The US Navy pre-dreadnought battleship USS Kearsarge BB-5 was decommissioned in May 1920, Kearsarge and converted into a crane ship. Originally given hull classification IX-16 on 17 July 1920, this was changed to AB-1 on 5 August. Her turrets, superstructure, and armor were removed, and replaced by a large revolving crane with a lifting capacity of 250 tons (230 tonnes), as well as 10-foot (3.0 m) blisters, which improved her stability.
On 6 November 1941, Kearsarge was renamed Crane Ship No. 1, allowing her name to be reused (originally for CV-12, which was later changed to Hornet and then for Kearsarge CV-33). During the Second World War, she was used to facilitate the movement and placement of heavy equipment such as guns, turrets, and armor for ships including the Indiana, Alabama, Savannah, Chicago, and Pennsylvania.
In 1945, after being towed to the Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, she worked on the Essex-Class carriers Hornet and Boxer, as well as the Saratoga.
She was sold for scrap on 9 August 1955.
Kearsarge (BB-5) at Philadelphia Navy Yard during her conversion to U.S. Crane Ship No. 1, 13 January 1921US Crane Ship No. 1 testing the 250 ton crane 27 October 1922USS Idaho (BB-42) being re-gunned at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, by Crane Ship No. 1 Kearsarge circa the later 1920sCrane Ship No. 1 Kearsarge is forth from left and and three piers away is USS Florida (BB-30) 1925Crane Ship No. 1 Kearsarge at South Boston Oct. 1925US Crane Ship No. 1 in dry dock at South Boston, Massachusetts, while undergoing repairs on 3 October 1925U.S. Crane Ship No. 1 alongside the North Approach Wall of the Miraflores Locks, Panama Canal, in 1926US Crane Ship No.1 passing through the Gaillard Cut, while transiting the Panama Canal during the 1920s or 1930sUS Crane Ship No. 1 AB-1 seen at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in 1936U.S. Crane Ship No. 1 in Puget Sound, 1937Kearsarge (AB-1), aerial photograph by Naval Aviation Base, Coco Solo, and released 8 July 1938Kearsarge (AB-1) is moored next to the Alabama (BB-60) for lifting the 16 inch gun barrels into placeU.S. Crane Ship (AB-1) at sea, May 1944Kearsarge (AB-1) is seen in the background during a noon time bond rally at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in 1945US Crane Ship No. 1 is seen at Pier 8 of Boston Naval Shipyard in August 1948US Crane Ship No.1US Crane Ship No.1 in Navy Yard drydockUS Crane Ship No.1US Crane Ship No.1 in Navy Yard drydockU.S. Crane Ship No. 1 is seen at Pier 8 of Boston Naval Shipyard in August 1948Crane Ship No. 1 lifting a 120 ton crane from South Boston in November, 1948The raised trawler Lynn is seen alongside U.S. Crane Ship No. 1 5 September 1952
