Last Week's Speaker - Andy Werback on WWII Advanced Base Sectional Docks
Our speaker last week was Andy Werback from China Lake, California, home of Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake. He and wife Sam call Sebastopol home.
Andy is an electrical engineering graduate of UC Davis and was a computer programmer – working on embedded computers for defensive avionics on fighter aircraft and microchips in the early days of WiFi. His hobbies include history, particularly the US Navy in World War II. He was a docent and shipkeeper on the S.S. Jeremiah O’Brien, a WWII Liberty ship based in San Francisco. He is a retired software engineer. His talk focused on the impressive engineering and creation of floating dry docks to be used during WWII, some of which are still in use today.
In 1941 there was a great need for servicing war ships while out at sea. The solution was sectional floating dry docks. The design and plans were developed by consulting engineering firm Frederic R. Harris Inc, New York NY in late 1942, under contract to the Navy Department, Bureau of Yards and Docks. Each section was a ship in itself with specific facilities and functions. When fastened together, they became one massive ship with walls erected on each side. In order to load a ship on to its dry dock, it would lower itself deep enough for a ship to enter between the walls, then raise up with the ship on its deck. This is one amazing engineering feat worked on by thousands, including women we know as Rosie the Riveter.
Thank you, Andy, for researching and delivering a most fascinating and engaging topic.
Click HERE to view a limited time recording of Andy Werback's presentation on advance base sectional docks.
