USS ARD-17

USS ARD-17 was an ARD-12-class floating dry dock built for the U.S. Navy during World War II as an Auxiliary floating drydock. Like most of the ships of her class, she was not named but known only by her designation.

USS ARD-17 in the Panama Canal on her way to Ecuadorian Navy at Rodman Naval Station Canal Zone.
History
United States
Name	ARD-17
Builder	Pacific Bridge Company, Alameda, California
Stricken	1 December 1977[1]
Fate	Sold to Ecuador, 1 December 1977[2]
History
Ecuador
Name	Amazonas (DF 81)[3]
Acquired	1 December 1977
General characteristics
Class & type	ARD-12-class floating dry dock
Displacement	5200 tons[2]
Length	492 ft (150 m)[2]
Beam	81 ft (25 m)[2]
Draft	6 ft (1.8 m)[2]
Propulsion	None[2]

History

ARD-17 was built at Pacific Bridge Company in Alameda, California and delivered to the Navy in early 1944.^[3]

In July and August 1944, ARD-17 served a support role in the liberation of Guam.^[4]

In late September 1944, USS Zuni (ATF-95) towed ARD-17 from Guam to Palau.^[5] On 30 November 1944 ARD-17 was damaged by a near miss from a Japanese bomber while anchored at Naval Base Kossol Roads, Palau.^[6]

In February 1945, ARD-17 and sister ship ARD-16 were at Leyte Gulf servicing ships returning from Iwo Jima and preparing for Okinawa.^[7]

After the war, she eventually was returned to the United States, and for a time was laid up as part of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet at Naval Shipyard at Boston, Massachusetts.^[2]

On 1 December 1977, ARD-17 was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register,^[1] and sold the same day to Ecuador under the Security Assistance Program.^[2] Renamed Amazonas (DF-81), her current fate is unknown.^[3]