Seattle–Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation

Seattle–Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation
IndustryShipbuilding
Founded1939
Defunct1946
HeadquartersTacoma, Washington United States
Parent

The Seattle–Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation (later renamed Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc.) was an American shipbuilding company which built escort carriers, destroyers, cargo ships and auxiliaries for the United States Navy and merchant marine during World War II. It consisted of two yards, one in Seattle and one in Tacoma, along the Puget Sound of Washington. It was the largest producer of destroyers (45) on the West Coast and the largest producer of escort carriers of various classes (56) of any United States shipyard active during World War II.

History

Predecessor shipyards

The William H. Todd Corporation, just having established itself in New York, acquired the Seattle Construction and Drydock Company (formerly the Moran Brothers shipyard) in the Seattle Harbor during World War I in 1916. The yard was acquired in 1918 by Skinner & Eddy, which had quickly risen to become a major force in Northwest Pacific shipbuilding. Todd moved his Seattle operation to nearby Harbor Island where a repair facility was constructed. In 1917 the company also set foot in Tacoma, where the first work on facilities of an entirely new yard was underway in January 1917[1] and the first ship, the Tacoma,[2] was launched on March 28, 1918.[3]

3 of 10 Omaha-class light cruisers and 23 cargo ships of 7,500dwt were built in the Tacoma yard (including Jacona, which survived till at least 1971), the Caldwell-class destroyer USS Gwin (DD-71) and the N-class submarines N-1, N-2 and N-3 as well as 14 cargo ships of mostly 7,500dwt also were built in Seattle.

In addition to the government contracts, the Tacoma yard built 2 cargo ships (named Red Hook and Hoboken after 2 of Todd's New York Harbor locations), 1 diesel freighter, 2 passenger ships and 6 barges. The Red Hook found its way into Imperial Japanese Army service as Naruo Maru[4][5] and was sunk in 1944.

Shipbuilding ceased in the Seattle yard in 1920 and in the Tacoma yard in 1924.

Seattle–Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation

In 1939, the old Tacoma shipyard in Commencement Bay was revived (from scratch[6]) by the Todd Shipyards Corporation and Kaiser Shipbuilding, initially with two slipways.[7] With the aid of some $15 million in capital provided by the U.S. Government, this was eventually increased to eight.

Todd Affiliates to build C-1's at Tacoma Yard

TODD Shipyards Corporation announces the award of five C- 1 Type B Diesel propelled vessels to the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation, of Seattle, Washington, at a price of $2,127,000 each. Associated with them is the General Construction Co. of Seattle and its affiliates. R. J. Lamont, president of the Todd Seattle Dry Docks Inc., of Seattle, is also president of this company; J. A. McEachern, of the General Construction Co., being vice-president.

This marks the culmination of negotiations with the Maritime Commission to bring a restoration of the shipbuilding industry to the Pacific Northwest. The cooperation of Seattle and Tacoma labor was an important factor in securing the award. The plan involves the rehabilitation of the Todd Tacoma plant for the construction of the hulls, the completion and outfitting of the vessels to be performed at the plant of the Todd Seattle Dry Docks Inc., in Seattle.[8]

Following the enactment of the Two-Ocean Navy Act, Seattle-Tacoma was awarded contracts to build 25 destroyers.[9] The government invested $9 million in a new destroyer construction facility on Harbor Island which was then built starting October 15, 1940[10] next to the existing repair dock founded in 1918.

In February 1942, Todd bought out Kaiser's holding and sold the company's own interests in Permanente Metals.[11]

Todd Pacific Shipyards

In June 1944, the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation was renamed Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc.,[12] which existed as a legal entity until November 1946.[13] Todd sold the Tacoma shipyard to the Navy after the war ended, which in turn sold the site to the Port of Tacoma in 1959.[12] The Seattle division at Harbor Island resumed building new vessels in 1952.[12][14]

The "Plant A" destroyer facility produced a single civilian ship, the luxury ferry Chinook, launched in 1947,[15] but by 1952 oil terminals had been established in the spot.[16]

The original repair yard continued to be part of the Todd Corporation, now building new civilian and military ships and it remains active to this day as a facility of Vigor Marine Group.

Ships built

Tacoma yard

In Commencement Bay (47°16′46″N 122°24′25″W / 47.27949°N 122.40705°W / 47.27949; -122.40705 (Todd Tacoma Shipyard))

Escort carriers (56)

Auxiliaries (14)

Cargo (5)

Ships of World War II produced before 1924 (incomplete)

Description of the plant as of January 1940: [29]
Photograph of the plant in the initial 2-ways stage (launch of the Cape Alava): [30]

Seattle yard

on Harbor Island (47°35′21″N 122°20′53″W / 47.58903°N 122.3481°W / 47.58903; -122.3481) in 2 separate facilities at the north end of the island. In 1918 Todd moved out of the seattle waterfront and opened a repair facility on the northwestern corner. In 1940 additional slipways were added on the northeastern end.[31] The expansion had all 5 building ways upon initial completion (2 destroyers each).[32] In June 1945, 5 destroyers were building, the unfinished Seaman (DD-791) was about to be laid down and 2 destroyer tenders (Isle Royale (AD-29) and Great Lakes (AD-30) - eventually aborted) were using up 1 full slipway each.

Although the Seattle yard produced the largest number of destroyers on the West Coast, Union Iron Works was slightly more productive overall with 4 Atlantas, 9 Bensons, 18 Fletchers, 6 Sumners, 3 Gearings and 12 Buckleys.

Contracts awarded

  • NOD1502 7/40 destroyers $29,406,000 (= 5 Gleaves)
  • NOD1511 9/40 destroyers $109,726,000 (= 15 Fletcher)
  • NOD1502S 12/40 destroyers $29,406,000 (= 5 Gleaves)
  • NOD1760 3/41 gasoline tankers aog $10,700,000 (= 5 Patapsco, built in Tacoma)
  • OBS315 8/42 destroyers $40,799,000 (= 6 Fletcher)
  • OBS329 8/42 destroyers $107,535,000 (= 15 Sumner)
  • OBS10215 8/44 ship repairs $2,081,000
  • total: $329,653,000

45 of 415 destroyers

1 of 6 Shenandoah-class destroyer tenders

Pacific Reserve Fleet, Tacoma

After the war the United States Navy took over the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding shipyard and for use as part of the United States Navy reserve fleets, also called a mothball fleet. The Pacific Reserve Fleet, Tacoma was used to store the now many surplus ships after World War II. Some ships in the Commencement Bay Reserve Fleet were reactivated for the Korean War. The Navy sold the shipyard to the Port of Tacoma in 1959. The ships stored at Pacific Reserve Fleet, Tacoma were either scrapped or moved to other reserve fleets.[35]

Example ships:

  • USS Lunga Point was placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Tacoma in 1946 and removed in June 1955 and recommissioned as CVU-94.
  • USS Kwajalein was placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, Tacoma in 1946 and removed in June 1955 and recommissioned as CVU-98 a utility aircraft carrier.
  • USS Tinian (CVE-123), a Commencement Bay-class escort carrier, was stored at Reserve Fleet, Tacoma, being completed in 1946, too late for World War II. On June 12, 1955, the ship was reclassified as an escort helicopter aircraft carrier and re-designated CVHE-123.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Shipbuilding Notes - Tacoma". Pacific Marine Review. January 1917. p. 82.
  2. ^ "Chebaulip (ID 3141)". Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  3. ^ "Tacoma's Place in Steel Shipbuilding". Pacific Marine Review. July 1918. p. 108.
  4. ^ "IJA Naruo Maru Class Transport".
  5. ^ "ESTERO CARGO SHIP 1941-1944". WRECKSITE.
  6. ^ "(picture without article)". Pacific Marine Review. October 1939. p. 74.
  7. ^ "Seattle-Tacoma Shipyard Under Way". Pacific Marine Review. December 1939. p. 32.
  8. ^ American Society of Marine Engineers (1939). The Log. Miller Freeman Publications.
  9. ^ "Index to Vol. 23". Archived from the original on June 10, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  10. ^ Pacific Marine Review, February 1941, p. 55 (includes photograph of the yard on December 31)
  11. ^ Investigation of Shipyard Profits. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1946. pp. 421–423.
  12. ^ a b c "Vigor Industrial Collection on Todd Shipyards, circa 1905–1985". Archives West. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
  13. ^ Julie Van Pelt (August 21, 2008). "Port of Tacoma sees launch of Todd Shipyards' freighter Cape Alava on August 3, 1940". HistoryLink. Retrieved September 20, 2025.
  14. ^ "Facts and History of Todd Shipyards Corporation and its Seattle Division, August 10, 1960". Museum of History & Industry. Retrieved September 26, 2025.
  15. ^ American Society of Marine Engineers (July 1947). The Log. Miller Freeman Publications.
  16. ^ United States. Maritime Administration (1953). The Port of Seattle, Washington. Port series. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 56.
  17. ^ The Log, November 1940, p. 6
  18. ^ The Log Vol 35, No. 5, August 1940, p. 6
  19. ^ The Log Vol. 36, No. 1, October 1940, p. 6
  20. ^ The Log Vol. 36, No. 9, June 1941, p. 5
  21. ^ The Log Vol. 36, No. 10, July 1941, p. 49
  22. ^ "Pacific Coast Shipyards Begin to get Contracts". Pacific Marine Review. October 1939. p. 52.
  23. ^ "Keel Laid at Tacoma Shipyard". Pacific Marine Review. April 1940. p. 48.
  24. ^ "Cape Alava (1941) - Lloyds Register of Ships". Archived from the original on January 21, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  25. ^ "Cape Fairweather (1941) - Lloyds Register of Ships". Archived from the original on January 21, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  26. ^ "Cape Flattery (1941) - Lloyds Register of Ships". Archived from the original on January 21, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  27. ^ "Oregon (1941) - Lloyds Register of Ships".
  28. ^ "Idaho (1941) - Lloyds Register of Ships". Archived from the original on January 21, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
  29. ^ "A Renewal of Shipbuilding". Pacific Marine Review. January 1940. p. 54.
  30. ^ "Shipbuilding on Puget Sound". Pacific Marine Review. January 1941. p. 62.
  31. ^ "Thirteenth Naval District (Cochrane Collection)". Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved July 12, 2022.
  32. ^ Pacific Marine Review, February 1941, p. 55
  33. ^ Friedman, US destroyers, p. 449
  34. ^ Friedman, US destroyers, p. 450
  35. ^ "shipbuildinghistory.com Todd Tacoma". Archived from the original on December 3, 2016. Retrieved March 25, 2018.

Further reading

  • Friedman, Norman (1982). US Destroyers: An Illustrated Design History. Naval Institute Press.
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