The United States Navy maintains a number of its ships as part of a reserve fleet, often called the "Mothball Fleet". While the details of the activity have changed several times, the basics are constant; keep the ships afloat and sufficiently working as to be reactivated quickly in an emergency. The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ... Italian Full rigged ship Amerigo Vespucci in New York Harbor, 1976 A ship is a large watercraft capable of offshore navigation. ... A reserve fleet or (less formally) mothball fleet is a collection of naval vessels that are fully equipped for fighting but are not currently needed. ...

History

In some cases, for instance, at the outset of the Korean War, many ships were successfully reactivated, at a considerable savings in time and money; but the usual fate of ships in the reserve fleet is to become too old and obsolete to be of any use, at which point they are sent for scrapping or are scuttled in weapons tests. In rare cases the general public may intercede for ships from the reserve fleet that are about to be scrapped; usually asking for the Navy to donate them for use as museums or memorials. Combatants United Nations:  Republic of Korea,  Australia,  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Canada,  Colombia,  Ethiopia,  France,  Greece,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands,  New Zealand,  Philippines,  South Africa,  Thailand,  Turkey,  United Kingdom,  United States Medical staff:  Denmark,  Australia,  Italy,  Norway,  Sweden Communist states:  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,  Peoples Republic of China,  Soviet Union Commanders... A breakers yard in the UK, showing cars stacked on a metal grid to make it easier to find and remove usable parts. ...

Around 1912, the Atlantic Reserve Fleet and the Pacific Reserve Fleet were established as reserve units, still operating ships, but on a greatly reduced schedule. After World War II, with hundreds of ships no longer needed by a peacetime Navy, each fleet consisted of a number of groups corresponding to storage sites, each adjacent to a shipyard for easier reactivation. 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

The groups of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet were at Boston, Charleston, Florida, New London, New York, Norfolk, Philadelphia, and Texas. The groups of the Pacific Reserve Fleet were at Alameda, Bremerton, Columbia River, Long Beach, Mare Island, San Diego, San Francisco, Stockton, and Tacoma. Nickname: City on the Hill, Beantown, The Hub (of the Universe)1, Athens of America, The Cradle of Revolution, Puritan City, Americas Walking City Location in Massachusetts, USA Counties Suffolk County Mayor Thomas M. Menino(D) Area    - City 232. ... Nickname: Motto: Aedes Mores Juraque Curat (She cares for her temples, customs, and rights) Location of Charleston in South Carolina. ... Green Cove Springs is a city located in Clay County, Florida. ... The town of Groton, Connecticut is host to SUBASE New London and the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics. ... NY redirects here. ... Motto: Crescas (Latin for, Thou shalt grow. ... Nickname: Motto: Philadelphia maneto - Let brotherly love continue Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States Commonwealth Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Government  - Mayor John F. Street (D) Area  - City 369. ... Official language(s) No Official Language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Nickname: The Island City Location in the state of California and Alameda County County Alameda Mayor Beverly Johnson (D) Area    - City 59. ... Bremerton is a city located in Kitsap County, Washington. ... The Columbia River (French: fleuve Columbia) is a river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Aerial photo of the southern part of Mare Island Mare Island is an island in Vallejo, California, about 30 miles northeast of San Francisco. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Americas Finest City Location Location of San Diego within San Diego County Coordinates , Government County San Diego Mayor City Attorney         City Council District One District Two District Three District Four District Five District Six District Seven District Eight Jerry Sanders (R) Michael Aguirre Scott Peters Kevin... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Nickname: Motto: Stocktons Great, Take A Look! Location in the state of California Coordinates: Country United States State California County San Joaquin County Incorporated 1850 Government  - Mayor Edward J. Chavez  - City Manager J. Gordon Palmer, Jr. ... Nickname: Location of Tacoma in Pierce County and Washington State Coordinates: , Country United States of America State Washington County Pierce Government  - Mayor Bill Baarsma (D) Area  - City 62. ...

Navy Inactive Fleet (NIF)

Since 2004 the administrative organization is called the Navy Inactive Fleet with headquarters at Portsmouth, Virginia. shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Map Political Statistics Founded 1752 County Independent city Mayor Dr. James W. Holley III Geographic Statistics Area  - Total  - Land  - Water 120. ...

Merchant ships held in reserve are managed as part of the separate National Defense Reserve Fleet within MARAD (US Maritime Administration). Several of its sites, such as at Suisun Bay in California, are also used to store regular Navy ships. The National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) was established under Section 11 of the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946 to serve as a reserve of ships for national defense and national emergency purposes. ... Seal of the US Maritime Administration MARAD, or the US Maritime Administration, maintains the Naval Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) as a ready source of ships for use during national emergencies and assists in fulfilling its traditional role as the nations fourth arm of defense in logistically supporting the military... San Pablo bay with Suisun Bay at upper right Suisun Bay (pronounced sue-soon) is a shallow tidal estuary located in central California of The United States of America. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

List of USN reserve fleets

James River

The James River Reserve Fleet consists of about 60 decommissioned U.S. Navy warships anchored in Virginia's James River near Newport News. The ships are gradually being towed away for scrapping. From 2001 to March 2005, 31 were disposed of. [1] Rafts of anchored Reserve Fleet ships at Suisun Bay, California The National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) was established under Section 11 of the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946 to serve as a reserve of ships for national defense and national emergency purposes. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article contains a trivia section. ... The James River at Cartersville The James River in the U.S. state of Virginia is 547. ... Location in the State of Virginia Coordinates: Country United States State Virginia County Independent city Incorporated 1896 Government  - Mayor Joe Frank Area  - City  119. ...

Suisun Bay

Main article: National Defense Reserve Fleet

A similar fleet, the National Defense Reserve Fleet, is anchored in Suisun Bay near Vallejo, California, and has similarly been reduced. This location is known for hosting the Glomar Explorer after its recovery of portions of a Soviet submarine during the Cold War before its subsequent reactivation as a minerals exploration ship. Also present is the USS Iowa. The National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) was established under Section 11 of the Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946 to serve as a reserve of ships for national defense and national emergency purposes. ... San Pablo bay with Suisun Bay at upper right Suisun Bay (pronounced sue-soon) is a shallow tidal estuary located in central California of The United States of America. ... Vallejo (pronounced IPA: in English; in the original Spanish) is a city in Solano County, California, United States. ... USNS Glomar Explorer (T-AG-193) is a large ship currently being used as a deep-sea drilling platform. ... Soviet redirects here. ... Alvin in 1978, a year after first exploring hydrothermal vents. ... For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... Four ships of the United States Navy have been named USS Iowa in honor of the 29th state. ...

Neches River

A third fleet of WWII era ships is anchored in the Neches River near Beaumont, Texas. The KCS Railway bridge over the Neches River in Beaumont is a major transportation link for the region. ... Location in the state of Texas Coordinates: Counties Jefferson County Government  - Mayor Guy Goodson Area  - City 222. ...

Philadelphia Naval Shipyard

The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard holds several dozen inactive warships. The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, formerly Navy Yard, was the first naval shipyard of the United States. ...

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard

The Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, located next to Bremerton, Washington hosts three aircraft carriers among its other ships: USS Ranger (CV-61), USS Independence (CV-62), and USS Constellation (CV-64).[2] Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS) is a United States Navy shipyard covering 179 acres (0. ... Sinclair Inlet and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (left), Dyes Inlet (middle distance) and Manette and Warren Avenue Bridges (left to right) across Port Washington Narrows Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, USA. The population was 37,259 at the 2000 census. ... The seventh USS Ranger (CVA-61) (later CV-61) was a United States Navy Forrestal-class supercarrier. ... The fifth USS Independence (CVA-62), a Forrestal-class aircraft carrier, was launched by New York Navy Yard 6 June 1958; sponsored by Mrs. ... USS Constellation (CV-64), a Kitty Hawk-class supercarrier, was the third ship of the United States Navy to be named in honor of the new constellation of stars on the flag of the United States. ...

See also

• Reserve fleet

A reserve fleet or (less formally) mothball fleet is a collection of naval vessels that are fully equipped for fighting but are not currently needed. ...

External links

• Records of the Reserve Fleet
• Satellite photo of the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet
• Satellite photo of the Neches River Reserve Fleet