YOG-89

• YOG-89 was a U.S. Navy gasoline barge, part of the YOG (Yard Oiler, Gasoline) series built during World War II to transport and store fuel for fleet operations. • She was constructed as a non-self-propelled barge, meaning YOG-89 depended on tugs or other ships for movement. • YOG-89 was built by Concrete Ship Constructors in National City, California, and launched in 1944 at the height of WWII. • The barge was specifically made from reinforced concrete due to wartime shortages of steel, a rare and innovative practice during the era. • YOG-89 gained postwar fame when it was used as a target vessel for the Operation Crossroads atomic bomb tests at Bikini Atoll in 1946. • During the Crossroads tests, YOG-89 was positioned in the blast zone to study the effects of atomic explosions on naval vessels and auxiliary craft. • Remarkably, after the atomic tests, YOG-89 survived the explosions and radioactive contamination. • After the tests, YOG-89 was studied for radiation effects before being scuttled and sunk at Kwajalein Atoll, becoming part of the lagoon’s underwater relics. • The use of concrete for YOG-89 and similar barges demonstrated the Navy’s adaptability and resourcefulness during material shortages in WWII. • Today, the story of YOG-89 is a testament to the unusual and sometimes experimental solutions employed during wartime and is a subject of interest for naval historians and shipwreck divers alike.