View source for Gopher State-class crane ship

{{Short description|Class of auxiliary vessels in the United States Navy}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2008}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=[[Image:Ssgopherstate.jpg|300px|SS Gopher State]]
|Ship caption=SS ''Gopher State''
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''Gopher State'' class
|Builders=[[Bath Iron Works]], [[Bath, Maine]]
|Operators={{Navy|United States}}
|Class before=
|Class after=
|Subclasses=
|Cost=
|Built range=1967&ndash;1972
|In service range=
|In commission range= 1986&ndash;present
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=
|Total ships completed=3
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=3
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=
|Total ships retired=
|Total ships preserved=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type=[[Crane ship]]
|Ship displacement={{Convert|13500|LT|t|0}} light
|Ship length={{Convert|668|ft|7|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{Convert|76|ft|1|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft={{Convert|33|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship propulsion=*2 boilers
*2 steam turbines
*1 shaft
*{{Convert|17500|shp|0|abbr=on}}
|Ship speed={{Convert|17|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range=
|Ship complement=*9 civilians in Reduced Operating Status
*32 civilians in Full Operating Status
|Ship capacity=*300+ [[Intermodal container|containers]]
*Four 30 ton cranes
|Ship sensors=
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=
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|Ship aircraft=
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}}
|}

The '''''Gopher State''-class crane ships''' of the [[United States Navy]] are a class of [[auxiliary ship|auxiliary vessels]]. The lead ship of the class is named in honor of the state of [[Minnesota]].  Original [[United States Maritime Administration]] (MARAD) designation for the ship is [[Type C5 class ship|C5-S-73b]].

== History ==
All three vessels of the class were former [[Type C5 class ship|''Sea Witch''-class]] [[container ships]] built at the [[Bath Iron Works]] for [[American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines]]. AEIL was acquired by [[Farrell Lines]] in 1978 and the ships were later returned to the [[United States Maritime Administration|Maritime Administration]] (MARAD) at an unknown date. They were converted for naval service as [[Crane vessel|crane ships]] in 1986–1987.

SS ''Gopher State'' and SS ''Cornhusker State'' are in MARAD [[Ready Reserve Force]] status in [[Newport News, Virginia]]. SS ''Flickertail State'' has been transferred from the Ready Reserve Force to the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) at Alameda, CA., for stripping of spare parts for sister ships.

== Ships in class ==
* [[SS Gopher State (T-ACS-4)|SS ''Gopher State'' (T-ACS-4)]] was converted from the ''Export Leader'', Bath Hull No. 358, IMO 7226689
* [[SS Flickertail State (T-ACS-5)|SS ''Flickertail State'' (T-ACS-5)]] was converted from the ''CV Lightning'', Bath Hull No. 355, IMO 6817845
* [[SS Cornhusker State (T-ACS-6)|SS ''Cornhusker State'' (T-ACS-6)]] was converted from the ''CV Stag Hound'', Bath Hull No. 356, IMO 6916433

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150402152014/http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/2large/active/bath.htm Shipbuilding History page with information on Bath Iron Works hulls]
* {{navsource|09/76/7604|SS Gopher State (ACS-4)}}
* {{navsource|09/76/7605|SS Flickertail State (ACS-5)}}
* {{navsource|09/76/7606|SS Cornhusker State (ACS-6)}}
* [http://drawings.usmaritimecommission.de/drawings_c5_s_7xx_types.htm Outboard Profiles of Maritime Administration  Vessels, The C5-Designs and his Conversions]

{{Gopher State class crane ship}}
{{MARCOMships}}

[[Category:Auxiliary ships of the United States| Gopher State class crane ship]]
[[Category:Auxiliary ship classes of the United States Navy]]
[[Category:Gopher State-class crane ships| Gopher State class crane ship]]
[[Category:Auxiliary transport ship classes]]
[[Category:Type C5 ships]]