooding of DD #5 after

completion of hull repair.

(#53) (not scheduled in earlier time) and permit water borne alignment of the main propulsion shafting. At centerline of the dry dock, the dock side crane did not have the capacity to lift the heavy gun mounts so it was necessary to float the ship and move it next to the 60 ton-crane. Another objective of the floating was to redock the ship upon higher blocks to permit instalhtion of the new sonar dome assembly. These blocks had been previously set in place and can be seen in Figure 19 as the dry dock

Immediately after loading of all large equipments in FFR and FER through access openings, those deck plates had to be put back in place before flooding. Welding and riveting of the deck were worked out by shift work all night. Complete sandblasting and painting of hull had been completed and shafting was okay, now the s h p was ready for floating. USS FRANK KNOX was successfully on surface now the first time in almost a year on the morning of 22 August.

The next day we succeeded in installing the two (2) 45 ton gun mounts (Mt. 51 and Mt. 52) on board and removing Mt. 53 as shown in Figure 20). Since the removal of the Mt. 53 would deform the ship and not allow a satisfactory alignment of the main shafting it was necessary to put 45 tons of weight in the same position on the fantail. After being water borne for 10 days the ship was set down on the blocks again for installation of the sonar dome. Upon completion of installation of the sonar dome, which also required a high quality controlled sandblasting and vinyl painting application after installation, the ship was again refloated.

was being flooded.

ELECTRONICS, GUNNERY AND FIRE-CONTROL SYSTEM

Since the FRANK KNOX is a Radar Picket Destroyer the various electronics equipment and systems are the life blood of the ship. Every radar

688 Naval Enqineerc Journal. October I968

KAWASAKI XESTORATION USS FRANK KNOX

O w l US. Navy Photograph Figure 20. View showing gun mount X53 being removed

from the ship.

antennae had been removed before and was delivered to the electronics shop for overhaul. Over 200 equipment such as transmitters, receivers, re- peaters and so on were removed from the ship and sent to the shop for calibration and/or overhaul.

In mid August, after the electronics spaces had been restored (CIC, radio control, radar houses, etc.) the reinstallations of the electronics equipment commenced. Of course the replacement of cables had been continued for a very long time. Over 12,000 ft of new cables were run for just the sonar system alone. Electronics shop faced many difficulties in attempting to complete their portion of the FRANK KNOX work; such as lack of ship’s power, material/ parts problems, higher priority other 7th fleet work, etc.

Although the ship’s force had been constantly wonied that we would not be able to finish, at long last the almost 6,000 man-days worth of work was completed satisfactorily.

The fire controlJGunnery workers also had a considerable amount of work to accomplish, including overhaul of three (3) 5” gun mounts, MK-37 direc- tor, computer, stable element, and hedgehog system. #1 and #2 Dredger ammunition hoists which had been completely sheared off and so badly damaged new ones were required for reinstallation through the opening in the main deck and 1st platform. Many of these jobs were first experiences for SRF nevertheless during the INSURV TRIALS the FRANK KNOX tired a full pattern of hedge hogs into the Pacific Ocean from the two (2) forward launching mounts. They traced a beautiful pattern onto the sea and this experience will be long remem- bered by those SRF employees who witnessed it.

LAST HEAVY WORK PRIOR TO LIGHTING OFF BOILERS, MAIN AND AUXILIARY PLANTS.

Thus, the work proceeded in a crescendo in all areas of the ship, fore and aft, topside and below

decks. One after another the many pieces of piping arrived in their places. The installation of pipings including main steam lines was the most and biggest worry of whether all piping systems would be completed or not in time for lighting off date scheduled 10 days after now. In the weekly conference the ability to meet this schedule was hotly discussed. No wonder! Many questioned the likelihood of getting all the jobs completed. Machinery work, piping work, boiler work, electric work, lagging work, ventilation duct work, cleaning work etc. were all proceeding at the same time in FFR and FER.

Would the removed pipes fit properly with the equipment? If not, they must be reworked or new ones manufactured in shop. How much piping would require rework was an open question. Until they were hooked up to their individual pumps and other machinery and valves nothing definite could be con- cluded. I’m sure that I was not alone in wondering amidst all the din and confusion in the fire room and engine room, if the jobs would get completed. Time was running out, yet much work remained to be accomplished before all equipment would be ready for operations. Midnight work and multi-shift work continued. Weekends, even night at the family fireside were sacrified. Here and there men took leave, too exhausted to continue. Yet we must carry it on. With clenched teeth we held on. We worked and worked, harder and harder long hours.

Newly fabricated #1 ship service turbo exhaust pipe was lastly installed in place while main steam line flanges were being tightened at top side. Lag- ging covering on pipelines which proceeded almost simultaneously was also almost completed. Ma- chinery, mainly main plant and auxiliary plant and pumps had been boiled out and flushed out by shore steam. Careful flushing out of main reduction gears and lube oil system was completed to clean up any accumulation of dirt that might have entered this complicated system. One by one, all pumps had been operational tested by shore air at the same time of flushing in FF’R & FER. Minor deficiencies of many pumps and valves had been corrected immediately.

All four Boilers had been prepared for lighting off during this period with careful attention on this h a l cleaning, wire brushing of tubes, hydrostatic test, boiling and flushing out. Feed water tanks had been filled from shore, fuel was ready now. #3 boiler was fired up on 27 Sept, then #4 boiler and at last #1 boiler and on 1 Oct. and #2 boiler on 3 Oct. Fig- ure 21 is a late Septemeber 1966 restoration view of the forward fireroom lower level that was shown in the damaged condition in Figure 9. Though one or two safety valves had to be reset., all boilers were satisfactorily lighted off and had steamed alterna- tively for testing steam plants forward and aft. Individual pumps were W i g tested and flushed out carefully again. Ship service turbo-generators were load tested though #1 S/S turbo generator had its regulating trouble. Main and auxiliary con-

Naval Enpinoon Journal, October I9M 689


0-t U.S. Navoy Photograph Figure 21. View Showing No. 1 Boiia in the forward fire

mom lower level after completion of repair.

denser plants, #1 & #2 distilling plants were being tested and operated satisfactorily.

We had still thousands of minor discrepancies on machinery, piping, boilers, valves, electrical system and so on which had to be corrected one by one immediately during test and prior to dock and sea trials. Those were under corrective action since the beghung of September. The fast correction of many discrepancies-it poses a number of management questions for the future, questions such as the problem of individual shop workload, relationship between inside and outside work, rework type, SRF’s and/or Ship Force responsibility, etc. Though 100 percent of quality control with highest attentions were paid, the huge scale of the repair and restoration job on the FRANK KNOX generated many, many minor discrepancies untd its completion. How- ever those items were corrected, overcoming all difficulties by our great skill and sheer patience.

PRESERVATION OF SHIP Entire ship’s hull exterior was completely sand-

blasted or chipped to bare metal. 100 percent of compartments below the main deck including engine room, fieroom were thoroughly chipped and cleaned to metal surface just like stainless steel from the stem to the stern. New bottom sections in fire room and engine room were sandblasted and coated with Devran Coating on their interior and inorganic zinc type coat (Diment cote #3) on exterior. Bilge spaces not replaced in aft engine room were also completely chipped and preserved by Devran coating. All other compartments were preserved with ordmary paint of the highest quality. In the future the KNOX should experience much less corrosion in these area than her sister ships.

DOCK AND SEA TRIALS Everything was ready in FFR and FER for Dock

Trial on 7 October 1966. All necessary mooring lines

were rigged properly from dockside. Steaming, vacuuming, watching gauges-engine rooms were covered by an unusual tense atmosphere-tense looking ship’s crew and SRJ? personnel-turned throttle--shaft was turning at 5 RPM 5 min. 10 min. gradually increased to 30 RPM. Listening the sound of reduction gears, watching g a u g d K OK OK. Continued for a couple of hours, then reversed to a back. It was running now, really runnin& this was truly a heartening feeling to my ship which had been lived with me day and night over one year long. The dock trial was successfully completed now. On the top side, testing electronics equipment, main battery alignment and other systems all over the ship had been conducted, correcting minor discrepancies.

On the fall morning that just dawned on 18 Oc- tober 1966, right at the scheduled hour of 0600, the U S FRANK KNOX got underway for the first sea trial. Radar antennas were turning, Gun Mt 51, 52, and 53 were training. 52 men from SRF’ now em- barked on board, the ship plowed the water down Tokyo bay southward with the engines humming. In the dawning sky, Mt. Fuji, with her elegant figure with its snowcovered peak looked especially beautiful this day, and the sea-gulls flying about over us looked as if they were wishing us every success.

To recall, approximately three months ago, the subsidiary engines and machinery were being installed from 1 July 1966. The #2 F & B pump was installed 6rst in FFR. This was followed by the restoration of the pumps and other equipment in the FER and FFR. Then the assembly of the reduction gears got under way to be followed by the assemblying and aligning of the main turbines. Thus from stark nothingness, the FFR and FER were step by step, rebuilt into the splender of its original shape. Hanging boilers were put down upon the new foundations and finishing got underway. The vast quantity of piping, electrical cabling, lagging were also in a battle condition.

While listening to the sweet and smooth sound of the ship’s engines, memories of many events and hardships witnessed in the thorny path we had trudged along so f a r reviewed within us like a kaleidoscope, steaming down Tokyo Bay southward. The 52 SRF employees on board, personnel who have played a part in some phase of this gigantic project were busily checking pump, engines, shafts, gages, pipings, eleitronic equipment. Their actions were dead-earnest while readmg the meters or ad- justing equipment. After Tokyo Bay, into high seas, soon the smoke of Volcano on Oshima-Island was in sight.

Ship was steaming on 1/3, 2/3-and speeded up to standard, fu l l and flank-ship’s engines were now operated to their full capacity. The weather was fine and clear but the sea was rough. The swing test was underway, with which the ship’s pitching and rolling added in intensity, and more and more

690 Naval Enqinmon Journal. Octobor 1960


personnel have fallen victim to sea-sickness. The speed had mounted. Let’s take reading of gages; We can not afford to get seasick. Iet’s hold on and fight, gulping medicine. “Anything wrong” “O.K.” “Anyhng wrong?” “O.K.” The finger sign of O.K. is flashed by each worker with a grin, which then is returned by a grin on the part of the nodding questioner. Pitching and rolling are heavy that we are being swept off balance. Climbing up and down the vertical latters to and from the fwd and aft engine rooms and fire rooms is very difficult. We collide against nearby objects at every turn of each step. Mast of the SRF personnel have no appetite for the meals they are called upon to take by turns. Our only comfort and joy are that the job is smoothly progressing without anythmg going amiss. Thus the ship was kept on running for several hours.

The ship, after that, turned on her heels for her return to home looking at Mt. Fuji floating amidst the evening glow in the sky with the sunset to the left. Then did a pleasant sense of fatigue, nay, a deep sense of satisfaction run through my whole body. Leaning against the bulwark on the main deck that at long last ceased to roll and pitch, people were exchanging words with their colleagues. Toward them each, I hailed “Well done my boy, we’ve done it”. The veil of night has already descended on the

sea, and it became so dark that we could not dis- tinguish a near by person. It has been determined that the ship would again be getting underway to sea for another engineering trial at 0600 the next morning after correcting a few minor discrepancies during the night.

INSURV INSPECTION AND TRIAL The board of Inspection and Survey had been

called in to inspect the completed U.S.S. FRANK KNOX. Material inspection and underway trials were conducted by the Board during the period 31 October through 3 November 1966 in accordance with a specidy prepared INSURV TRIAL AGEN- DA for inport and at sea phases. Thereafter the Board headed by President INSURV Wash., D. C. announced the satisfactory completion of the USS FRANK KNOX with excellent workman-ship and especially that vibration of the USS FRANK KNOX was less than that of approximately 70 other des- troyers which he inspected and observed.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT The author wishes to acknowledge with sincere

thanks the valuable assistance rendered by Lieu- tenant Commander B. F. Tibbitts, USN in the prep aration of this paper.

CONTRACT EXTENDED FOR STUDYING 80-KNOT SURFACE EFFECT VESSEL

The Joint Navy-Maritime Surface Etrect Ship (SES) Program made the award following the recent completion of a conceptual design study by the division. Three other divisions-Convair, Quincy and Electro Dynamic-participated in the design study.

The goal of the study was to achiwe a craft with a calm water speed of at least 80 knots and capable of operating in six-foot waves. Surface effect ships ride over water on a cushion of air and achiwe far greater speeds than conventional ships.

The craft proposed in the study uses a modified captured air bubble (CAB) concept, wherein the air cushion is Contained between two sidewalls, or hulls, with flexible

Electric Boat designed and built SKIP-1, a 2.5 ton air cushion vehicle somewhat similar to a Surface effect ship and has operated it as a test craft for the past three years. SKIP-1 has logged over 250 hours,

A contract extension has been awarded to has achieved speeds in excess of 60 knots over water and has operated in waves up to four feet high.

Surface BUBBLE ElTed mmGArtisfs Testcraft resulting conception from conceptual ‘horn and go-ton para- metric desiqn study conducted by Boat division with assistance from Convair, Quiney and Electro Dynamic at bow and stern.

Electric Boat division for the continuing develop ment of a 90-ton Surface Ef€ect Testcraft. General Dynamics News

Naval Enqinoon Journal. Octobar 1968 691

restoration of uss frank knox (ddr-742)

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