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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

YW-31
ex
 Water Barge No. 31 (1920)
 Freight Lighter No. 159 (1920)
 USS Nenette (1918 - 1920)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

World War I Victory Medal
YW-31 Class Self-propelled Water Barge:
  • Built by Fleming and Ferguson Ltd., Paisley, Scotland (YN 187)
  • Launched, 17 May 1893
  • Completed as the self-propelled hopper dredge Hopper No. 19 (British ON 102604) for Trustees of the Clyde Navigation, Glasgow, Scotland
  • Purchased by War Office, Deputy Controller of Auxiliary Shipping at Cornwall, designated DHB 13, 1917
  • Purchased by the US Navy from the War Office, commissioned USS Nenette 1, 19 October 1919
  • Towed from Brest to America by minesweeper Thrush, October 1919
  • USS Nenette was assigned to the 5th Naval District, Naval Station Norfolk, November 1919
  • Redesignated Freight Lighter No. 159, late 1919
  • Renamed Water Barge No. 31, early 1920
  • Reclassified YW-31 in the Navy's fleet-wide assignment of alphanumeric hull numbers, 17 July 1920
  • YW-31 ran aground at Cat Island, Bahamas, early 1921
  • Broken up, March 1921
    1. Correct name is 'Nenette,' not the frequently cited 'Ninette'; like Rin Tin Tin (YW-30), named for a small straw doll used as a lucky charm by American soldiers in France
    Specifications:
    Displacement 560 tons, 869 gross tons
    Length 200'
    Beam 35'
    Draft 13' 8"
    Speed unknown
    Complement 10
    Armament none
    Propulsion 3-cylinder triple expansion, twin screws, 600hp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Nenette 62k Crowded with troops being taken to a transport for passage home to the United States, at Brest, France, 1919
    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2007
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 104813    		 Robert Hurst
    Nenette 61k Bringing troops out to a transport for passage home to the United States in 1919, probably at Brest, France
    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 105727
    Nenette 112k Moored outboard of another lighter, alongside a transport in Brest harbor, France, 1919. Both are loaded with troops being transferred to the transport for passage home to the United States
    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 105876
    Nenette 65k Homeward-bound troops on board Nenette, which has brought them out to a transport for passage to the United States, 1919. Location is probably Brest harbor, France
    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 105730
    Nenette 172k Nenette and USS Tudno ferrying soldiers to the USS Celtic (AF-2) for transportation back to the United States. Taken at Brest, 25 June 1919.
    Imperial War Museum photo © IWM(Q 70019) American First World War Official Exchange Collection    		 Mike Green
    There is no DANFS history available for YW-31 / USS Nenette at NavSource
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The Yard and District Craft Photo Index Water Barge (YW) Photo Index
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    This page was created and is maintained by David L. Wright
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    Last Updated 04 March 2016