Imagine giant warships cradled in concrete. That’s the essence of Dry Dock 2 at Pearl Harbor. This isn’t just a place where ships get fixed. It’s a silent witness to pivotal moments in history.
Dry Dock 2 stands on the northern shoreline of the Shipyard. It sits nestled between Dry Dock Nos. 1 and 3 in Pearl City. This location is part of Honolulu County.
The U.S. Naval Base at Pearl Harbor includes Dry Dock No. 2. It is also known as Naval Shipyard Facility No. S780.
Construction of Dry Dock 2 began in 1939. It finished in 1942. Subsequent work occurred in 1971 and 1977. This dry dock played a vital role after the December 7, 1941, attack. It was crucial for salvage operations.
Dry Dock 2 is associated with the waterfront facilities expansion at Pearl Harbor in the 1940s. It features a unique construction method. The dock used an untried tremie concrete floor construction method.
Interestingly, it’s the only one of four dry docks at Pearl Harbor with an intermediate caisson. An intermediate caisson is a type of gate.
In December 1939, a contract was awarded for two new graving docks. These were to be built adjacent to the existing battleship dock. Dock No. 2 was designed as a 1,000-foot battleship dock.
Dock No. 3 was smaller. It was 497 feet long. It was intended for destroyers and submarines.
The week before the Japanese attack, Dock No. 2 was nearing completion. This allowed the emergency docking of the cruiser Helena. The Helena had been torpedoed during the attack.
After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the lump-sum contract was terminated. The construction of Docks No. 2 and No. 3 were about 90-percent complete at that time. Work continued under a cost-plus-fixed-fee contract.
In building portions of these docks, the tremie method of placing concrete under water was used. This was chosen over the steel cofferdam method used for Dock No. 1.
Experiments led to the adoption of nine 17-inch pipes spaced 10 feet apart. These pipes serviced half of the dry dock slab at a time.
After the blocking of Dock No. 1 and the sinking of the floating dock, Dock No. 2 became the only available dry dock. It was vital for subsequent salvage efforts.
The cruiser Helena was docked here on December 10. It remained until the 21st. The dock was unwatered using pump well drainage pumps and contractor’s construction pumps. Temporary connections supplied the ship with air, fresh water, and salt water. The dock was completed while in use.
Today Dry Dock 2 stands as a testament to American resilience. It symbolizes engineering innovation. Remember its story next time you are here. Remember its role in a dark chapter of history. This is more than concrete and steel. It’s a symbol of recovery.