The "American
Tanker" is actually a large 300+ ft concrete barge. Recent information found on
the internet indicates that in late 1944 the barges were loaded in Honolulu with
war supplies, and then towed to Guam from Honolulu by the USS Bannock and
Arikara. Later they were put into position on the Calahan bank by the USS
Gear and sunk to provide a breakwater at the mouth of Apra Harbor.
"There were four "concrete" ships that
arrived. They looked very much like an LST, but their hulls were made
completely of concrete. It was hard for us to imagine the concept, but it
achieved the purpose they were made for. They were equipped with refrigeration
for perishables, in addition to its "holds" being stocked with tons of
foodstuff and supplies. The concrete ships had no engines and had been towed
from the States by tugs, or another ship.
"I didn't see them arrive, but that
is what I was told. There were so many supplies on these concrete ships that
special barges, like the oil barges you see in our coastal waterways, were
used. They had huge motors, the same shape as outboard motors on fishing
boats, attached on the back of them. Our guys were picked to operate these
barges, and it made it easier for us to highjack the barges since our guys,
who were operating them, would even help us load our boat. I remember one trip
that we put 144 cases of beer in Jacquette's boat. We took it over to Cabras
Island and stored it in a cave we had located along with some sake we found.
Our highjacking became so flagrant that the harbor master had an armed marine
start riding "shotgun" on each barge. After that it became more difficult.
Occasionally one of the marine escorts could be bribed."
"When the concrete ships were empty, they
were stripped of all the refrigeration equipment and taken to the end of
Cabras Island and sunk in the shallow water to act as a breakwater. The water
was shallow enough that the ships only sank halfway. That was the idea. There
had been a small surf riding into the harbor, which was constantly creating
swells. The concrete ships, acting as a breakwater, eliminated the problem."
This is a barge of the same
design (B7-D1) that shows the layout of the ship.
The
dive is very easy and can be easily be combined with the Tokai/Cormoran and Val
Bomber sites to see four wrecks on two dives!
American Tanker
pilothouse. Depth to the top is 40'/13 meters. Depth to the main
deck is 60/20 meters and the ship has a list to the right (starboard
side). Left photo taken
at the stern behind the pilothouse looking forward.
