California Shipbuilding Corp.-- Part 4: End of War, End of Calship

The Calship yard had workers from every corner of the United States, lured by work and good wages.  Eventually the force here numbered some 40,000.  Only 1% had had any shipbuilding experience before they came.

After the war, the U.S. Navy and Maritime Commission cancelled their contracts with Calship and the level of shipbuilding decreased.  Calship closed in September 1945, after launching its last Victory Ship.  It was "four years to the minute after the first  slid into the water."

Calship ranks 49th  among U.S. corporations in the value of World War II military production contracts.

In 1947 the Calship facility was taken over by  National Metal & Steel Corporation which operated a scrap yard there.  Fifty-five of the Liberty and Victory Ships that were built there were also scrapped there.

The surviving museum Victory ships SS American Victory and SS Lane Victory were built  in the Calship yard.  The SS American Victory is in Tampa, Florida, and the SS Lane  Victory is in Los Angeles.  They both are open to the public and sail occasionally.

--GreGen

California Shipbuilding Corporation-- Part 1: Built 467 Liberty and Victory Ships

Last week I wrote about the USS Jaguar and its service during World War II.

It was built by this company.

From Wikipedia.

And, I thought the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company built a lot of ships for WW II service, but this one built almost twice as many.

Built 467 Liberty and Victory ships during the war, including Haskell-class attack transports.  It was often referred to as Calship (California Shipbuilding).

The Calship shipyard was created  at Terminal Island, Los Angeles as part of the U.S.'s huge shipbuilding effort during the war.  W.A. Bechtel Co. was given sponsorship  and was in charge of executive direction.

As of the 1940, the Los Angeles shipyards had not built a large ship  in 20 years.  By  late 1941, though, shipbuilding had become the second largest  manufacturing industry  in the Los Angeles area.

--GreGen

SS Red Oak Victory Gets New Berth in California

From the March 1, 2016, Contra Times (Cal.) "Historic World War II Cargo Ship to land in new resting place in Port of Richmond" by Sarah Tan.

The SS Red Oak Victory is moving to basin 5.

Riggers Loft Wine Co. wanted the ship's relocation so its customers have a better view of the bay.

The Red Oak Victory was built in Richmond and is one of the last surviving ships built at the Kaiser Richmond shipyards during the war.

--GreGen

World War II Ship Gets Blue Star

From the May 29, 2012, Pinde Patch "World War II Ship Gets Blue Star from El Cerrito Garden Club" by Charles Burress.

The marker was set in stone next to the SS Red Oak Victory in Richmond, California.  It was built by the Kaiser Shipyards in Richmond during the war and is in the process of being restored.

The Blue Star Memorial Program is a long-standing project of the National Garden Clubs dating to World War II to honor veterans.

--GreGen

Back Then: SS Lane Victory to Escort USS Iowa

From the March 3, 2012, Contra Costa Times "SS Lane Victory to bring riders for USS Iowa arrival" by Donnie Littlejohn.

It will probably be another 2-3 months before the battleship USS Iowa arrives from San Francisco at the Port of Los Angeles where it will become a museum ship.  But, the SS Lane Victory, a World War II merchant Victory ship has plans to meet it.

And, for just $250, you can go along for the ride.

The Iowa, at the time was in the Port of Richmond, by San Francisco, being readied to be towed.

The USS Iowa Veterans Association was to have their annual reunion in Los Angeles July 2-6th.

--GreGen

Wilmington's Mothball Fleet-- Part 2

Generally, five of the ships weer kept at a high level of readiness and the rest were mothballed, which means coated with red-oxide paint, oil and varnish as preservatives to prevent rust.

The operation employed 296 workers with a $600,000 payroll.  Most of them were employed as armed guards to prevent theft of copper and brass fittings. Others worked routine maintenance.

The ships were lashed and anchored in groups of five with each fifth one moored to pilings driven deep into the river bottom.  Despite precautions, however, two freighters broke loose during Hurricane Hazel in 1954 and drifted into the channel, threatening to collide with the U.S.-74 bridge until a tugboat pushed them away.

On December 8, 1958, the SS Edgecomb, a Victory Ship, became the last vessel to be tied up in the Brunswick River.  Beginning in 1958, the government began selling the older and less-fit ships for scrap with others being moved to the James River Reserve Fleet.

By 1964, there were only 152 left and just 15 by 1968.  Many of the ones scrapped had it happen at Horton Industries in Wilmington, who could finish off two in ninety days (almost as fast as they could be built back in the war).

The last ship, the SS Dwight W. Morrow, was towed for scrapping Feb. 27, 1970.

After the War.  --GreGen

Wilmington's Mothball Fleet-- Part 1

From the October 12, 2011, Wilmington (NC) Star News "My Reporter: Brunswick River harbored huge 'Mothball Fleet" by Ben Steelman.

There is a great aerial view of these ships.  A reader had asked, "What was the 'mothball fleet'?"

Officially, it was named the National Defense Reserve Fleet and sometimes referred to as the "The Ghost Fleet" and anchored in row after row on the brunswick River, near its confluence with the Cape Fear River.  It consisted of World War II surplus transport vessels. 

So many were tied up that it was also called "the second largest ship graveyard in the world."  The largest was in the James River, near Hampton Roads, Virginia.

After the war, the U.S. Maritime Commission established a "Reserve Fleet Basin" on the Brunswick River to house Liberty ships and others no longer made or needed.  The first, Liberty Ship SS John B. Bryce arrived August 12, 1945.  Between January and April 1946, 426 came to Wilmington.

Over the next several years, vessels moved in and out od "storage."  Altogether, there were 628 at one time or another.  The biggest number of them were Liberty Ships, with 542.  These were mass-produced freighters like the ones built during the war at Wilmington's North Carolina Shipbuilding Company.

There were also 68 Victory Ships (an update of the Liberty Ships) and 48 others, including tankers.

I remember seeing them as a young kid.

It Was a Sight to See.  --GreGen

Wilmington's Liberty Ships-- Part 6

Thirty percent of the workers at the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company were blacks and many of them were in skilled positions.  Work stations were completely desegregated.

Wilmington's population skyrocketed to over 100,000 during the war years as workers, military personnel and their families moved to the area.  Barracks were built for workers and public housing projects were hastily built to handle the influx.  Also, 1,400 homes were built, many in what is today Sunset Park.  Some of the projects still exist today.

The Maritime Commission also leased busses to transport workers from Catolina Beach, Southport, Warsaw and Wallace.

The last NCS Company, the SS Santa Isabel, was launched April 16, 1946, and the site sat vacant after that.  In 1949, the Maritime Commission leasedpart of it to the North Carolina State Ports Authority.  In 1971, the state bought the land outright for $445,000.

Some names remain from the shipyard.  Of course, a major road  is the Shipyard Boulevard and Burnett Boulevard named for H.C. Burnett, the shipyard's popular assistant personnel director.

File Under Stuff Most People Wouldn't Know.  --GreGen

Wilmington's Liberty Ships-- Part 3

Last post I mentioned that the Wilmington Liberty Ships were often named for North and South Carolina historical figures.  Some of these of note from the Lower Cape Fear River area were Cornelius Harnett, George Davis, Richard Caswell, Alexander Lillington, James Sprunt, Alfred Moore, John Merrick and John N. Maffitt.

Liberty Ships were 441 feet long, 56 feet wide and had a cruising speed of 12 knots and designed for quick construction.  They proved to be great workhorses.  In 1942, 53 more were ordered.  The facilities expanded another 80 acres.

In 1942, 51 were delivered.  By 1943, when the contract had called for 25 ships delivered, the total stood at 73.  The NC Shipbuilding Company had the lowest average cost per ship of the 16 shipyards building them.  At peak production, Wilmington was delivering 11 vessels a month.

The 126th and last Liberty Ship was delivered August 27, 1943.  Production slowed.  By mid-1943, the yard was refitted for production of the C2-S-AJ1 ships which were being built more modern, larger and more comfortable..

These Victory Ships were 459 feet long, 63 feet wide, had larger engines and weighed 10,660 tons.  They were being built with the intention of post-war use.

More to Come.  --GreGen

Wilmington's Liberty Ships-- Part 1

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

State of Some Victory Ships in 2009-- Part 2

The Earlham Victory was still in fully operational mode in 1950.  It hauled cargo in the Korean and Vietnam wars and carried the first American shipment of weapons to Vietnam to the French Army.

Sad as it is to lose these two Victory Ships, there are still three afloat that have been turned into museum ships:

SS Red Oak Victory
SS Lane Victory
SS American Victory

The Pan American Victory had already been towed and its destruction will cost the Federal Government $3.1 million:  $1 million for the hull cleaning and the rest for scrapping.

Two other Victory Ships are at Suisun Bay in drydock, the SS Rider Victory and the SS Winthrop Victory.

Scrapping will be done at a facility in Brownsville, Texas, where the USS Gage is already being taken apart.

Sad to Lose These Ships.  --GreGen

State of Some Victory Ships in 2009-- Part 1

From the October 22, 2009, Contra Costa Times.

Two obsolete World War II Victory ships are to be removed from the Suisun Bay reserve Fleet, cleaned of underwater growth and then towed to Texas for scrapping.  Fifty-five vessels still remain.

The Earlham Victory and Pan-American Victory were built in 1945 by Permanente Metals of Richmond, California with the first one launched June 13, 1945.

Victory ships were based on their predecessors, the Liberty ships.  A total of 531 were built from 1944 to 1945 and capable of speeds of from 15 to 17 knots.  They were also mass-produced and each 455 feet long with a 62 foot beam.  They could carry a dry cargo of 10,850 tons and operated by 62 merchant seamen and 28 Navy personnel.

Their armament consisted of one 5-inch stern gun, one 3-inch at the bow and eight 20mm machine guns.

After the war, 200 of them were sold and many mothballed as part of the National defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF).

More to Come.  --GreGen

Victory Ships-- Part 2

Continued from Monday's post.

Facts of Withrop Victory:

Hull #790, Keel Laid Mar. 22, 1945, Launched May 17, 1945, delivered June 11, 1945.

Facts about Rider Victory:

Hull #777, Keel laid Jan. 31, 1945, Launched March 26, 1945, delivered April 18,1945.

Three Victory ships are still open for tours:

SS American Victory in Tampa, Florida.
SS Lane Victory in Los Angeles, California.
SS Red Oak Victory in Richmond, California.

At Brownsville, Texas, being scrapped:

SS Earlham Victory, Hull #763 and SS Pan American Victory, Hull #746.

At Suisun Bay SS Rian Victory and SS Winthrop Victory (arrived Brownsville, Texas, for scrapping in 2010).

At James River Reserve (Ghost) Fleet:

USS Range Sentinel, former Victory ship hill #553. Status: disposed.

It was the former USS Sherburne, a Howell Class Attack Transport, VC2-S-AP5 Victory Ship design.

The USS Range Sentinel was a missile range ship during te early US space program off Florida.

Just a Look at Some of the World War II Relics Still Afloat and Some Now Gone. --GreGen

Victory Ships

From Bill's Save the Last Two Victory Ships Blog. Jan. 31, 2005.

When most people think of World War II ships, they think of the battleships, aircraft carriers, cruisers, destroyers and submarines. But these ships would not have been able to operate without fuel, ammunition and supplies which were delivered by Liberty and later Victory ships. Very few are left.

He said he was a volunteer on the SS Red Oak Victory. He went on the Winthrop Victory and reported that it was too far gone to save with four inches of water in the deckhouse and rust everywhere. Condensation was all over the vessel as well. Pigeons are inside and their dropping everywhere.

He also went to the Rider and Earlham Victory (Victory ships had that word in their names) and said the Pan American Victory had a heavy list.

The Ynez has arrived at Pier 70 to be cleaned for its final trip. The SS Winthrop Victory is finished and ready to be towed to Texas to be broken up.

As of March 22nd, both the Winthrop Victory and Rider Victory were at Pier 70. One was in dry dock with its bottom being cleaned.

A Ship for Victory. --GreGen