Net laying ship

War Plan Orange, the pre-World War II US plan for war with Japan, anticipated that Pearl Harbor would be too small for the US Navy fleet that would be amassed in Hawaii. Orange anticipated the construction of a large anchorage in Lahaina Roads between the islands of Maui, Lānaʻi, and Molokaʻi. Construction would consist of massive nets and minefields to protect the anchored ships.{{cite book |last=Miller |first=Edward S. |year=1991 |title=War Plan Orange: The U.S. Strategy to Defeat Japan, 1897–1945 |location=Annapolis, MD |publisher=United States Naval Institute Press |isbn=1-59114-500-7}}

Ultimately four large netlayers would be laid down just before and after the attack on Pearl Harbor: {{USS|Monitor|AN-1|6}}, {{USS|Montauk|AN-2|6}}, {{USS|Osage|AN-3|6}}, and {{USS|Saugus|AN-4|6}}.These ships were of a common design with three fleet minelayers: {{USS|Terror|CM-5|6}}, {{USS|Catskill|CM-6|6}}, and {{USS|Ozark|CM-7|6}} which are listed here It turned out that these ships were not needed. First, dredging significantly enlarged the anchorages in Pearl Harbor. Second, the mobility of aircraft carrier warfare made the large Lahaina Roads anchorage concept obsolete, though smaller nets would still be needed for the entrance channels at advanced bases such as the Naval Base Majuro and Naval Base Ulithi. Third, new technology resulted in lightweight nets that could be handled by smaller vessels. The four large netlayers would be converted to carry and launch amphibious vehicles under the hull classification landing ship, vehicle (LSV).Friedman, 2002, pp. 178-179

The 77 small auxiliary net layers were built in three classes. The first 32, the {{sclass|Aloe|net laying ship|4}}, were all launched in 1940 (before the attack on Pearl Harbor) and were built of steel. Due to the chronic shortage of steel during the war, the next 40, the {{sclass|Ailanthus|net laying ship|4}}, were built of wood. The last 15, the {{sclass|Cohoes|net laying ship|4}}, laid down in 1944 and 1945, were again constructed of steel.{{cite journal |last1=Jurens |first1=W.|title=Life in the Slow Lane: Some Thoughts on Minelayer and Netlayer Evolution |journal=Warship International |date=2016 |volume=LIII |issue=1 |pages=59–68 |issn=0043-0374}} These vessels served in all theatres of war but particularly in the Pacific. Many of the ships were decommissioned after the war, but some continued in service for several more decades. Net layers were eventually made redundant by advances in underwater detection technology.[http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/18/1800001.htm World War II Net Tenders], Navsource Online.

There were also at least 43 craft that were classed as net gate craft; many were simply powered barges.

To transport nets and to otherwise support the net layers, by 1943 specially built cargo ships, designated net cargo ships (AKN), were built. The first of this class was {{USS|Indus|AKN-1|6}}. Indus worked in Naval Base Philippines.[https://web.archive.org/web/20040313114319/http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/i2/indus.htm USS Indus (AKN-1)]US Navy[http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/15/1501a.htm USS Indus (AKN-1), Net Tender Story]navsource.org Finally in 1946, USS Montauk was converted back from an LSV to net cargo duties as USS Galilea.

The United Kingdom and British Commonwealth referred to net laying ship as boom defence vessels.{{Cite web

|url=http://www.awm.gov.au/wartime/8/articles/warships.pdf

|title=Australian War Memorial : Know your warships!, Page 67

|author=Richard Pelvin with Robert Darby

|work=www.awm.gov.au

|accessdate=21 September 2010

|url-status=

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080410160254/http://www.awm.gov.au/wartime/8/articles/warships.pdf

|archivedate=10 April 2008

}}[http://uboat.net/allies/warships/class.html?ID=326 Boom defence vessel ]uboat.net

• {{sclass2|Bar|boom defence vessel|1}} built in the 1940s.
• {{sclass2|Net|boom defence vessel|1}} built in the 1930s.

File:Royal Navy Vessels Maintain the Boom Defence at Scapa Flow, Scotland, May 1943 A16572.jpg|The boom defence net at Scapa Flow being towed into position by two Royal Navy boom defence vessels in 1943.

File:The Royal Navy during the Second World War A16583.jpg|At Scapa Flow, a Royal Navy net laying vessel prepares to lay an anti-submarine net, which is {{convert|900|ft}} long, weighs over {{convert|40|LT|t}} and could be laid in 4 minutes.

File:The Royal Navy during the Second World War A17161.jpg|HMS Rogate, a Royal Navy "gate vessel" designed to open and close the boom and nets at Portsmouth Harbour during World War II.

File:HMCS Ypres E-35756.jpg|{{HMCS|Ypres}} was a {{sclass2|Battle|trawler|1}} used by the Royal Canadian Navy as a gate vessel. She was sunk in a collision with a battleship in May 1940.

File:USS TEREBINTH (AN-59).jpg|The US Navy wooden net tender, {{USS|Terebinth|AN-59|6}} in wartime camouflage.

File:HMAS Kangaroo SLV AllanGreen.jpg|{{HMAS|Kangaroo}}, a {{sclass2|Bar|boom defence vessel|1}} of the Royal Australian Navy in 1947.

File:USS Montauk (LSV-6) underway of New York (USA) on 12 October 1944 (NH 104262).jpg|{{USS|Montauk|LSV-6|6}} after completion of her LSV conversion (mostly internal).

• {{slink|List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy#Net cargo ships (AKN)}}
• {{slink|List of auxiliaries of the United States Navy#Net laying ships (AN)}}
• {{slink|List of yard and district craft of the United States Navy#Yard Net Tenders (YN)}}
• {{slink|List of yard and district craft of the United States Navy#Net Gate Craft (YNG)}}
• {{slink|List of yard and district craft of the United States Navy#Net Tender Tugs (YNT)}}
• US Naval Advance Bases
• Wooden boats of World War II

{{reflist|group=A}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.antarctic.org.nz/pages/projects/endeavourpix.php Photos of HMNZS Endeavour; Antarctic support ship, ex-US netlayer]

{{Aloe class net laying ship}}

{{Ailanthus class net laying ship}}

{{Cohoes class net laying ships}}

{{Indus class net cargo ship}}

{{Warship types of the 19th & 20th centuries}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Net Laying Ship}}

Category:Auxiliary gateship classes