Sunken Vessel History

a large ship being towed out to sea
The Markham being towed out to sea for sinking.

For over 75 years, the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries has helped build artificial reefs for the public. Mainly used for recreational purposes, like fishing and diving, these artificial reefs contain more history than one may think. Most of these reefs contain marl, concrete pipe, and reef balls, but some comprise much more. In addition to the thousands of tons of rock and rubble placed in the reefs, the Division of Marine Fisheries sinks vessels. Most of these vessels are out of commission, but still bring their own bit of history to the Carolina coast.

These vessels include barges, fishing boats, trawlers, sailboats, and dredges, as well as larger vessels, such as the World War II Liberty and Assault Transport ship Yancey. The Yancey is an Assault Transport vessel commissioned in Iwo Jima, The Korean War, and the Cuban missile crisis. Yancey also received five battle stars from the Pacific theater — in World War II and the Cuban Missile Crisis — and now she rests at the bottom of Artificial Reef AR-302. Yancey is not the only vessel with a story; every vessel sunk by the Artificial Reef Program has one. Sadly, some of the stories have been lost over time, but the information presented below gives a snapshot of what is known about the vessels, including photographs, used to build artificial reefs off the North Carolina coast.

Tab/Accordion Items

Vessels

History of Vessel

Deployment Date

115 ft. LCU-1468

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  • From the US Army Reserve 824th Transportation Company

1/1987

185 ft. Advance II

News article
Photo
  • Launched on 12/1/1943
  • Escort missions and antisubmarine patrols to western and southwestern islands of the Philippine archipelago until V-J Day
  • Escorted “Hugh W. Hadley” to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on 8/24/1944.
  • Air Sea Rescue and Weather Patrols as unit of Service Squadron 7
  • Decommissioned 12/22/1947 at Galveston, Texas.
  • Reactivated 3 years later as naval district training ship in the 8th Naval District
  • Went to Great Lakes for 9th Naval District
  • 8/6/1964 by Cape Fear Technical Institute of Wilmington, NC.

6/1994

Vessels

History of Vessel

Deployment Date

440 ft. Liberty Ship
Dionysus

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  • From the US Army Reserve 824th Transportation Company

11/1978

440 ft. Liberty Ship
Zane Grey

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  • Stationed in Eniwetok as repair ship on 7/13/1945
  • Decommissioned 1/31/1947 after going to Tokyo Bay, Japan
  • Recommissioned 2/13/1952
  • Departed Long Beach on 4/8/1952 to join Atlantic Fleet
  • Went to Norfolk as repair ship on 4/29/1952
  • Finally decommissioned on 7/1/1955

12/1974

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

105 ft. Tug Mr. J.C.

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   9/1987

130 ft. Yard Freighter

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   5/23/1991

75 ft. LCM-08

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   5/23/1991

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

150 ft. menhaden vessel
Gulf Coast

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 Woman-owned and operated in Chesapeake, Va. 6/1995

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

130 ft. Fishing Vessel
Nancy Lee

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   1/1989

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

174 ft. Yard Oiler
FS-26

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   1/1989

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

459 ft. Assault Transport Ship
Yancey

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News release 5

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  • Amphibious Cargo Ship (Andromeda Class)
  • Launched 7/8/1944
  • Involved in WWII, landed in Iwo Jima
  • Transported cargo and wounded soldiers to Guam, Okinawa, Manu, New Guinea, Tulagi in the Solomon Islands, and Philippines
  • Received two battle stars for involvement in the Pacific Theater in WWII
  • Received three battle stars for involvement in the Korean Way
  • Involved in the Cuban Missile Crisis
  • Involved in the 1965 crises in Dominican Republic
 8/1990

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

183 ft. Buoy Tender
Spar

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  • Commissioned 6/12/1944
 7/1988

439 ft. US Navy Cable Layer
Aeolus

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Photo
  • Used for Hawaiian Islands and Panama Canal Transport
  • Participated in Operation Magic Carpet to bring troops home from overseas after WWII
 7/1988

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

440 ft. Liberty Ship
Theodore Parker

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   6/1974

104 ft. Navy Tug
TAKOS

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  • Began work in New York Navy Yard on 11/15/1945
  • On duty in 1st Naval District during the Korean War
 11/2000

Sportfishing vessel
Finest Kind

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   8/1977
40 ft. USCG launch vessel   1986

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

140 ft. Menhaden Vessel
Novelty

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   1986

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

AR-330 320 ft. Landing Craft Repair Ship
Indra

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  • Launched as ARL-37 by Chicago Bridge and Iron Co. on 5/21/1945
  • Went to Green Cove Springs, Fla. from 1956-1946
  • Went to Panama Canal on 6/4/1946
  • Went to Tsingtao and Shanghai to perform repairs on 2/19/1947
 8/5/1992

107 ft. Tug
James J. Francesconi

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 In memory of former Artificial Reef Coordinator, Jim Francesconi 5/7/2016
200 ft. Deck Barge
TBM IX		   6/21/2011

45 ft. Ferro-cement Sailboat
Cement Lady

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   6/1/2012

55 ft. Steel Sailboat
Nepomuk

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   6/11/2009
67 ft. Tug
Tramp		   5/7/2016

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

116 ft. Tug Titan

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  • Built in 1909 on Staten Island
  • Acquired by Panama Railroad Company in Panama City, Panama
  • Was damaged by a hurricane in 1928 while towing a barge off Pensacola, Fl.
 7/2004

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date
52 ft. Tug
Captain Tom		   5/1992
65 ft. Tug
Captain Jerry		   1994

297 ft. Barge
HT-290

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   1997
55 ft. Landing Craft
LCM6		   1/1989

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date
241 ft. Barge 
LC-16
  • Donated by Texas Gulf
  • Topsail Offshore Fishing Club donated $5,000 for the project’s completion
 1994

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

90 ft. Barge

News clipping
Photo

   8/1973
440 ft. Liberty Ship
Alexander Ramsey		   8/1974

120 ft. Tug
Sicany

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   12/1982

110 ft. Tug
Firefighter

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   6/1970

105 ft. Tug
Stone Brothers

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   1/1983

135 ft. Barge

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   9/1980

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

220 ft. Barge

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   5/1990

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

195 ft. Barge

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   10/1993

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

Dredge
Playa

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 Sank while being towed to Morehead City in Feb., 1931 2/1931
105 ft. Tug
Pocahontas		   3/1989

86 ft. Tug
R.R. Stone

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   3/1985

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

320 ft. US Army Corps of Engineers Dredge Markham

Photo

   10/1995

215 ft. US Army Corps of Engineers Dredge
Hyde

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  • Mounted with guns and served on U.S. West Coast during WWII and the Philippines
  • Damaged by mines during Vietnam, but was beached to prevent sinking. No crew were lost
 5/1998
150 ft. YTT Barge
Alton Lennon		   10/1987

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

180 ft. menhaden vessel
Capt. Greg MicKey

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  • Was built in 1970 as an oil rig supply vessel
  • Named in memorial of a lost diver, Capt. Greg MicKey
 5/18/2005

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

110 ft. Water Barge
YC-794 Potter Barge

Photo

   3/2000
180 ft. Barge
HT-85		   1/1987

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

85 ft. Barge
Captain David Knight

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    7/17/17

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date
65 ft. Tug
Coopedge		   5/1993
65 ft. Tug
A.T. Piner		   5/1993

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date
174 ft. Jell II   7/1991
55 ft. Tug Admiral Charlie   11/2004
AR-445
Photo		    

AR-455

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date
104 ft. Navy Tug
Pawtucket		 Built in 1943 in Port Arthur, Texas 7/2004

Dale Ward Reef

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   3/2002

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date
330ft. Barge   1990

40 ft. USCG launch vessel

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   1990

Vessels History of Vessel Deployment Date

180 ft. Mance Lassiter

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   6/1996