Written by Kris Land
New Bedford was one of the Army's numerous coastal freighters of the WWII era. She was constructed by Wheeler
Shipbuilding, Long Island, New York, and completed in 1945. In 1950 New Bedford was transferred to the Navy as T-AKL 17, and later converted as a torpedo test vessel. She was finally redesignated IX 308 in 1971.
She was one of many ex-US Army FS-series vessels serving as US Navy auxiliaries, including at least one other torpedo test vessel, IX 306. The most famous of this group was the "research" ship Pueblo and her sisters Banner and Palm Beach, although these three were more extensively converted from their Army configuration.
History: USNV New Bedford (IX-308, FS-289)
Camano Class Light Cargo Ship: Laid down, 1944 for the US Army as FS-289 at Wheeler Shipbuilding, Whitestone, N.Y. Delivered to the US Army in 1945 Acquired by the US Navy, 1 July 1950 Placed in service as USNS New Bedford (T-AKL-17), 1961 Placed out of service in 1963 Reclassified Miscellaneous Unclassified, (IX-308), 1971 New Bedford (IX-308) served as a Torpedo Test Firing Vessel in the Puget Sound area Struck from the Naval Register, 4 April 1995 Sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service, for commercial service, 11 June 1996 Current Disposition, tuna long liner (fishing boat) Sea Bird out of San Diego, CA.
Specifications:
Displacement 414 t.(lt) 940 t.(fl)
Length 177'
Beam 32'
Draft 10'
Speed 12 kts.
Propulsion two 500hp GM Cleveland Division 6-278A 6-cyl V6 diesel engines, twin screws
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1944: Camano Class Light Cargo Ship was laid down for the US Army as FS-289 at Wheeler Shipbuilding in Whitestone, NY.
1945: Delivered to US Army.
1950: Acquired by the US Navy on July 1, 1950 and placed in service as USNS New Bedford (T-AKL-17).
1954: The movie, Mister Roberts, was made on the USNS New Bedford (T-AKL-17).
1955 - 1963: Used as a cargo supply ship for the Texas Towers, a network of advanced radar stations located off the Eastern Seaboard. In 1957, Capt. Sixto Mangual was commander of the AKL-17 and in 1961 it was rechristened the USNS New Bedford. The New Bedford, sailing out of State Pier, was keeping vigil when Texas Tower No. 4 callapsed off the New Jersey coast during a January 1961 nor'easter.
1963: Reclassified as Miscellaneous Unclassified (IX-308).
1971: The New Bedford (IX-308) served as a Torpedo Test Firing Vessel in the Puget Sound area.
1994: Ceremony in New Bedford.
1995: The ship was struck from the Naval Register on April 4.
2004: The Sea Bird's current disposition is a tuna long liner (fishing boat) out of San Diego, CA.
2006: Design of the Tesla Turbine began on June 11, 2006. The Sea Bird was sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service for commercial service.
2007: The Sea Bird was drydocked for renovations.
2008: The Sea Bird setting sail to Sea-Tac in Seattle, WA.
2009 - 2010: The Sea Bird is currently docked at Seattle Sea-Tac.
