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NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive

Contributed by Anthony J. Basile

USS Crilley (YHLC-1)

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

National Defense Service Medal - Vietnam Service Medal - Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

YHLC-1 Class Salvage Lifting Craft, Heavy

Built in Germany in 1943 as Energie

Launched, date unknown

Delivered and placed in service, date unknown

Sunk by British aircraft in 1945 in the Baltic Sea

Refloated by Germany, resuming service to Germany in 1948

Leased by the United Nations in 1957 to clear the Suez Canal

Laid up upon completion to clearing wrecks in the Suez Canal

Purchased by the US Navy in 1967

Commissioned USS Crilley (YHLC-1) in 1967

Assigned to Harbor Clearance Unit One at Naval Station Subic Bay R.P.

Decommissioned, date unknown

Struck from the Naval Register, date unknown

Custody transferred to the Maritime Administration, 2 September 1976 for lay up in the James River National Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, VA.

Permanent custody assigned to the Maritime Administration, 14 December 1977

Title transferred to the Maritime Administration, 11 December 1993

Final Disposition, fate unknown

Specifications
Displacement unknown
Length unknown
Beam unknown
Draft unknown
Lifting Capacity 4800 t.
Accommodations unknown
Armament none
Propulsion none

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Source
	28k	*Namesake* Frank William Crilley was born in Trenton, New Jersey, on 13 September 1883. Following enlistment in the Navy in March 1900, he became a Gunner's Mate and received additional training as a diver. In 1915, while a Chief Gunner's Mate, he made dives to over 300 feet during salvage operations on the sunken submarine F-4 (SS-23) off Honolulu, Hawaii. On 17 April 1915 he rescued a fellow diver who had become entangled at a depth of 250 feet. For his heroism on this occasion, he was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1929. In 1917, Crilley was appointed to the rank of Gunner(T), and in February 1918 became an Ensign in the Naval Reserve. He commanded USS Salvor in 1919 and left active duty in July of that year. In the mid-1920s, he was involved with salvaging USS S-51 (SS-162), and returned to active Naval service in 1927-28 to work on the recovery of USS S-4 (SS-109). He was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions as a diver during that operation. In 1931, Frank Crilley served as Second Officer and Master Diver during the Arctic expedition of the civilian submarine Nautilus. Also in 1931, he assisted with the salvage of USS Mayflower (PY-1). Transferred to the Retired List in May 1932, he was again employed on Navy work in 1939, during the salvage of USS Squalus (SS-192). Ensign Frank W. Crilley died at the Naval Hospital, Brooklyn, New York, on 23 November 1947. USS Crilley (YHLC-1), 1967-1993, was named in honor of Ensign Frank W. Crilley. Photo from Arlington National Cemetery Website		Bill Gonyo
	59k	*USS Crilley* (YHLC-1), left and USS Crandall (YHLC-2)** right at Naval Station Subic Bay, R. P., circa 1967. Note they both are still wearing their civilian colors. US Navy photo from "All Hands" magazine, October 1967.		Anthony J. Basile HCU 1

There is no DANFS history record available for USS Crilley (YHLC-1) at NavSource

Crew Contact And Reunion Information
U.S.Navy Memorial Foundation
Fleet Reserve Association

Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
No Information Available

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Last Updated 16 May 2008