LST Launching/Keel Laying In Dual Ceremonies At NASSCO
Dignitaries present included (left to right): Capt. John M. Danielsen, USN, Force Choplain, Amphibious Force, U.S.
Pacific Fleet; Capt. Henry A. Gerdes, USN, Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair, USN, 11th ND, San
Diego, Calif.; John V. Banks, NASSCO executive vice-president; Rear Adm. Robert C. Gooding, USN, Vice Com-
mander, Naval Ship Systems Command; Mrs. Edwin B. Hooper Jr., matron of honor; Mrs. Edwin B. Hooper, sponsor-
Vice Adm. Edwin B. Hooper, USN, Director of Naval History, principal speaker; Vice Adm. Nels C. Johnson, USN,
Commander, Naval Amphibious Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet; and John M. Murphy, NASSCO vice-president, sales.
The USS Racine (LST-1191), a Newport-
Class Tank Landing Ship, was launched from
the ways of National Steel and Shipbuilding
Company on August 15, 1970. Immediately fol-
lowing the launching, Vice Adm. Nels C. John-
son, USN, Commander, Amphibious Force,
U.S. Pacific Fleet, officiated at the keel laying
of the USS Barbour County (LST-1195). The
Racine is named for the county and city of
Racine, Wis., and is the second ship of the
fleet to bear the name.
The Racine was launched under the spon-
sorship of Mrs. Edwin B. Hooper, wife of Vice
Adm. Edwin B. Hooper, Director of Naval
History. Mrs. Edwin B. Hooper Jr. assisted
as matron of honor in the traditional christen-
Immediately following the launching of the Racine (LST-
1191), the keel was laid for the Barbour County (LST
1 195). Participating in the ceremony were, from the
left, John V. Banks, NASSCO executive vice-president;
Vice Adm. Nels C. Johnson, USN, Commander, Amphi-
bious Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet, keel layer; and John
Tockett, NASSCO welding foreman.
tached to the inboard side of two permanently
installed derrick arms protruding over the bow.
A stern ramp, which also serves as a water-
tight stern closure when retracted, is designed
to launch or retrieve amphibian craft from the
open sea. It can a so be put to use as a vehic-
ular bridge between the ship and various utility
landing crafts (LCU's) or a pier.
The keel was laid for the Racine on Decem-
ber 13, 1969. She is scheduled for delivery
April 20, 1971, and is the tenth ship in a series
of 17 under construction at NASSCO under a
$250-million Navy contract.
Approximately 2,000 people were on hand
to view the ceremonies.
ing ceremony.
Other participants in the ceremonies includ-
ed : Vice Adm. Edwin B. Hooper, USN, as
principal speaker; Rear Adm. Robert C. Good-
ing, USN, Vice Commander, Naval Ship Sys-
tems Command; Capt. Henry A. Gerdes, USN,
Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and
Repair, USN, 11th Naval District, San Diego,
Calif.; Capt. John M. Danielsen, USN, Force
Chaplain, Amphibious Force, U.S. Pacific
Fleet; John V. Banks, executive vice-president,
National Steel and Shipbui'ding Company; and
John M. Murphy, vice-president, sales, Nation-
al Steel and Shipbuilding Company.
The Racine has an overall length of 522 feet,
a beam of 60 feet, a full load displacement of
8,000 tons, and a speed in excess of 20 knots.
She is one of a new class of Tank Landing
Ships having a greatly increased combat vehic-
ular lift and landing capability over those of
World War II. Vehicles may be loaded or off-
loaded over the bow by means of 112-foot-long
one-piece aluminum landing ramp that extends
forward and lowers on pontoon causeway or
beach. When stowed, the ramp rests on the
main deck forwrard between guide tracks at-
Newly Formed Hapag-Lloyd
Will Operate 114 Vessels
The merger of the Hamburg-Amerika Linie
(Hapag) and the Norddeutscher Lloyd, effective
September 1970, places the new company, Hapag-
Lloyd AG, among the leading liner companies in
the world. The Hapag-Lloyd flag will be flown
by 114 ships with a total of more than one million
tons gross. Head offices will be maintained in both
Hamburg and Bremen.
The trade routes regularly served by Hapag-
Lloyd extend from Europe to Canada and the
Great Lakes, the east and west coasts of the
United States, the U.S. Gulf, Mexico, the West
Indies, the west coast of South America, North
Brazil, the Canary Islands, Australia, New Zea-
land, Indonesia and the Far East. Altogether,
calls are made at 231 ports.
The new company has a staff of 11,500, of
whom some 5,000 are seagoing personnel. In Eu-
rope alone, Hapag-Lloyd AG maintains 137
freight offices, with a total of over 400 world-
wide. A closely interwoven network of their own
travel agencies in many German cities arrange
passenger bookings not only on the passenger lin-
ers Bremen and Europa as well as on the line's
freighters, but has also proved itself in the na-
tional and international tourist busfness.
A dry dock owned by the line, a towage com-
pany, and an insurance subsidiary, the Nieder-
sachsen Versicherungs-AG, complete the picture of
activities of this new large undertaking.
After 123 years of Hapag history and 113 years
of Lloyd history, the first page of Hapag-Lloyd
AG history will be written in 1970.
$2,035,400 Contract For Two
Starporter Container Cranes
Awarded By Port Of Seattle
Star Iron & Steel Co., Tacoma, Wash., has
been awarded a $2,035,400 contract for the con-
struction and installation of two Starporter
container cranes by the Port of Seattle, it was
announced by Charles Allen, president of Star
Iron & Steel Co. One of the 40-ton cranes will
be installed as part of the new container ter-
minal at Pier 25 of the Port. The other will
supplement the present two cranes at Ter-
minal 18.
The cranes for the Port of Seattle are iden-
tical and have some special features. Both will
be capable of operating up to 30 percent faster
than average container cranes. This is made
possible by a hoist that is driven with a 500-
horsepower motor. They will operate at speeds
up to 300 feet per minute. The cranes will be
powered by self-contained, independent diesel-
electric engines of 850 horsepower. The diesel
generators are AC power which is used to run
all AC components. The AC power is con-
verted to DC by static rectifiers to provide
DC adjustable voltage control for all main
drive motions. They will be located in the ma-
chine house and allow the crane to continue
operation in case of power failure from out-
side sources.
The total reach of these cranes is 193^
feet. Each is 174 feet high, weighs 625 tons
and is capable of operating in the back reach
area with the boom stowed. Other special fea-
tures include a telescoping spreader and a de-
tuning system to reduce radio frequency en-
ergy that could cause electrical problems if
not controlled. Both cranes will be installed
and in full operation by early 1972.
Sellers Injector Systems
Moves To New Headguarters
Sellers Injector Systems, Division of Pros-
ser-East, is the new identity of the old Phila-
delphia-based company formerly known as
Sellers Injector Corporation established in
1848. Marketing and Manufacturing has been
moved to the new 46,000-square-foot office and
production facilities recently completed for
Prosser-East at Horsham Ridge Industrial
Park, Horsham, Pa. The new location is about
20 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Sellers is
a foremost manufacturer of hydraulic jet clean-
ers, industrial and marine tank cleaners, and
special steam-jet cleaning systems.
Prosser-East is a division of Purex Corpora-
tion Ltd., Lakewood, Calif. Thomas White is
general manager and Robert R. Streeton is as-
sistant general manager in charge of Sellers
Injector Systems. There are no basic changes
in sales organization or product mix.
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October T, 1970 45
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