The Texas Towers.Com

The AKL-17

Originally built as FS-289 for
the US Army, she later became USNS New Bedford (T-AKL-17), and later torpedo test vessel IX-308 until stricken in
1995 and converted to a fishing vessel. She is perhaps best known as the USS reluctant from the 1955 movie "Mister
Roberts," starring Henry Fonda and Jack Lemmon.

Type: Long-liner
Owner: Seawind Fisheries Group LLC
Length: 177 feet
Beam: 32 feet
Tonnage: 572 GRT
Year of Build: 1944
Builder: Wheeler Shipbuilding, Whitestone, NY
Former Name: Ghost, USNV New Bedford, USNS New Bedford, FS-289

A brief history of the Sea Bird is as follows:
1944 - Camano Class Light Cargo Ship Laid down for the US Army as FS-289 at Wheeler Shipbuilding, Whitestone, N.Y.
1945 - Delivered to the US Army
1950 - Acquired by the US Navy, July 1 and placed in service as USNS New Bedford (T-AKL-17)
1961 - Placed out of service
1963 - Reclassified Miscellaneous Unclassified, (IX-308)
1971 - New Bedford (IX-308) served as a Torpedo Test Firing Vessel in the Puget Sound area
1995 - Struck from the Naval Register, April 4
1996 - Sold by Defense Reutilization and Marketing Service, for commercial service, June 11
2006 - Current Disposition, tuna long liner (fishing boat) Sea Bird out of San Diego, CA

2009

Seen in Seattle on March 10th, 2009

 

The Captain Of The AKL-17 "Sixto Mangual"

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The AKL-17 Then

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The AKL-17 Renamed The "Sea Bird"

Kris Land a San Diego Based Technology Entrepreneur "Sea Bird Adventure" has entered into a purchase agreement to purchase the Sea Bird. The Sea Bird is a commercial fishing vessel, originally created as an Army Ship.

(Resupply Ship For The Texas Tower #2, #3 And #4)

173.jpg AKL17

The Sea Bird docked at San Diego Harbor
The Sea Bird docked at San Diego Harbor		 The Sea Bird with the Coronado Bridge in the background
The Sea Bird with the Coronado Bridge
in the background
Front View of the Sea Bird
Front View of the Sea Bird		 Side view of the Sea Bird
Side view of the Sea Bird
Seagulls hovering over the Sea Bird
Seagulls hovering over the Sea Bird		 Another side view of the Sea Bird
Another side view of the Sea Bird
A Seagull
A Seagull		 The life preserver
The life preserver
Steps to the bridge
Steps to the bridge		 Crew of the Greenpeace ship Esperanza visiting the Sea Bird
Crew of the Greenpeace ship Esperanza
visiting the Sea Bird
The Sea Bird logo
The Sea Bird logo		 The Sea Bird logo close up
The Sea Bird logo close up
Mooring lines
Mooring lines		 The life boats
The life boats
The crane
The crane		 The scooner
The scooner
Ruder position indicator
Ruder position indicator		 The propeller
The propeller
Crows nest
Crows nest		 Upper deck to lower deck stairs
Upper deck to lower deck stairs
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corner1
Pictures inside the Sea Bird
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Inside the bridge
Inside the bridge		 Bunk beds
Bunk beds		 The bathroom
The bathroom
The grill
The grill		 The kitchen sink
The kitchen sink		 The refrigerator
The refrigerator
The mess hall
The mess hall		 A hallway
A hallway		 Anchoring diagram
Anchoring diagram
Life boat diagram
Life boat diagram		 Another life boat diagram
Another life boat diagram		 Man overboad directions
Man overboad directions
Mister Roberts movie poster
Mister Roberts movie poster		 Bridge equipment
Bridge equipment
Bridge controls
Bridge controls		 Radios
Radios
One of the Sea Bird engines
One of the Sea Bird engines		 Another view of a Sea Bird engine
Another view of a Sea Bird engine
One more shot of an engine
One more shot of an engine		 Engineering to bridge communication center
Engineering to bridge communication center
The Sea Bird floor plan
The Sea Bird floor plan		 Fire retardant system
Fire retardant system
Water purification tanks
Water purification tanks		 View of the Midway from the Sea Bird
View of the Midway from the Sea Bird
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corner1
Miscellaneous pictures of the Sea Bird
corner2
Downtown San Diego
Downtown San Diego		 The generator
The generator		 On deck control
On deck control
A ladder
A ladder		 Outside view
Outside view