From the Wilmington (NC) Star-News My Reporter column by Ben Steelman.
A whopping 126 Liberty Ships were built between 1941 and 1943 at the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company's yards on the Cape Fear River, slightly south of downtown on the site of the present-day North Carolina State Port property.
After mid 1943, production shifted to the C-2 model ship (called Victory Ships) which were intended for post-war use as well. In addition, amphibious/attack cargo ships (AKAs) and other vessels destined for war were built.
A total of 243 ships were bult at the shipyard which emplyed as many as 20,000 workers at its peak operation. Production stopped in 1946 and the facilities were closed.
Warships were built at Wilmington as far back at the Civil War. Benjamin W. Beery and Brothers had a shipyard on Eagle Island and built several vessels, including the CSS North Carolina. James Cassidy had a yard on the river between Nun and Church streets and built the CSS Raleign.
During World War I, New York skyscraper magnate George A. Fuller had the Carolina Shipbuilding Company at Wilmington and built ten 10,000-ton steel-hulled vessels for the U.S. Emergency Fleet Corporation, but all were delivered after the Armistice was signed.
Another yard built concrete-hulled vessels and two more were built with wooden hulls.
All together, about 4,000 were employed in World War I.
More to Come. --GreGen
The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.
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