nEREUS r - Solano History Database

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DEDICATion
TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED OUR COUNTRY . . . IN THE FIGHTING
LINE . . . AND IN THE PRODUCTION LINE . . . WE DEDICATE THIS PICTORIAL HI$TORY Of MARE ISLAND. STRATEGIC PACifiC CENTER fOR NAVAL SHIP CONSTRUCTION
AND REPAIR. THE SACRifICES Of THOSE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES, Of THOSE MAIMED
AND WOUNDED. IN THE GREAT STRUGGLE JUST CONCLUDED. ARE INDELIBLY IN·
SCRIBED IN OUR HEARTS. MANY DIED ON THE fiELDS OF BATTLE, AND SOME ON THE
PRODUCTION LINE. THE BRIGHTEST ROOM IN THE IMMORTAL HALL Of HONOR Of
OUR MEMORIES SHALL BE RESERVED FOR THEM. THE MIGHTY ARMS Of THE UNITED
STATES THAT DELIVERED THE VICTORY PUNCH STARTED AT HOME, AND WHEREVER
MEN AND WOMEN GAVE SUPPORT Of THEIR WORKING HOURS AND THEIR WAR
BOND PURCHASES ALONG THOSE LINES, fROM PRODUCTION CENTERS TO THE BAT·
TlEfRONTS. THERE THE
BADGE Of HONOR SHINES ALSO. SUCH A PRODUCTION
CENTER WAS MARE ISLAND.
STARTING WITH THIS EARLY CHART Of MARE ISLAND, THE SPOTLIGHT SHINES ON
MANY VIGNETTES Of HISTORY UP TO THE PRESENT DAYS Of OUR YEAR. IT IS WITH
HUMBLE APOLOGIES THAT THE EDITORS Of THIS BOOK USED THE PERSONALIZED
"WE," BUT THE TIES BETWEEN MARE ISLAND AND ITS MOTHER CITY Of VALLEJO,
CALIFORNIA, ARE SO CLOSE THAT "WE" INDEED fEEL A PART Of THE MARE ISLAND
ACHIEVEMENT.
THE ASSISTANCE Of THE PUBLIC INfORMATION OffiCE AT MARE ISLAND, IN SUPPLY.
ING MUCH INfORMATIONAL MATERIAL AND MANY PICTURES fOR THIS BOOK, IS
GRATEfULL Y ACKNOWLEDGED.
S"ppl.m.n' of
'tALLEJO IIMES·HE.RALD
M<"cn'l 1'14/
LUTHER GIBSON, PUBLISHER
VALLEJO TIMES·HERALD
AND NEWS CHRONICLE
*
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DUST STIll HUNG ON THE TRAilS OF THE 49EA'S. THE CRY "GOLD!" RANG IN THE LAND. A LUSTY NEW STATE HAD JUST BUN BORN
"CALIFORNIA!" AND. IN THAT SAME FATEFUL YEAR Of 1850. THE UNITED STATES MADE ONE OF ITS WISEST INVESTMENTS-THE PURCHASE OF MARE ISLAND . . . THIRTY_fiVE MILES NORTHEAST OF SAN fRANCISCO ON AN ARM OF SAN PABLO BAY THIS ISLAND OF
SCRUBBY TREES AND PRAIRIE GRASS HAD QUIETLY AWAITED ITS DESTINY. ACROSS THE DEEP CHANNEl WERE THE ROlliNG HILLS AND
LANDS OF THE CATTLE BARON, GENERAL MARIANO GUADALUPE VAllEJO, WHO GAVE HIS NAME TO THE CITY OF VAllfJO. THAT
NOW THRIVING COMMUNITY WHOSE LIFE IS SO CLOSH Y INTERTWINED WITH MARE ISLAND • . . THE HARD RIDING GENERAL, FRIEND
Of THE GOVERNOR OF MEXICO, BUT CHAMPION OF STATEHOOD, WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE QUAINT NAME OF THE NOW GIGANTIC
NAVAL SHIP REPAIR AND BUILDING YARD. ONE BLUSTERY AFTERNOON A SUDDEN SQUAll OVERTURNED A CATtlE BARGE TRANSPORTING THE GENERAL'S FAVORITE WHITE MARE ACROSS THE STRAITS. THE MARE FINAllY SCRAMBLED TO SAfETY ON THE SMAll
ISLAND. FOUND SEVERAL DAYS LATER, RUNNING WILD ON THAT YET UNNAMED BIT Of LAND, THE HORSE WAS RETURNED TO HER
OWNER, WHO HENCEFORTH CALLED THE ISLAND "ISLA DE LA YERGUE:' OR ISLAND OF THE MARE - NOW KNOWN AS MARE ISLAND.
" .../
/
5
I
ROM CLIPPER SHIPS
tfy STEEL AND STEAM
'n the wake of the Gold Rush, and in ovor.inc.reoslng numben, came
the settlers. Long columns of ox carts and covered wagons streamed
oeron the plain" over the Great Divide and down the Pacific slopes. Ship.
load ofter shiplood rounded the Horn, headed for the promised lond.
California become the first of the United States bordering on the brood
reaches of the Pacific OceCln.
With this growth in population came increasing governmental
responsibilities. Realizing these responsibilities, the U. S. Novy had
surveys under woy en early as 1850. and in tho. year Commodore John
D. Sloat, USN, recommefided the purchase of Mor. Island as Q home bellO
for servicing and supplying the growing number of ships the Nary must
keep in th~ Pacific.
Th~ investment of a paltry $83,410 brought to our Government a base
which, in 90 years, was to become the most Important naval construction
and repoir yard in the Paciflc.
More Island was officially established as a Nary Yard an 16 Sept~m.
b~r 1854 when then Commander David G. Farragut, USN, took first com.
mand. The yard became home base for the Pocific Squadron of 12 wooden
ships.
Excerpts from forragut's first letter to the Secretary of the Navy,
written on 15 September 1854, are of hlstoricol interest:
SIR:
SAN FRANCISCO
SEPT. 151104. IBS4
I HAVE THE HONOR TO REPORT MY ARRIVAL AT THIS PLACE YESTERDAY
I<4TH INST., AND HAVE MADE ARRANGEMENTS TO t-oIOVE THE "WARREN"
UP TO "MARE ISLAND" AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IT WILL BE ABSOLUTELY
NECESSARY TO HOUSE IN A PORTION OF HER DECK, TO MAKE US COt-ol·
FORTABlE WHICH SHALL BE DONE AS ECONOt-ollCALLY AS POSSIBLE. I FINO
PRICES VERY HIGH HERE GENERALLY, BUT A STATE OF THINGS EXISTS THAT
CANNOT LAST LONG-THAT IS ALMOST EVERY MAN WHO WORKS. SUP.
PORTS AT LEAST ONE IF NOT TWO IDLERS AND HE WHO WORKS EXACTS
FU'.L WAGES.-BUT I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET
LABORERS AT $3 OR S4 PER DAY AND THE MECHANICS AT $6 OR $B. TIMBER IS
LOWER NOW THAN EVER KNOWN HERE, IN FACT THINGS GENERALLY SELL
AT MODERATE PRICES BY WHOLESALE.
WHERE MEN ARE EMPLOYED BY THE MONTH (AS THE ARt-oIY 00 IN
BUILDING FORTS) THEY CAN BE HAD AT $60 PER MONTH AND FOUND, BUT
THIS I THINK A BAD AS WELL AS A MORE EXPENSIVE PLAN FOR US, AS
WE WOULD HAVE TO BUILD THE ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE MEN.
I WOULD BE GLAD TO HAVE A SEARGANTS GUARD OF MARINES FOR
THE PROTECTION OF THE WARREN AND NAVY YARD-IT WOULD CONTRIBUTE GREATLY TO THE SAFETY OF THE PUBLIC PROPERTY AND THE PR~.
ERVATION OF ORDER.
I WILL PROCEED TO TAKE UP MY ABODE AT MARE ISLAND. TOMORROW
THE 16TH INST.
RESPECTFUllY,
YOUR: OBT. SV••
SIGNED: D. G. F.
Com.OH.
6
••••
Farragut went on to greater glory at Mobile Bay where, shouting his
fomous battle-cry, "Damn the Torpedoesl Full Speed Ahead," he led that
historic attock. But the pioneer shipbuilders who had come from the East
to build and repoir ships at More Island settled in and around Vallejo and
made the Navy Yard their coreer. It is from this sturdy stock that ma.y
of More Island's key workers trace their heritoge todoy. Many third and
fourth generation descendants of those skilled crohsmen of yesteryeClr
Clre employed now at the shipyard.
Grodually steam propelled steel ships reploced the wooden frigotes
along the More Islond waterfront. Through the Civil Wor, the turn of the
century, ond the Sponish-American War, Mare Island and the spreading
community of Vallejo thot housed and fed its workers grew side by side.
Opening of the Panama Canal brought More Island ships closer to the
turbulent shores of the European powder keg. At the some time, speedier
ships and improved communications closed the gop between the for East
and the Gold Coast of the United States.
Strategically More Island wos growing in importance, ond its building
progrom grew to meet the new responsibilitiOl. Already indus~rial shops,
originolly housed in whot is now the Pipe ond Copper Shop, built in 1855,
hod begun to spread ocross the 2,247 ocres of usoble and reclaimable
lond. four drydocks and additional supply, administrCltive ond industrial
conslruction sprouted on the islClnd. An ammunition depot was built on
the southern part of the bClse. Already More Islond wos the IClrgest Nary
Yord, in oreo, in the world.
Shipyard facilities for construction and repair were a far cry fram the
simple industrial setup that started with the building of the wooden
frigClte USS Saginaw ond the servicing of the Pacific Squadron, during the
days of the doughty farragut as Marc Island readied itself to meet its
first test ... World Wor I.
"DAmn THE TORPEDOES"
A LONG LINE Of fAMOUS MEN HELD tHE HElM AT
MARE ISLAND fROM THE COLORFUL fARRAGUT
IN 1854, THROUGH FOUR MAJOR CONFLICTS. TO
TODAY.
COMMANDANT WHEN
MARE
ISLAND
TURNED ITS MIGHTY PRODUCTION LINE TO suP-
poRT Of THE FLEET IN WORLD WAR 11 WAS REAR
ADMIRAL W. l. fRIEDELL. USN, WHO LEft MARE
ISLAND '28 JANUARY 1944 TO ASSUME NEW DU-
TIES AS COMMANDANT OF 11TH NAVAL DiSTRICT.
F
FARRAGUT
J'
RE ....R "Ot-1IRAL H QSTERH ....US
MdfCh 25. ,91G-May IS. I'll
,'ll
11 CAPt H 1. MAYO
May 'S.I91I_Aprill1.
38 C .... PT F. M eENNEn
"priln. ",3-MdlY 5, 1'111
)'1 C .... PT HARRY GEORGE
"""1 S. l'11-feb S, l'l1l
<0 CAPT E L. BEACH
Feb 5, l,l,-Sept 10. 1'l11
_I RE ..... R AOM'R"l J 5 Mc:K.EAN
Sept 30, l'l2l-Dec. 15, 1'114
CAPT JOHN M. lUBY
Dec IS ,,14-"pl;1 1, "15
REAR ADMIRAL JOHN H O,lt,VTON
April 1, ''115-58pl 4. l'nS
REAR ADMIRAL G W LAWS
Sepl 14 t'l28-J"ne t, 1~J1
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RE"R AOMIRAL 0 W 8"GLEY
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Jo1In n, 1~41 Feb 14 1~41
REAR "OMIR"L W l fRl£DELL
f.b 14 l~41 .J.. n 18 l~44
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TO
7
CUXION. ~=='ZAN;ElOw,~~~ _.'.a.
NUMDOUIIUIMUI
Of IICWOOT
GIIIHN UN
WHICH HAD IUN lICUI1LID oa SAlOl
MAD IILAND NAVY YMD llIC'lMI Of AGI AI A VITAL IUII~IG. IIINII"
ING U.S. NAVY.
A BREATHinG SPELL
THE SLOGAN
HAD BUN
"MAKE THE
WORLD
SAfE
fOR
DEMOCRACY" ••• BUT WAS IT?
THE ID£ALlSTS AND WISHFUL THINKfRS SUPPED IN . • •
DISARMAMENT ••• "SCUTTU THE NAVY" ••• "'F WE BREAK
UP OUR DEFENSU AS A SIGN OF GOOD fAITH, NO ONE Will
ATTACK US,"
IT WAS A COSTLY MISTAKE. SHRINKING BUDGETS SENT
AWAY
MANY
SKILLED
WORKMEN;
IRREPLACEABLE
MAN-
POWfR, lOST IN AN ERA OF FALSE ((ONOMY. EMPLOYMENT
fELL FROM A WAR PEAK OF 10,500 TO A LOW OF 2,804
IN 1'25.
"YET, DESPln: THE MISUNDERSTANDINGS Of THE PEACE THAT
WASN'T A PEACE AND UNDER NAVAL LIMITATION TREATIES,
MARE ISLAND CONTINUED TO GROW IN THE "KNOW. HOW"
Of EffiCIENT BUILDING AND REPAIR. THE BATTLESHIP CALI-
fORNIA WENT TO SEA (SEE KEEL LAYING, UPPER RIGHT, PG.7).
THE CRUISERS SAN FRANCISCO AND CHICAGO, A FEW DESTROYERS AND MARE ISLAND'S fiRST MODERN SUBMARINE,
THE NAUTILUS, TOOK SHAPE ON THE WAYS. OTHER SUBMARINES fOLLOWED.
AS THE INTERNATIONAL GANGSTERS IN EUROPE AND THE
ORIENT BEGAN TO BEAT THEIR CHESTS, AND "DIPLOMACY"
AND INTERNATIONAL UADERSHIP fOR PEACE MADE BLUNDER
AFTER BLUNDER, WISE HEADS IN WASHINGTON SENT THE
WORD. OTHER FAR SEEING UADERS AT MARE ISlAND,
WORK~
ING UNDER SEVERE BUDGETARY LIMITATIONS, BEGAN TO
SHAPE THE YARD TO MEET THE CHALLENGE ANOTHER WAR
MIGHT BRING.
COMMUTER BUS TRANSPORTATION fOR MANY WORKERS,
CAfETERIA
SERVICE,
YARD
TRANSPORTATION,
HOUSING.
BUILDING WAYS fOR DESTROYER.ESCORTS, IMPROVED SHOP
fACILITIES ••• ALL WERE PART Of THE fAR SEEING
OPERA~
TlON PLAN fOR MARE ISLAND AS WAR CLOUDS GATHERED
AGAIN. UNDER ADMIRAL fRIEDELL AND YARD MANAGER
CAPTAIN f. C. CRISP (NOW REAR ADMIRAL), MARE ISLAND
JUMPED THE GUN ON "PREPAREDNESS," AND, DESPITE SEVERE
ECONOMIC LIMITATIONS. WAS READY.
A NEW ONE fOR TRANSPORTATION
HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP IS
RlPl.'I.lD
IJ
MARE ISLAND HAD A WAR ON ITS DOOR STEPI ACROSS THE PAll, DOWN OVER HONOULU,
THE JAPANESE STRUCK A TREACHEROUS BLOW. THE ANGUISH AND PAIN OF THOSE WHO FOUG T BACK BRAVELY WITH S
LITTLE AT PEARL HARBOR WAS A CLARION CALL TO THE PRODUCTIVE STRENGTH THAT WAS IN ARE ISLAND AND WAS A
POIGNANT WARNING TO THOSE WHO HAD SAID A FEW YEARS BEFORE "SCUTTLE THE NAVYI" •• WHO WANTED TO SAVE
AT THE EXPENSE OF OUR DEFENSE.
FROM MARE ISLAND THE CALL WENT OUT ••• MEN, WOMEN, SKILLED MANPOWER - COME ACKI ••• SUPPLIU ...
MATERIALS ••• FOOD ••• HOUSING ••• APPROPRIATIONS ••• ORDERS.
MANY OF THE YOUNGER WORKERS AT MARE ISLAND PREPARED THEMSELVES TO LAY DOWN TH R TOOLS AND PICK UP
A GUN; MANY WERE PREVENTED FROM TAKING UP ARMS BY THE DESPERATE NEED FOR THEIR sKIL • OTHERS, UNABLE YO
GO BECAUSE OF AGE OR INFIRMITIES, TURNED TO THE JOB OF BACKING UP THE MEN AT THE FIGHTI
FRONTS WITH PIIDDUCTION.
THE ENEMIES OF THE UNITED STATES HAD NOT COUNTED ON THE COLOSSUS OF PRODUCTION IN T
ISLAND WAS A VITAL LINK IN THIS PRODUCTION LINE, WAS NOW THE MOST STRATEGIC NAVY YAAD I
HE WORLD.
WORLD WAR II WAS UPON USI IT WAS A CHALLENGEI AND WE HAD THE ANSWER! WITH GRIM DE""''''
AVENGE PEARL HARBOR THE TRAINED GIANT OF PRODUCTION AT MARE ISLAND WENT INTO HIGH GEARI
12
13
THE BIG TEST, •
• •
THROUGH THE WAR YEARS AmiD SHIPS AnD SHOPS
"IT IS LATER THAN YOU THINK," SAID ADMIRAL ERNEST J. KING, "BOSS-
24 FEBRUARY 1941,'EVEN AS THE HITURIAN HORDES WERE SPREADING
MAN" OF THE NAVY THAT HAD SET OUT TO BEAT BACK THE JAPANESE TIDE
ACROSS THE FACE OF EUROPE. AN ABLE COMMANDER, 'RIEDEll HAD SERVED
ROLLING SOUTH AND EAST FROM TOKYO. fROM A lOW OF 6,000 WORK-
WITH SURFACE SHIPS AND SUBMARINES, AND WAS ONE-TIME COMMANDER
Of SUBMARINES, PACIFIC. AT MARE ISLAND HE FOUND HIMSELf CON~
ERS IN 1939, FAR-SEEING OIRECTION HAD GRADUALLY BEEN BUILDING
MARE ISLAND EMPLOYMENT.
BUT, STILL WE HADN'T ENOUGH.
BARElY
30,000 MEN AND WOMEN WERE EMPLOYED AT MARE ISLAND WHEN THE
JAPS STRUCK AT PEARL HARBOR. IMMEDIATElY THE CALL WENT OUT. UP
AND UP CLIMBED THE FIGUREI 35,000 • • • 38,000 • • • 40,000 • • • UP
TO THE PEAK IN OCTOBER, 1945 • • • 41,053.
FRONTED WITH THE TASK OF BUILDING THE SUBMARINES WHICH WERE
TO 'START STRANGLING THE JAPANESE L1FE~lINE IN A FEW SHORT MONTHS.
AS HIS YARD MANAGER, ADMIRAL fRIEDElL HAD CAPABLE CAPTAIN
F. G. CRISP, USN. THESE TWO MEN PUT THEIR HEADS TOGETHER WITH
OFfiCER AND CIVILIAN CHIEfS IN THE YARD AND DECIDED MARE ISLAND
fACED WITH THE NECESSITY OF MORE AND MORE HELP, MARE ISLAND
MUST BE READY FOR THE CONfliCT EACH WAS CERTAIN WAS COMING.
PIONEERED PLACING WOMEN IN INDUSTRIAL ACTIVITIES IN THE NAVy'
THUS IT WAS THAT MANY Of THE flEET OF 300 HUGE BUSSES WERE AL-
YARD.
READY HAULING WORKERS TO AND fROM THEIR HOMES WHEN THE JAPS
THE DEMAND FOR REPAIR GREW SUAOll Y AND THE COMMAND Of MARE
ISlAND GREW TO MEET THIS DEMAND. A NAVAL SHIPBUILDING AND
STRUCK PEARL HARBOR ••• ENLARGED CAfETERIA SERVICE WAS IN OPER_
REPAIR EMPIRE fORMED AROUND THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, All
DIRECTED OR SUPERVISED BY THE MAN AT THE HElM, THE COMMANDANT
WHETHER Of WORKMEN OR SOLDIERS, WORKS BEST ON A FUll STOMACH
OF MARE ISLAND NAVY YARD ••• THE GREATEST SINGLE COMMAND OF
SHIP CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN I MARE
ISLAND ••• HUNTfRS POINT ••• THE BAY AREA..
DENVER . • •
SACRAMENTO ••• FRESNO • • • MUSCLE
AND
BRAWN ••• f'MMUNI~
TION • , , AND SKILl!
COMMANDANT OF THE MARE ISLAND WHEN THE NAVY YARD WAS
CAllED UPON TO MEET ITS GREATEST TEST WAS REAR ADMIRAL W. L. FRIEDEll, USN, TAll, QUIET, AND WITH A READY SMILE, HE TOOK COMMAND
ATION, GIVING EMPLOYEES "THREE SQUARES" A DAY, fOR AN AR.,MY,
••• HOUSING FOR THE ENLARGED fORCE THAT WAS SURE TO COME WAS
BEING BUILT, SOME WAS ALREADY COMpUTED ••• THUS IT WAS THAT,
,DESPITE SEVERE ECONOMI<: LIMITATIONS, WISE HEADS AT THIS GREAT
STRATEGIC BASE, MARE ISLAND, COOPERATION FROM CIVIC lEADERS IN
VAllEJO, AND fAR SEEING PLANNERS IN WASHINGTON, HAD THE GEARS
RUNNING SMOOTHLY AT MARE ISLAND, WAITING FOR THE fiRST SHOT,
AND THUS IT WAS, THAT WHEN ADMIRAL KING INSPECTED MARE ISLAND
NAVY YARD, HE fOUND IT READY fOR "THE BIG TESTI"
15
THIH WA5 PUNtT OF ,wORK TO DO • • . THE SAN fRANCISCO CAME lACK TO YARD THAT IUILT HER
THE NEWS fROM THE fiGHTING fRONTS Wid NOT GOOD, AT fiRST. OUR PACifiC fun
Wid SADLY CRIPPLED AT PEARL HARIOR. MARE ISLAND fOUND ITSELf IN THE UNIQUE
POSITION WITH OTHER YARDS Of SAVING THE NAVY, PERHAPS THE NATION ••• A TER·
RIFYING, SERIOUS RESPONSIBILITY. fOR IT WAS UP TO THE REPAIR YARDS TO REPAIR
THE WOUND' TO THE fLEn, UP TO THE IUILDING YARDS TO REPLACE THEM, TO SEND
OUT MORE AND MORE fiGHTING SHIPS, MORE DEADLY SUBMARINES, MORE TROOP
CARRYING TRANSPORTS AND SUPPLY SHIPS ••• AND MARE ISLAND NAVY YA
WAS
I'
,
f
10TH A IUILDING AND REPAIR VARD•••• THE IAnERED DESTROYER USS SHA~~~~i:!!~"","­
lACK WITHOUT HER lOW. EVEN AS SHE PLOWED THROUGH WAVES TOWARD SAN fRANCiSCO AND VALLEJO, HER fALSE BOW PUSHING ASIDE THE RESISTING WATER, A NEW,
SLEEK REPLACEMENT WAS TAKING SHAPE AT MARE ISLAND. THE SHAW WAS NEEDED ON
THE fiGHTING LINE, AND lACK SHE WENT IN A HURRV••••OTHER WOUNDED WARRIORS
Of THE SEA CAME lACK FROM PEARL HARIOR, AND WERE REPAIRED OR RnUILT IY THE
WARRIOU OF THE PRODUCTION LINES AT MARE ISlAND. DAY AND NIGHT THESE WORKERS
LAlORED UNDER tHE PROTECTIVE ILANKEt OF. IARRAGE IALOONS. AIR RA.ID DRILLS AND
WARNINGS CAME OftEN, IUT IN THIS NIP AND TUCK IAnLE, THE PRODUCTION STRENGTH
Of THE UNITED STATES IEGAN TO TELL. EXCEPT fOR A FEW SPORADIC JABS, THE JAPS
NEVER REACHED THE MAINLAND• • • • ONE OF THE fiRST AVENGING SUBMARINES TO
LEAVE HAWAII AnER 7 DECEMIE.R 1941, WAS THE USS GUDGEON, MARE ISLAND IUILT.
MANY OTHERS FOLLOWED AND STARTED PILING UP THE JAPS ON THE 10TTOM Of THE
SfA. AND, lACK HOME, AT MARE ISLAND, THE BUILDING AND REPAIR WENT ON ••• DRIVE
, •• DRIVE ••• DRIVEl
.
•
THE FIGHT WAS
on HERE, TOO!
AMID SHI,S AND SHOPS THROUGH THE WAR YEARS.. THE STORY WAS EVER
THE SAMEI "GET THOSE SHIPS BUiLl AND GET THEM OUT ••• GET THOSE SHIPS
REPAIRED AND GET THEM OUT ••• GET THOSE SHIPS OVERHAULED AND GET
THEM OU"" ••• VISITORS FOUND MEN AND WOMEN WORKING SIDE IY
SIDE THROUGHOUT THE YARD ••• All PART Of A 81G TEAM ••• THE GOAL
"PRODUCTION AND MORE PRODUCTION." AHOTHER SHIP ON THE fiGHTING
LINE WAS THE DAY.BY.DAY THEME Of THE HUM Of MACHINES, THE STACCATO BEAT Of THE AIR HAMMERS. IT MADE NO DIFFERENCE WHETHER THE
SHIP HAD TO BE BUILT, REPAIRED.. OR OVERHAULED ••• GET IT OUlI •••
SA'ETY WAS A VITAL fACTOR, TOO, fOR ACCIDENTS MEANT LOST liME; AND
IN MARCH 1942 MARl ISLAND WAS ACCLAIMED THE SAfEST YARD IN THE
NATION
(sn
LOWER LEfT).
17
BATTLE
STATIOn
FOR
REPAIR
mAny TRAG
EmmOERS
DAY AND NIGHT fOR fOUR
THEY CAME IN, HOLlS IN TH
PER:STRUCTURU, JAGGED W
IN
THEIR
HULLS,
STACKS,
SMASHED. ARMAMENT AND
JlUCAL GEAR WRECKED • •
AND
NIGHT MASTER
eRA
REPAIRED THEM ••• IT Rf-
SKILLS AND MORE SKILLS, A
£RGY AND DRIVE ••• IN
TIME 'THESE VITAL UNITS
fun
WERE ON THEIR WA
TO THE FIGHTING UHf ••
aROS TUMBLED, BUT RECORD
NOT THE GOAl; "GET THOS
BACK" WAS THE CRY AS P
TION RECORDS FEll BY THE
SIDE ••• AS THE FURY Of THE
MOUNTED IN THE PAClfIC,
AND MORE Of THE SHIPS
THE
MARE
ISLAND
WAlE
WERE SCARRED WITH THE
AU BLOWS Of THE (rUM
REALIZATION
THAT
AME
BOYS HAD DIED NEAR tHO
TLE SCARS WAS BOTH SO
AND MADDENING TO THE
ERS.
STEELY-EYED THEY
THEIR EffORTS.
18
SP
JAP T
PACK
THOSE W
BE "PU
CHARR
DENC
FAN
'.
19
G~~~~~'MINENT
VISnORS WERE MANY DURING TME WAR
YEARS. lTHE FAME OF THE MARE ISLAND PRODUCTION
LINE WAS SPREADING RAPIDLY. WRITERS, BUSINESS FIRM
HEADS, GOVERNMENT OFfiCIALS.. EFFICIENCY EXPERTS ALL CAME TO
THE GATES OF MARl ISLAND. WE lUlU A "IEnER MOUSETRAP" AND
THE WORLD IEAT A PATH TO OUR DOOR.
RENOWNED PUNDIT WALTfR LIPPMANN (PICTURED AIOVE),
HEARD AlOUT IOdf JSLAND AND CAME TO SEIE FOR HIMSELF. HE
WAS SO IMPUSSED IY THE IMPORTANCE OF THE
Joa
IEING DONE
THAT HE PERSONALLY AIDED THE YARD IN ItS LATER EfFORTS TO
GET DESPERATELY NEEDED LAlOR TO MEET GROWING REPAIR IE.
SPONSIIILlTIES.
LOWELL THOMAS aND HIS WIfE.. SYDNEY SMALL, ADELA ROGERS
ST. JOHN, JACKLING MARMUR, JIM MARSHALL WERE AMONG THE
MANY PROMINENT WRITERS WHO CAME AND SAW, AND WROTE
ABOUT IT. HUNDREDS OF NEWSPAPERMEN, AMERICAN AND FOREIGN,
WATCHED THE SKILLED CRAFTSMEN AT THEIR TASKS, SAW THE
SHIPS SLIDE OFf THE WAYS, THE REPAIRED ONES STEAM lACK TO
WAR.
REPRESENTATIVES fROM THE GOVERNMENTS OF ALL OUR ALLIES
WERE YARD ViSiTORS AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER. FREQUENT WERE
THE UMARKS.: "I NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE Ill" AND "WHAT A
TREMENDOUS JOI YOU AU DOINGI" ••• AND IT WAS A TREMEN.
DOUS JOI, IECAUSE THE MEN AND WOMEN EMPLOYEES WANTED
IT TO IE'" JOI WORTHY Of THE MEN WHO WERE FIGHTING AND
DYING ON THE IAttLE FRONT fOR THEM.
20
WHILE SHI. . .IPAII, CONSnUCTION AND OVEIHAUL IU'ONSI_
IJLITIU GIEW, MAlE ISLAND MET ITS OTHEI ASSIGNMENTS WITH
EQUAL VIGOI AND SUCCESS. FIOM A SMALL IEGINNING THIOUGH
CASH SALES, THE WAI 10ND '.OGIAM ILOSSOMED INTO" FULL.
FLEDGED ....Y.OLLDEDUCTION 'LAN. FIISTCAME THE FIGHTING DOL.
LA. DAYS DIIYE IN THE '''LL OF 1942, WHEN MAlE ISLAND SET OUT
TO WIN THE SECIETAIY OF NAVY WAI 10ND AWAID. THE GOAL
WAS SET HIGH, AND THE: YAID MET IT. THlEE MONTHS LATE I THE
.LAG WAS WON, AND IT WAS NEYEI IELINQUISHED. NEXT CAME
THE CIUISE. CONTEST WITH IIEMEITON NAVY YAIO. FOI THE
.,GHT TO HAVE A CIUISEI NAMED 'IEMEITON 01 YALLEJO. THAT
ONE WAS LOST IY A FEW 'EICENT..GE 'OINTS, IUT THE SUIGE
A. THE OIIYE SENT MAlE ISLAND'S SOUND 10ND SELLING M...
CHINEIY INTO SUCH HIGH GEAI THAT FOI THE IEMAINDEI OF
THE WAR THE YALLfJO YAID COPPED MOlE FIIIST, SECOND, 01
THIID 'LACES THAN ANY OTHEI YAIID IN THE NATION. TWICE M. I.
UD IN PEl CAPITA CASH SALES, AND FOil MANY MONTHS THE
REPOITS .IIOM WASHINGTON SHOWED MAlE ISLAND TO,pING
rHE NATION'S NAYY YAIDS IN THE ALL-IMpOIiTANT PAY lOLL
SAVINGS LISTS. GIEATEST SINGLE FACTOI IN THIS CHAMPIONSHIP
IECOID WAS THE WalK Of THE GIiOUp AGENTS, WHO wall KED
IN EYEIY SHOP AND ACTIYITY IN THE YAIID, SELLING laNDS. (SOME
O' THE KrY AGENTS '01 THE YAID AlE plCTUIED AIOVE WITH
THEil SHOP MASTEIS.) ••• EXCELLENCE IN WAI 10ND SALIS WAS
MATCHED IY EXCELLENCE IN paODUCTION AS MAlE ISLAND WON
ITS FIIST "E" FOil EXCELLENT FLAG IN API'L OF 1942 AND WENT ON
TO IENEW IT EYEIY SIX MONTHS DUliNG THE WAI .•.• THE $TOIY
O' MAlE ISLAND SplIIT WAS NO MYTH. ONE OF THE IIEASONS
fOI THE DIIYE AND ENEIGY WHICH CHAIACTEllZED EYEIY EFFOIIT
AT THE YAID WAS THE COlE OF CAIlEEI EMPLOYEES WHO HAD
snTUD ON NAYAL SHIP lUlL DING AND IEpAl1 AS THEIl CAlnl
AND MAlE ISLAND AS THE YAID IN WHICH THEY WANTED TO
WalK. THEY WANTED MAlE ISLAND "lnT" IN EYEIYTHING.
1lijU.~~1'::>N 21 JANUARY 1944, A NEW MAN TOOK OYER THE
...
HElM AT MARE ISLAND, A FIGHTING ADMIRAL 'ROM
THE PACIFIC, REAR ADMIRAL M. S. TISDALE, USN,
CAME TO THE NAVY YARD FROM THE COMMAND OF ALL CRUISERS AND
DESTROYERS IN THE PACIFIC. AGAIN THE NAVY WANTED A MAN WHO HAD
RUN THf FIGHTING SHIPS TO DIRECT THE REPAIR AND OVERHAUL Of THESE
VITAL UNITS WHEN THEY RETURNED TO THE NAVY YARD. WHEN HI: ARRIVED,
ADMIRAL TISDALE FOUND AN EFFICIENT YARD RUN BY MEN WHO, WITH
FAR~S£EING
WISDOM, HAD PREPARED fOR THE BIG nS1. IIUT, HE ALSO
fOUND GROWING RESPONSIBILITIES A5 THE REPAIR LOAD GREW FAR IE·
YOND ANY DEMANDS EVER MADE UPON THE YARD AND WHEN HE ARRIVED
HE ALSO FOUND A NEW, TOUGH, RESPECTED CONSTRUCTiON OF,le!R A5
MANAGER, CAPTAIN G. C. KLEIN, USN, WHO HAD JUST REPLACED CAPABLE
ADMIRAL CRISP, AS MANAGER.
BLUFF, HARD.DRIVING, DIRECT, THli SEA-GOING ADMIRAL SET OUT TO
MEET THE SKYROCKETING DEMANDS FROM THE PACifiC HE KNEW SO WELL.
TO THE FAR CORNERS OF THE NATION WENT THE RECRUITERS. MORE MEN
AND WOMEN WERE NEEDED, DESPERATELY NEEDED TO REPAIR SHIPS THAT
HAD TO GET BACK FOR THE BIG PUSH. THI JAPANESE fANATICS WERE USING
DESPERATION MEASURES, AND THE SCOREBOARD SHOWED THE RESULTS OF
THE SUiCiDE TACTICS.
THE CRUCIAL DAYS Of LATE '44 AND EARLY '45 BROUGHT THE FLAMING
"KAMIKAZES," THE SUiCiDE PILOTS, SMASHING INTO 5HIPS, HUMAN BOMBS
THAT TOOK DEADLY TOLL. IT WAS NIP AND TUCK, A LONG PROCESSION OF
CRIPPLED SHIPS STREAMED BACK TO THE UNITED STATES FOR REPAIR. THAT
WAS OUR JOI ••• "GET THEM BACK." ADMIRAL TISDALE GAYE THE YARD
HIS MOTTOI "OUR SOLE MISSiON IS TO SERYE THE FUET," AND THE YARD
ROSE TO MEET THE GROWING RESPONSIBILITIES OF SERVING A FLEET IN ITS
YITAL HOURS. ADMIRAL TISDALE H,AD BEEN A FIGHTING U~DER AT SEA AND
HE BECAME A FIGHTING LfADER AT MARE ISLAND. Tt4E YARD AND V~LLIJO
RALLIED TO THI! SAME COM.ATIVE DRIYE THAT HAD BROUGHT ITS NI!W
COMMANDANT TWO NAVY CROS~l!S, THE Dt,STlNGUISHED SERYICE MIDAL,
AND OTHER DECORATIONS FOR LEADERSHI,.
CONSTRUCTJON
DE$rRonR·UCORrs fROM DtNVU. COLORADO
..
n wcommAnDAnT
A
t1iE HAVY'S HEW, HAlJ).CaMNG 5EC.UJAn,
JAMfS FOUlSfA,1, WAS A R:£QUIH1' VlSlTO..
AND AT .M.UR' .iStAND, liE fOUIfD ANOlHD
HAap...D
G MAN, 1HE NlW CDMMAHDAH1'~
THfSf
U THE DAYS WHlH no: NAVY WAS
MOV' G UJWAID 'ana .... lWo JI.......
,OKINAW.4 • • •
l PHllWPlNU ••• ....D UCH
WASlXACJJ f> 1T5 PRla 'N MlH AJfD SHI".
AND SUcPSS D.t:PlNDCD ON' KtDJNG THE fIUJ'
IN TOP flGHT G _
THl MAD UUH
COMMAltO· WAS ~ 0
mAD Y.. ADD'"
nONAl.SHlPYUDSTHllO\lGHOUfTHleAY ADA
WI:U CAW:D
0 5JIVlQ, UP
SKIPS
,---:=::::=::..:..;
"-
-
UND
•
HAYY S,U,.Q.VlSJQJt, DlNVD WAS Go.
INO IUU aJ.A5T ON 1'HJi 'P", AMPHDlOU$ no..
G:R.AM .... SACl4MOfJO, fIIlSNO, DO
OH,
AU. WUI CQ
G
'AU .. .. ..
KUHTU"S 'D.IHT,
AI(D
no:
ASSISTJJllNT::n::',:;
JlWlL MAHAGlIl .u JIll
11
IN
SAN ,.,AHCJSC(), "0
.
CAME DIRICI
IUPlIlVlSlOH 01 H4VY W<>U IN PlUVAn S Po
YARDS II<
eAY
Au.t. ALL
PAIlT Of
THI GUAJUT COM.". Of NAVAL RIJP
co hlIJ:TJDH
AIII.AC&InU
TIll
WO&D AND
HAD
II.
26
.,;,
:.~
1'.
~,
,
.
"
i.
,.
"
fLECTRICITYI SOME CREATED IT AT THE POWER PLANT, OTHERS $ERV..
ICI!D AND RAN THE SYSTfMS, TELEPHONE, LIGHT, POWER, THROUGHO'UT
THE YARD, AND STILL OTHERS REPAIRED THE COMPLEX SYSTEMS ON
BOARD SHIPS. EACH WORKMAN CONTRIBUTED HiS PART TO MAKING
THE VITAL SPARK OF (LEeUICITY DO ITS JOB, GIANT SEARCHLIGHTS,
SECRET RADAR INSTALlATIONS, SOUND POWER, COMMUNICATIONS,
ENGINEERING POWER-ALL REQUIRED AND RECEIVED THE A"ENTION
OF EXPERTS DAY AND NIGHT ••• NEW MEN AND WOMEN WERE JOINa
ING THE OLD HANDS DAllY, AS RECRUITING BROUGHT IN WORKERS
FROM THE EAST AND WUT, NORTH AND SOUTH. THEY HAD TO 8E
TRAINED QUICKLY IN THE TRAINEE SCHOOL, GET MORE Of TNEIR TRAINING IN THE 'RACTICAL WORK Of ASSISTING THE EXPERTS SUCH AS
THOSIE WHO WORKED WITH ELleTRICITY ••• CRAfTSMEN ALL. THE
NEW COMMANDANT HAD IROUGHT THEM WORD 0' THE GROWING
URGENCY IN THE PACifiC ••• WE WEar DRIVING DOWN TO THE" FINISH
LINE, AND NEEDED ALL OUR STRENGTH, -'.HI) THE YARD WORKMEN
CAM.E" TH.ROUGH,
27
.
."
.,
UFFERI
''YES, MR. UNDER-SECRETARY, EACH P:ATIENT HAS A CUSTOM·BUILT LIMB . . . . .
,
,
) '1.'J WANT TO SEE THE IOYS IN ,THE HOSPITAL, fiRST,"
\SAID CHAIRMAN WALSH, Of THE SENAtE NAVAL P.F..
j,blRS COMMlnEE. THE SUFUAING ALWAYS CAME FIRST,
:' ""'If MARE ISLAND. HEROlS AlL WERE TN-ESE WOUNDE-D.
-·.;p..RESIDENTS, SENATORS, CONGRESSMEN, OffiCIALS,
WalruS, MOT'ON "(T"URE STARS, AIIISn, MANY
PTHER NonD' Vls'JdRS ••• ALL WERE PROUD TO MEET
.
THEM.
,
30
OLDEST NAVY HOSPITAL ON THE PACIFIC COAST, THE
U. S. NAVAL HOSPITAL, M.ARE ISLAND, PROVIDES (-OMPLETE MEDICAL CARE FOR THE SICK AND WOUNDED.
FREQUENT DO~ORS TO ITS BLOOD BANK WERE THE
WORKERS OF MARE ISLAND. DESIGNATED 'tHE AMPUTATION CENTER fOR THE W"ESr COAST, THIS HOSPITAL
INTRODUCED THE MANUFAC-'URE AND fiTTING OF ARTIFiCiAL LlMBS IN THE HOSPITAL,. THoE REHABILITATION,
RECREATIONAL, EDUCATiONAL, AN'D VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS ARE ALL WELL-ROUNDE'D PARTS OF THoE HOS.
PITAL ACTIVITIES. IN ITS NEW COMMANDANT, ADMIRAL
TISDALE, AND PRESENT COMMANDING OFFICER, CAP.
TAIN ROSS, THE HOSPITAL FOUND TWO MORE FRIENDS
WHO WELL KN'EW THE COST Of WAR IN SUFFERING AND
INJURIES AND TODAY IT STILL LEADS IN CARING FOR
T,.OSE WHO PAID T~KE PRICE AN'D LIVE TO REMEMBER IT.
THREE OF THE IIBIG FIVE" OF THE CiNDERELLA STORY OF
THE "BRACE SHOP" 4T MARE ISLA.fD WERE DRS. TOFFEL.
MIER, OWEN, ~D LONGABAUG".· 01H'EIlS WERE DR.
KESSLER, AN-D MAYT L.f.\YIlEN.CE, TlU )RACEMAKER WHO
WORKED "fOR IIp,EE'' :UNY"" THE NEW D,EVELOPMENT
BECAME PART OF THE NAVY PROGRA.M~ 'bit. CANTY AlLY
CARRIES ON TODAY 45 "'BOSS" 6-Y 'filE BRACE SHOP.
THE STAFf IN THE MIDDLE' YEARS
IE Am WORK
"
• • •
JOOK "tEAtt\WORK" TO WIN THE WAR ••• EVE.RYWHERE 4-MERleAN FORCES 'OUGH"T, TEAMWORK WAS ONE OF. THE KEY
REAS,ONS FOR VICTORY. AT HOME ON TIfE PRODUCTION ERONT, TEAMWORK WAS JUST AS IMPORTANT, AND, AT MARE ISLA~D,
'TJ~W'ORK WAS AN OUTSTAND'.ING CI:I~R~.cTERIS'IC ••• SAILORS, WOR.KERS, AND MARINES ALL DID THEIR JQB lOGElH'EI A-T'
MARl 'SLAND ••• WORIq~ COOPEIJATED WITt! WO,RKER ••• CIVI!IAto'S TEAMED WI-TM NAVAL OFFICERS IN RUNNING, TH~
MIGHTY INDUStRIAL MACHINE ••• VALLEJO qYIC LEADERS WENT ALL OUT TQ BACK UP TME MARE ISLA,ND EffORT' •••
INPUs"TRI4L WORKERS-eONT,IBUTE.D FUNpS TO THE SUPPORT OF THE HOSPITAL
P!:lOGR.A,.,,·FI~ANCINGMUCH
Qf THE E~RLY WORK
.,,,, "111 "BRACE SHOP," Al!I.D WitH CHIlI~TMAS GIHS, AND BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD BANK ••• GQVERNMENT AGENCIIS AND THI
Nf.VY COOPIRAUD IN PROVIDING HOUSING ••• AND THE TEAMWORK WENT RIGHT UP TO THE TP~ I.N WASHINGtON, WIIERE
BUREA,U CHIEFS, S,",CH AS ~JCE ADMI,JlAL COCHRAN.E, WELL KNEW THAT COOPERf.TlON, "U~~WORK" At';I.p HAID WORk WO.ULQ
SRELL V-I-C·'..O-=R..Y..I
I RTY, FR Dum AnD JUSTICE
.,
A $TRONG NAVY WAS A CARDINAL PRINClPll OF THE LATE PRESIDENT. AS ASSISTANT
SECRETARY OF THE NAVY DURING THE fiRST WORLD WAR, fRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
KNEW AND LOY'ED THE NAVY. AS PRUIDENT HE WAS A CONSTANT ADVOCATE Of
SEA·POWlA. WElL HE R(ALIZED THE IMPORTANCE 0' THE NAVY YARDS, AND HIS
PERSONAL INTEREST WAS EVIDENCED aT THI INSPECTION TIlIP HE MADE OF MILITARof
IA5lS EARLY IN THE WAR. MARE ISLAND WAS ON THE LIST OF HIS IMPORTANT
STOPS ••• THE WELfARE Of THE WOUNDED AT THE HOSPITALS CAME fillST IN HIS
MIND AND HEART, IUT THE LATl PRUIDENT KNEW THAT SHIPS WELL IUILT, RlPAIR£O,
OR OVERHAULED WOULD MEAN fEWER CASUALTIES IN THE FUTURE ••• H-E (AAUULL"
INSPEcTlo THE WATERFRONT, LOOKED INTO flU 5HOP5, WAVED TO THE HARIi.
9tOHINO' IMPLOYIES, WHO PAUSED ONLY LONG ENOUGH TO' RETURN HIS' GAUTlHd
AND THIN T(fRNED lACK TO TH£lR WORK ••• ONE OF THE FIRST 'RIZES O. W"A
CAPTU'IED fROM THI JAPANESE WAS fN THI YARD WHtN THI P'RESIDENT ARRIVIDTHI TWO·MAN JAP SUBMARINE, CAPTURED ON T'HI SHORU OF OAHU Anll THI
'7 DECEM'IR STRlln Of THI NIPS, WAS lUNG .-EADI'ID IN THE 'tARO FOR ITS SUISlQU-('HT
WAR 10ND TOUR ••• THE IERTH OF THE fAMOUS S'UlMARINE' POMPANO, TH'lN WITH
'A LEADING RICORD OF JAP SH-IPS SU'NK, WAS INCLUDI-D ..,. THl PRESIDENT'S' WAU.....
lFROHT STOPS. TfiE pbMPANO WAS LATER LOST IN ACTION ••• MARt ISLAND wU,li.
LONG lUMIMllR THl VISIT OF THIS MAN WHO LOVID THI NAVY AND WHO LIVED
-TO sn HIS -'Join. IN A STRONG NAVY JUSTlftlD, AS THI U. S. fLEU SMASH-ID THEl
.1APANlSl lACK TOWARD TOKYO•
.,
..
'
n OF THE nAUY . ..
'HI fiRST LADY CALLI
s s
THEY
STORED
THE
STInGI
,SOUTHERN tHo OF tHE ISLAND 8£lONGS TO THE NAVAL AMMUNITION DEPOT. WHERE SHIPS 'ROM WAR. ZONES
DISCHARGED taEiR (XPL:OSI'VES SHORl: fNTERING BAY AalA YARDS. fHaDUTE TO COMBAT ZONES TH£Y LOADED
D"£AOlY CHARGES FROM MAGAZIMfS WHICH HONEYCOMB THE HILLS.
'CAP..I.AfN
: H,. GOSSJ lUSt" (RET.)
THEY
GUARDED
US
WELL!
THE MARINES GUARDED THE ISLAND, AND RAN THE SecOND LARGEST NAVAL PRISON IN THE COUNTRY, PRIOIt TO,
IlS DISESTABLISHMENT IN 1946. LONGEST WARTIME COMMAND OF THE MARINES AT MARE ISLANDl WAS HELD BY
(OLaNU MAURICE SHEARER, USMC. RELIEVING COLON EL RACICOT, AND LAST C.O. Of NAVAl! PRISON WAS
LT. COLONEL W. E. MAXWELL, USMC.
37
THE &&4 8'9"• • AUITAL LInK!
UNSUNCl MtlO'1S Of TM'( 'ATTL~ OF PRODUCTION AT MARl: ISLAND
WI E THE " ....·S,.. THE plR ANNUM WORK'ERS. NOT AS COLORFUL OR
DltAMATtC AS THE WORK ALONG THE TUMING WATERfRONT OR
AMIIPST THE ROAI OF THE MACHINES, THEIR EFFORTS PROVIDED THE
VITAL LINK I.TWUN THE CHIEFS WHO 'PLAN'NED THE WORK IN WASHINOTON, AT 1IlA.'1 15L~N'D, AND IN 'HE PACifiC, AND THI: DRIV.
ING
INbUS'TR_"'-
EMPLOYEES.
NEEDED
IT NEARLY EVERY
YARD
AcnVITY. THE VARIED IIfnS OF THESE 'MEN AND WOMEN WHO
la"ORID AT TYPEWRITERS, D'RAfTlNO BOARDS, 'OFFICE DESKS, WERE
TOO NUMEROUS TO
PICTURE ON
THESE
PAGES.
ACCEPTING
AN
aVIRAGE PAY SCAU LOWER THAN THAT OF THE I'NDUSTRIAL, PER
baM WbRKERS, THESE eLfRKS, TYPISTS, STENOGRAPHERS, DRAFTSMIN., PHOTOGRAPHERS, REPAIR AND SERVICE SPECIALISTS ALL fORMED
AN INbISPINSA.IU COG IN THI INDUSTRIAL MACHINE OF MARE
ISlaND • • • ALTHOUGH THEIR NUMBERS WERE CON CENTRAfED IN
,"'I -SUPPlY DEPARTMENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION BUILDING, THE
......'$" WlU FOUND THROUGHOUT THE YAR'D. MANY OF THEM
.....lM.lb SPEC'AI. ACTIVITIES SUCH AS tHE GRAPEVINE, THE YARD
PUluUnON,
WAR IOND ISSUANCE, THE INDUSYRIAL LABORATORY,
11ft ftOLltI: AND fiRE DEPARTMENTS, THE MESSENGER LOIBY, MIMECoaAPHING, MOUSING, AND MANY OTHER KEY ASSIGNMENTS.
"E.NII" 'WICHIU
NO CHRONICLE OF THE CONTRIIUTIONS OF MARE
I~
-
LAND CiVILIAN WORKERS WOULD IE COMPUlE WIT...
OUT MENTION OF THOSE WHO WORKE.D IN THE SHIP'S
SERY.ICE STORES, TH.E HOSPITAL, THE RED CROS.S, THE
HOSPITALITY ROOMS, FOR THE RECREATION " ' 0 WEL.
fARE OFFICE. MANY OF THEM WERE WIVES OR RELATIVO
Of SERVICE MEN, MANY WERE VOLUNUER WORKERS,
ALL WERE SERVING THE NAVAL PERSONNEL IN THE
YARD AND ON THE fiGHTING
SHIPS ••• A",OTHI.
IMPORTANT PAIT Of THE MARl ISLAND PICTUD WE.RE
THE CAfETERIA WORKfRS WHO HELPED KEEP. THI
INQU~
TRIAL GIANT WELL IY KEEPING H,IM WELL NOU.RIS.HIJQ.
AND THEN THERE WERE THE IUS TRAfrilSPORT.,TlOj4
"tiP
flRRY SERVICE MEN AND WOMEN WHO CAUIED Tt.lE
WORKU.S TO -"'0 fROM THEIR DAILY TOiL. ALL HlLPED
"THE JM,N lEHIND tHE MAN .EHIND THE GU.N" DO HU;
J.OI.
somE DATES TO REmEmBER
BRIGHT REFLECTOR Of THE STORY Of MARE ISLAND DURING THE WAIl TlMS WAS
THE GItAI'EV'Nf. EDITED IY COMPETENT "LARR'" THORESON. THE GIIANY"NI
CHRONiCLED THE THRILLING STORY Of THE VITAL JOB DONE IY MM. ISLAND MIN
AND WOMEN WHICH HELPED TO WIN THE WAR. THE FOUOWING, THIN, AlII
EXCERPTS FROM THE HEADLINE STORIES AND PICTURE CAPTIONS fROM fill GaAI'IVINE DURING THE WAR YEARS-TRULY SOME "DATES TO RIMlMII."1'41 DECEM8ER_"The "ttl. M.~ h Lod, or Moll., S. Won. by the Man I,hind the M'n "hil'td tIM!
Gl,ln--R.mlmb.r , •• rl Herbor!" Mar. III.nd no'" prtp.r.d for any ... tr ''''''QI.ncy . . . Fi,.t
N".,.I "',u.1 $Iid'i down .....,1 linc. ".r d.c:I"r.d: Subm.rin. T.nder U.55. SPERRY l.undt.d
11 O.c.emb., ..•
1'42 fEBRUARY-otd,1t .mploy.. Hanry Driu:oll r.lurnl to work from r.ti"m,nt ,ft.r 0 y••n ••
month••nd IS <l'y' 01
Sllllm.rln. U.s.S. WAl100 lallndled .h••d of Kh.<lul' ••
"Val.ntin. for Hirohito" ••• T...o k••11 I.id: U.S.S. Tino.. (55). 11 Febrll.",. fint of 24 .KOrt
w~n.b. 2J Fe.bru,., .•. MARCH-I M~rch Ulm. the fint 50 c:ommllt. bllue•••• Mn. Sopfti.
K,I. of v.II'lo. first "'om.n .mploy.d ,n M.r. Id.nd Ihop•• st.rtl . . . M.d1inid-tr.ht. . . . .
U.S.S. Wh.l. (55) 1.llnch.d 4 M.rc:1'I •.. M.r. hl.nd Mlc:ond in d.f.n.. bond purdl••• durilMJ
J.nll.,., • '.' D.droy.r U.S.S. 51'1 .... in d,.,doc:k for r.p.ir of P..rI H.rbor d.m'Q' .•. 'Four
shop, r.celv, 1"'1 S.f.ty A....rdl." Adm.r., Fri.d.1l c:omm.ndl m.n fOf .c:cid.nt r.c:ord•.•
M.,. I,l.nd .mploy"1 pr.iMld by U. S. Senator Sherid.n Do...n.y •.• Fe,.,., Mnice to b.
up.nd.d h~r•••. M.,. hl.nd fOfljl's .h..d in W.r of Prodlldion to win the nat N.vy "E"
Aw.rd. AlI·hm. rec:ord m.d. 14 M.rdl, .1 ....0 w.n.ls 1.llnch.d .nd two k••11 I.id wittl_t dow.
dow.n in .prodllction .• : S~op X-!?nw., • vit.1 Mare 1,I.nd .ctiwity. Sev.n D."v.r It_I .n..
• nljll"••"nljl pl.nh fllnctlon,nljl .1 Int'ljI,.1 p.rtl of
IsI.nd w.,·buildinljl proljl,.m. More to
st.rt lOOn ••. 104.,. hl.nd wf.1t y.,<l in th. n.tion .ft., l3 y••n of .1I·out • ., 'Q.inlt wtety
h.urdl ••• APRIL-U. S. Sen.tor Hi,.m JohnlOn Up,.II.' pride in WOfk of M.,. hl."d •.
Lt. R. R. SI.v.nl, USN, .nd C. I. CllnninQh.m .,. in....ntor....hich Ip.ed lif.bo.t l.unchinQ' '0
1'12 mi~IJt'1 ••• MAY-U.s.S. SlInfish to b. l'llnch.d 1 M.y ••• N•• LabOf·M.n'Q.m."t Joint
Commltt•• form.d .1 id•• ",,""oir to Q" ship, bllilt ful.,. 600d id.u or IIlQljI,"io". to be
h.ndl.d throllljlh "n.fid.1 Sllljlljl.dion PrOQ,.m .nd pl.u .mploy." in lin. for uth ••.,dl ••.
M.r. hl.nd Ollt 10 win Bond t1'ljI by 10% p.yroll d.dlldion, •.. Wom.n mllit dr. . . .c:c:ordlltljl
to s.f.ty d.m.nds in ,hopl .•• N..,y "E" to fly ow., M.r. IsI.nd for li:ll months. Fr.n" 1(_
c.onljlr.tul.t.1 ••. Civili.n Blood hn" st.rt.d .t M.,. 111.nd N.....I HOIpit.1 . . . JUNE-M.,.
hl.nd p,.iMld for h.vinljl no reportl of wbot'ljI" St.m fillt m.jor ",hllth" um~iQn •.•
Wom.n now pl.yinljl .n import.nt p.rt in ollr w.r prodllction .•. Polic. mo•• inlo n.w hom.
· .. Lt. Comdr. E. W. 6renf.1l lolly' M.r. hl.nd-built wbm.,in.1 best in world •• _ U.S.S. Tunny
1.1I~ndT.d •.. JULY-W.r do"n't stop for the Fourth! N.ither do., M.,. hl.nd. N••rly lS,OOII
Il'lIpbuild.rl work full Ip..d .h••d . . . Hiqhelt p.,lOn.1 comm.nd.tion r.uiv.d Mond.y fr_
Aomi,.1 Ernut J. Kinljl. Comm.nd.r·in·Chi.f of the Unit.d St.t" Fl••t. on tour of in,pection . . .
h"phon. ,ylt.m to b. doubl.d to Ulrry w.rtim. lo.d . . . V.II.io-.id. bill MI,...ice d.rn •.•
~UGUST-M.re bl.nd 10 I.nd d.I'ljI.,ion to W.lhinqton, D. C .• to m.inl.in muimum cooper.·
lion .monq all b"nch.. of N....r. . . . 104.,. Island op.r.t.1 hllq. flHt of lOG commllt. bUI'"
o...er 1'1 ditt.r.nt roul'l, 21,000 mi '1 per d.yl Biqq.st of kind in the world . . . Scr••n 51., C.,ol.
L.ndi, broadcad' from Rodm.n Th••h •. 104.,. bland Employ... on "VO. Pop" proqr.m .•.
H.M.S. B.rry I.unch.d 1'1 Allqud •.• M. I. to .l.ct wom.n .mploy•• 'pon,or for ••nhip .••
SEPTEMIER-U.S.S. Blllhn.lI. lubm.,in. t.nd." I.unch.d 14 Sept.mb., .•. M. I. to MInd II to
Wuhinqlon m..t . . . OCTOBER-U.S.S. Tinow I.unched 1 October .•• Alyce R. Sewy'lI .nd
JOlephin. L. Hollinljllworth firit wom.n to win r.tinljl' .1 w.lder, . . . H.M.S. C.ld.r .nd the
H.M.S. Byard lOon to b. lallnc:hed ..• N....y O.y. a .ork d.y. with bond
and "I. of J.p
Sub SOllv.nirl ••. Ro.. Lyonl al.d.d ,ponlor 01 11'1. ICE-I' in cont.lt .•. NOYEMIER-H.M.S.
Cuckworth I.unc.h.d I' Ho....mb.r. Sponlor, ROl. Lyonl ••. Rob.rt Y"ounq .nd M.nh. Hunt will
h.lp I.unch "Fiqhtinq Doll., OaYI" 30 Ho....mb., . . . DECEM8ER~haIlH'llfli ••.,d.d 'or
JoIf.ty .•• M.re ..land ,hipbuild", to r.p.ir dam.q. don. to U.s.S. Solin FrancilCO in the b.HI.
of lhe Solomonl. In her hom. port ,h. will b. refabri"t.d by the m.n who bllilt 1'1., .•• Today
Mar. I'land r.m.mb.,s m.n who fiqhl on Ihi, Second War Christm" .••
1'143 JAHUARY-Fiut It.r for "E" FI.q. Work." pr.ised for achi.....m.nt
First 1M] ,llbm.,ln.,
s.w.nth lince 1 O.c.mb." tha U.S.S. S.. lIor.. launch.d 'J.nll.'"
I. .iII blly • ., bondl
to rep.i, U.s.S. San Frencilco •.. 22 Janllary. Y.rd Iloq.n ......are 1,I.nd Shipi .,. fiQlltinQ
.....,.,....1'1"." adopt.d .•. FEBRUARY-Manllf.durinq of .rtifici.1 limbl lOon to b. lpe.d.d .t
MoU, bl.nd HOlpllal ..• MARCH-Subm.rin. U.S.S. Sltat. I.unch.d 4 M.,ch .•. Adml,.1
Ch.st.r Nimlt'! laudl M.re hl.nd In p.non.! con... .,..tion with Command.nt •.• M.re bl.nd
accid.nt ret. drop, .1,"/• •.• Crllh., to b. n.m.d U.S.S. V.II.jo il n.w qo.1 for M.,. 111.nd . . .
R.lph Bard. Aslist.nt S.cr.tary of the N.vy, pr...nh N......, bond flaljl .t Yerd rally .•• AP.ILBill RobinJOn. Kinq of Tap O.ncerl, to .pp•• r .t • bond raUy ••. Work of three fi"" ••t D.nv.,
praiMld thh w••k wh.n Admiral Fri.d.1I .....rd.d them "E" FI.ljIl . . . MAY-Su,."• .,. thow ...,.
1,I.nd JoIf.d ,hipy.,d . . . L.ul'lchinq of lhe IDE-2'1 .nd BDE-lO _ . _ W., Productioll Com",i". .
• I.dlon, II Jlln•.•• JUNE-Second liar for "E" fl'ljI. Effici.ncy of Y.rd i' .qain recoQni.ed
• .• Mare hland Folli'l ,how to Ipllr U.S.S. v.lI.jo Bond Cont"t .•• laul'lchinQ of th. D"t,oy.,·
EJoCort U.s.S. GiII.h. 22 Jllna ..• 104.,1. Ob.,on. Hollywood st.,....i,lts ~ti,"ts at hOllpltal .••
Famoul mo... i. d.u "h.dlll.d lor Fourth of Jllly bond rdllly . _ JUl,-rr.llI. ""'''•• )._, ... a,., 01
Hoi...." ... ilill Y.rd ..• US.S. F.ir .nd U.S.S. M.nlo.... christ.ned by wido"'l of 1'1.,0'1 •
AUGUST-Mar. 1,I.nd Na.... 1 Hospit.1 made P.cific aru .mputation cenl" . . . U.S.S L.k••nd
th. U.SS. lym.n I.unch.d .. SEPTEMBER-Anoth.r M.re hl.nd 'Ilb-cont,.ctor winl Atmy.
Navy "E": lfIIall firml h.lp In bulldinq war ....11.11 ..• N.w caf.t.ri.. op.n.d fot ben.fit 0' Slib
Bu• • . . Mare 1,I.nd R.cr••tion AIli",ci.lion lOOn to b. f:lrm.d; pldlns ".d.d .".nts for .mploy·
. . . . . . U.S.S. Gilmore\ 'Ilb I.nd.,. chrl,'.n.d by 1'1.,0', widow _ •. OCTOIE.-U.S.S. SudQ'Ol'I,
fir" loA. I. ship commlnlon.d aft., P•• rl Harbor, recei....1 Pr"id.nti.1 Unit Cit.tion fof- un"lnljl
1'1 .n.my Ihipi durinq fird .lljIht patroll .. M. I. I.bor recruili"q st.rh In Midw.it: N....y oHiu.
to .uill in proqr.m
NOVEMIER-War Ch.1f op.nl Mond.y; dolly' pal 11 .,k.d fo' • y...r·1
rell.f .•• lond dri
1-1 D.cemb.,\ brinq, Scr..n Aetorl Bob Hop., erry Colona, F,.nc..
l..Inljlford. V.,. 'I.qll' and Sophl. Tlic ., . . . DECEMIER-M.r. hland win' lourth "E" A• .,d
,.,...,C:•...
loll.,.
,.1Ii"
loll.,.
1'144 J .... NU .... RY-...r Adml,.1 M.hlon S. Thd.l. lucce.d, Admlr.1 Fri.d.1I .1 Comm.nd.nt of
hl.nd, ]1 J.nll.ry ••• M.r. hl.nd'l firit I,.... l'llnchinq 1 J.nll'ry, U.S,S. Sp.d.fish (55) ••
W.dn"d.y. 1'1 J.nu.,.,. Mld...."t recruillnq Int.nsifi.d to o ....,com. critical I.bor Ihort.q•.
FEBRUARY-IS F.bru.ry, Iwo more DE', launch.d: U.SS. Finn'ljI.n. U.S_S. Cre.m" .. MA.CH
-1) March\ the US.S. Trep.nljl, 11th SS lince P.. rl H.rbor, hits the bril'l".
• M.,. hl.nd ...u
.,000 more noullnljl Ilnih lor 41,000 work.n by I July .nd 41,000 by I J.nll.ry . . . y.,d MI.h mot.
recruih a, m.npow., crlli' loom' .•• APRIL-M.re hl.nd ....blishu proud record for b.Mtici.lluqljl"tlonl; 4'''• •ccepl.d In three monlh •.. N•• ,ub-b.l. "f.t.rl. open I ., MA1S M.y, LCT AII.mbly L1n_Ftom 0.1'1...., to M.,. hl.nd . . . Admir.l Ern"t J. Kinljl, Command.,.In-Chl.f of the U. S. FI••I, "yl, "AI our .n.miu .,. dri....n b.ck, .dditlon.1 l.ndi"Q
cr.ft in ....., incr.. slnq number, wilt b.com. en .b,ollit. n.uuity." AI wilh DE construction.
D.n...., pref.brl"t'l p.rtl fot LCT',. T.n comp.nl'l In the mil.-hl~h Color..do city f.brlut. MlClion,. d.clthoIlMl', forecadl'l, bulw.,kl and 11'1. ,.mp. M.re hl.nd I Job 11 to .rect. reljlul.l. ,"d
compl.t. the ,.ctlon'l to .,.ct .nd compl.t. the d.ckhoulu, the forecull", blll."kl .nd r.mpi
M.re hl.nd'i all.mb y lin. prodllctlon of lCT'1 h on. of the qr••,,,t w..rtlm. job I .".r t.ckled
.. c.,• ., .mblam, for ,mploy'" who d.y on job .•. 1'1 t.4.Y. 'Ilbm.rln. No. Il lince I
O.umber 1'141 launch.d-U.S.S. Spol. Principal lpa.It." Rur Admiral E. L. Coch"n., Chi.f.
Ship, •.. JUNE-M I. ll"d,II•• creft win four Pr.lid.nti.1 Cit.tlonl ••. JULY-1 July .....re
to build .noth., Wahoo. Th. m.n who.. h.nd, f.shlon.d Ih fint hhtory_m.klnq Ihlp ... 111 build
.noth., .. a.... nq.r1 .•. 11 July. M.r. IsI.nd', U.S.S. Tlllllb.., I.unch.d in 1"'1•• nd U.S.S. Trollt
.nnounced '1 minlnq .•• AUGUST-Subm.rin. U 5.5. Sprlnq., I.unch.d: MrJ. M. S. Thd.I.,
wife of Command.nl, 'pOlllor .•. N.w lumb., .. 1"'IjI' y.rd ,hip' 221,000 f••t of ,.I....q.d Illmb.,
In on. month. , . liljlqut rep.lr load In hllto,., forecaJl.d . . . labor turno...., ,ho"'l decre...
of ov.,
SEPTEMIER-Ano.h., qold d., .dded-U.SS. 6lldq.on report.d o....,dll••nd
presum.d 10lt .•• Hl9h.lt .w.,d for b.n.ficlal luq9.llIon to Jam.1 T. WOI'I4\ X-51. U,SSO •..
NOVEMBER-R.ar Adml,.1 M. S. Tildal •• Comm.nd.nt, upreu.d 9rallfi"t 011 for re'lllh In
W., fllnd coll.dlon: lotal, $12'1,'140.n ••. M.re bland'i lecond calh W., lond Dd.... 1 D.c.m·
b.,: 90al ..t .t $1,000,000 .•• DECEt.4IER-tr04are hl.nd lubmarln.1 m.... n.w record' ••.
U.S.S. Ward, Mare hl.nd-bllllt In 11111 d'yl durlnq World W.r I, 'Ilnk oH L.yt•. T.nlh qold .t.,
for Mar. bl.nd·, ••rvlce flaQ ..•
1'145 JANUARY-I J.nuary 1'145, I.unchlnq of U.S.S. Stlckl.b.ck (55) •.• R..r Adml,.1 H.rold low.n,
U.S.N., dlr.ctor of 11'1. OHlce of Na.... 1 Pal.nts .nd In....nllonl, prals'l tro4.re hl.nd'i workm.n .•.
FEBRUARY-12 F.brua,." U.S.S, N"'IlI, ,ubmarln. I.nd.., I.unch.d. A credIt to wom.n work'lI
who hall'dl.d much 01 Imr.0rtant conltrlldlon wh.n m.n Ihlft.d to vU.1 repalrl. Nol onlr on 11'1.
N"'1l1 ha". wom.n dhl nQullh.d th.ml.I".I: In lhe loft, In the fi.ld In the Ihop, off ce, .ltd
repair and rj .....ln9 qanljll th.y hllv, earn.d undylnq qr.lIt.d. of llqhl(nq m.n In the n.. t . . .
Mare 1,I.nd top, In bond buylnljl ••. MARCH-Famolll IjIu.rrllla I•• d., from l.yt.
h .t
Yllrd rall1.1 •.• H.,o" of IadOljln. T,II 510'" to Mare 1,land.u a' Rally . . . AP.I
I
m..h urq.n' "II for whol. blood wllh 110 Dlnh In f.w hou" .. , M. I. Sal"'lIq. Unit len.flts .a
Actl...I'I,,; la... u 111\000 1I.ml, .....Inq 55,000.000,00 10 Qo...ernm.nt .•. C.plaln C. W. ROil (MCI,
USN, 'Hum" n.w outy al C.O. Na.... 1 Ho,pll.I, rell....ln9 C,p'aln O ....n . . . MAY-Hllrry Mllr.
phy t.1I1 1101"1 of South Pacific: b.ttl. Ion' 'our •.. Mare hl.nd breaks all Ih pre... loul ...f• ..,
recordl , •• GRAPEVINE ul.b,.I'1 III FOllrlh Ilrthd.y •.. "Id.... m'lI reul.... 51.490 dur!nljl
..... k-b••• aU oth.r Navy Yard mark' (b.n.ficial IUljlq.ltlon,) . , • VICTORY IN EUROPEPr"ld.nl Trum.n'l lonq.a....l••d .nnouncem.nt broadcu' 0....' Y.rd public addre" ,y".m .t
• A.M., Imm.dlat.ly follow.d by m.lldlq" Irom FI ... Admlr.1 KIl'lljl, R.., AdmIral Thd.. l. , ,
M.rltorlOIll aw.,dl for 511 .mployau. • Ship ,.p.lr .mploy.. , ljIO on I.v.n·d.y ......k '0 m•• t
urq.nl work lo.d. • JUNE-M're hl.nd I..d, nalloll'. Ha... y y.,ds In bond bllylnQ for fOllrth
con..cutlv. monlh ••. filII Sllnday shift dropp.d ., yard m••h fl .. 1 obllq.llonl •.• Uniform
'hop .fflci.ncr. roll. Iyll.", qotll 11'110 .If.d ••. J.m" Forr"t.l. Secre'.", of 11'1. N.vy, comm.ndl
Yard for ,Hie '1'11 dllpo..1 of oblol.t••nd lurplus m.,.,I.1 .• U.S.S. Het.lwood eron" ou.n
und., own po...., .ft., Nip ,ulcld••ttack .nd Illld"90" rep.ln · .ntlre forw.rd IIlp.nlrudure •
man of wreck'ljI' .• , Fln.1 ulh lond Drl.... op.n, with qlljl.nll c r.lly .•. JULY-4 July. John
Ch.rI.. Thomu and Comdr Jac" D.mp..y hlQh ,pot 01 • w
0' W.r 10lld ,.1.1 reiliu ••
Sec"ta,., of 11'1. N....y J.m.. Forrest.1 ... 11111 •• preU" conc.,n 0 ., the Ikllted m.npo....., Ihort'ljI'
In W.st Cout Yard' •• Altolh., M.re 111.nd Folll.. op.n,: hard work .nd ljIood relu.tlon
I.atllre, Y.rd prOljlraml, • Mar. hl,lId lubmarln. cr....., I••d In .w.rdl. A"'''9' 11.1 /Iw.,dl
p.r Ihlp '0 I..d .tI oth., m'lor bulldlnq y.rdi '. M.re hl.nd DE'I prall.d, • U.S 5 O'lrI.II,
.... Il.lIt d"troy". Ilnd.tQolllq rep.ln 1'1.,•. , . Sm'lhlnQ o...r "Iln.tt.ln.bl." qool. M.,. hl.nd·
." .v.re
$54 p., caplt. 10 lop 11'1. nalloll', N....y Y.rd. I" cuh W.r 10lld bllylnljl: lolal, 51,021,'
'134 • .• UGUST-14 A1l91l11. YA.D HAilS VICTORY Shollh, Tea", Whllllu, Horl'll Con,.ttl
Gre.t Announum.nt of ' ..u
11 AU'lu,t, k.. plllq p.ce. y.,d looh '0 'uillre whh d.t.,mlnatloll to rem.ln "top," In .fflci.n~y u 'hy" y.rd for P.ciflc.
25"•...
'E-loll.
••
l'
~
Olfl'(J'J
.
.~MJRA:L{fHlSlERW.
NIMITZ,....US
." ~ fj.OM PPRl'HARIO," 10 JAPAN WENT
'. ·NJGlfT ~i6 5: Of.
IU ISLAND IIM,PL
-1PX4J'SE
..
'
;I'oR :rH-rrEf1lCIENT {AND ISPEEDY WaR
}..
>f.IJ'''Dn~
-
'HE" ;RODOCTlO~(lINE AT MARE .ISLA
•~E;;tD.EMAND~'FOi..
.
ORE
~PEED, {{O..R
MORE P
~, ._.!, flJ.P.A1.~D FOR HE/fI~!lNG UNE . . . . MARE I
~'~
~1i9'1,1fj,OUJ. ~'T.. ~OR
,.
ow
UCH A FIGHTING LEADER OF FI
SAtUTE 'AS OUR \CHI£F OF NAVAL OPERAYI
"LASH-UP!"
THE SUBMARINES WENT OUT
AND THE JAPANESE WENT DOWN
THE GUNS WERE REPAIRED AND INSTALLED
AND SPOKE A MIGHTY ROAR OF VENGEANCE AT SEA
~RUISERS, DESTROYERS, SUBMARINES WERE MADE READY
AND CRIPPLED AND SINKING JAP HULKS TOLD THE STORY
CONTRASTS, THEN AND NOW, AND BEFORE AND
AFTER, TELL A VIVID STORY OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOP·
MENT AND SKILL•••. FOR EXAMPLE COMPARE THE
CIRCLED PICTURES. ON THE LEFT IS A WATERFRONT
SCENE AT MARE ISLAND IN THE 'EARLY DAYS WHEN
STEEL AND STEAM WERE BEGINNING TO REPLACE THE
ROMANTIC OLD WOODEN SAILING SHIPS. IN THE
CIRCLE ON THE NEXT PAGE IS THIS SAME SECTION OF
WATERFRONT, FROM ANOTHER ANGLE, REFLECTING
OUR MODERN INDUSTRIAL AGE.
.
'EARLY SUBMERSIBLE IS SEEN BUILDING.
"OMP-ARE THIS WITH THE MODERN FLEET TYPE
. .S.•'S. 5ILVERSIDES, FIRST MARE ISLAND SUB·
!MAlONE 'LAUNCHED AFTER WAR STARTED •••
HE GAL'lANT DESTROYER U.S.S. HAZELWOOD
~AME IN WITH HER SUPERSTRUCTURE A MASS
:F I1'W~STED WRECKAGE, SMASHED BY A JAP
".KAMIKAZE." CONTRAST THIS PICTURE WITH
'HE SAME VIEW AnER SKILLED WORKMEN HAD
REPAIRED THE DAMAGE.
,•
THE MARE ISLAND BUILT LCT 937 IS PICTURED IN A
PACIFIC LANDING OPERATION NEXT TO A SHOT
TAKEN AS SHE TOOK HER TRIAL RUNS IN SAN FRAN.
CISCO BAY ••• THE "OLDTIMERS" PICTURE, UPPER
RIGHT, IS FAMOUS THROUGHOUT THE NAVY, AND
IS FOUND HANGING ON MANY WARDROOM BULK.
HEADS. NO WHISKERS ON THE MODERN "MAC'S"
BELOW, BUT IT'S A SAFE BET THAT LIBERTY AND THE
LADIES STILL TAKE UP LARGE SPACE IN THE CONVERSA.
TlON PIECE.
GH
THE
VIGNETTES'OF WAR DAYS ••• THE BIG LIFT,
ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A
"GOING UPI" ••• SENATOR SCOTT LUCAS
DULL BOY ••• ANOTHER DAY OF BACKING
,PAYS AVISIT '"
TRANSPORTATION HAULS
THE FLEET ••• LOAD HER UP, SHE'S READY
A 'lUG ONE ••• BETTER BUY BONDS, OR TAKE
TO GO! ••• "FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE"
tOUR MEDICINE ••• SIGN OFTHE TIMES •••
(TO YOU AND MANY OTHERS) •••
OUR commAnDER-In-CHIEF ••
WHIH HI CAM! TO MAAI lUAND AS HlAD Of THE TlUMAN 'tNAlI lNVUTIGA1ING
IUOR.[ THf. INO 0' WAR
A.No
IN
nu
COMM.lnn~
lmLi OlD Hnay TRUMAN
• •
IIAtiXI rHAY
PUCI THAT 'OlL.OWED.. THIS GIGANTIC IN,DUSTlJAL (INTII WOULD II 'UT O' NO tOMIiIAH'D . .
COMMAHDU-IN-CHUf 0' THI UMtD 'OReu ••• THIN·SINA101 'RUMAN IxpaUUD HlIiU.fL, AS ,nAnD wnH THI IVI,DINU OJ lMDlIJiaJAl
ACTIVITY AND H,JCUN.CY HI SAW ON 1HI YARD,. !(EHU Of CONSTRUCTION, UPAl... AND OVUHAUL... SUCH AS lHOJ
'IUualD
ON.t.tO
OPPOSITf PA,Gl" WUf WIlNUSID IY 1HI SINAlI cOMMlnu. THIY fOUND THE RAl,lT caY., "'ReDUC1'ON 'LUS IONDJ (QUAIS VlCt'*t" .
Any SUPPORTED IY ALL THI MASTlR.$, SUPERVISORS, OTHIR YARD UADI.R.S, AN,D ALL lHI lMPLOYIU •••
,.UlTlol'
0' A MJ:Sl0ltUt.
IN,NOVATlOto(; THI AnEMBlY Of SHI' $leTION5... Pl.lf._,RICAUO OVIR 1,000 MJLU fROM THI SEA IN THI STAlE 0' COlOUDO.. 0
A5SEMIlY.UNI AT MAIl ISLAND, WAS WATCHED IY SENATOIl TIlUMAN AND HlS GROU'. THI.TUH SI'.....U nl.Mt IN DlNV
SHAUD IN nn: PUfAIR.ICATlON OPEIlATION fOil DUTIlOYU..UCOIlTS, AND LCl,lS,
HI AMPHIIIOUS
cun
A MO
CO\O'UDO,
,IClUUD ON THI MQJ I.Jl.AIrfJIi
A.SSEMIlY UNE" TOP-CINTt:I, ON THE OPPOSITE PAGI) OUIl HUGE flOATING CUHE WAns I.N THE IACXGllOUHD TO LIlT THI '1HISJIlQ,.OOVCl
OVER THE CAISSON TO THE CHANNEl ••• OTHER Dl5TINGUISHID VISITORS TO MAJLf LSLAND IN 1944 WID THI lOUD 0' DJlJCTQaS
MANAGfMINT HEADS Of THE SANTA
f(
RAJLROA.D (PICTUlED LOWI. liGHT AS THEY W£lf WUCOMID IY ADMIRAL TISDAll AND
AH.O
HIS st
51
JAPSUR
IPeace
n.tmCln Qftnoune·
accepted the
ferrncf'. H.
I
190
Iv
1
I'
I I
I
I
I
I
I
I
';..-;;.
,
',0:
11119/
trodes
~/ies '
J
...
."
/
1
•
t
53
-EATEST YEARS
A' OUi.-.MY ARb NAVY STARTED DOWN THE HOME STRETCH TO VICTORY,
ftn MAii ISLAND COMMAND GIRDED ITSELf TO MElT THE (HAL.
iL1~GE OF THE Allri5tlt fiNAL DRIVES, GREW TO PEAK 51Zf IN PLANT AND
••N 1944-45,
+'iRSONNtL• •V L"ATE ''944 AND THROUGH 1945 TO THE END OF THE WAR,
'IU MARiE fn,A'Nb t"OMMAND. UNDER REAR ADMIRAL TISDALE, INCLUDED
·t MaMi: 1'rA'lirD OF htA'Rt iSLo'AND, THE AUXILIARY YARD AT HUNTERS POINT
~e ""'aNoo. iU.'ST IV 'fM1N CAPTAIN N. L. RAWLINGS, USN, AND LATER
lit" tOMM-OD'O'RE .'. w~ 'bWdR, USN), AND SUPERVISION OF NAVAL REPAIR
m ,""WARD
'1'6
ao
JiirrVA'Tf SHIPYARDS THROUGHOUT THE BAY AREA. IN
UblTlON, IHI\ I'bRlATfST N).VAl REPAIR AND CONSTRUCTiON COMMAND
6f AU TIME INtllt'oTo SUPEll'V"lSION OF PREfABRICATION WORK IN COLO·
.ADb. AND 5PEc'lAL t6'Nf"RAt.T WbRK ""ARMED ou'" TO SMALL BUSINESSES
ALL OVER tHE WO'fi:ilN Sf ATES.
PREPARATION Fbi iHE iRANlEWC)'RK OF THIS NAVAL REPAIR AND CONSTRUCTiON EMPIR w),s ,",AfilED IEFORE THE WAR IY ADMIRAL FRIEDELL
AND filS ASSlstANJS,~UT'ieT 'NO 'fr~( W~S IT GREATER IN SIZE AND OUTPUT
THAN :N THE 'Closr~G '",1)'NTHS 'OF 00 WAR, WHEN OVER 150,000 MEN AND
WOMEN t»N SAN FU'Ncisco BAY, AND T)tROUGHOUT THE WESTERN UNITED
STAnS, '. ....OREO MIGHtiLY TO IAC'It 'U'P THE FINAL \tUSH oN JAPAN, SO
COStlY ilN MEN AND SHIP'S.
IN THOSE DAV.S THE FANATICAL FURY OF JAPANESE SUICIDE "KAMIKAZE"
PILOTS TOOK fHElI GREATEST TOLL SHIP AFTER SHIP RETURNED TO SAN
fRANCIKG IN URGENT "'(ED OF REPAIRS. AVAILAIILlTY DATES ASSIGNED
ay THE PA'(IFIC COMMAND WERE UNUSUALLY SHORT. THOSE SHIPS WERE
NnIKD aAck <IN A HURRY. CbNGRATU~TORY MESSAGES FROM ADMIRAL
NIMitZ AND 'HIS FLUT COMMANDS ATTEST TO THE SPEEDY AND EFFICIENT
REPAIR OF THlSE PRIORITY JOIS. IT WAS DURING THOSE DAYS THAT MARE
ISLAND NAVY V.ARD AND 'ALL UNITS UNDER TH"E MARE ISLAND COMMAND
"IAINED THEil GIEAfUT GLOIr-, 'AND COMPLETED TH"'S PROUD WAR RECORD:
NAVAL V.ESSELS tON5J,RUCTED________ 392
SHIPS REPAIIRED AND OYERHAULED__4,560
OMMA,NDING "ME wtsTERN SEA F..ONTIER DURING THE FINAL DAYS Of
•
Wb WAS ADMIRAL ROYAL INGERSOLL,
'USN, AND AT THE HELM OF THE
1"ZTH NAVAL DISTRICT WAS REAR AD'MIRAl CARLnON WRIGHT, USN "IOSs..
~"AT THE NAVY YARD FROM 21 JANUARY 1944 UNTIL ITS DISESTAILlSHMlNT ON H NOYEMaER '946 WAS REAR. ADMIRAL MAHtON 5. TISDAll, USN.
MARE ISLAND FROM THE AIR
REAR ADMIRAL RAWLINGS
ONE OF MANY BAY AREA PRIVATE SHIPYARDS DOING NAVAL REPAIR
COMMODORE FOWLER
WHITE LINE, SUPER-IMPOSED ON AERIAL VIEW OF HUNTERS POINT IN 1945.
INDICATES
SIZE
OF
THAT
YARD
BEFORE
ENLARGEMENT
BEGAN
IN
1941.
POWER AND SUPPLY . . . FIREFIGHTERS SCHOOL
....
OLDEST SHOP . . . BEAUTY AND PRODUCTION
I
I
I SAILORS' BARRACKS
. • • RODMAN CENTER
I
I
I
I
I MODERN AGE ELECTRONICS ... ADMINISTRATION
I
I
I
I
I
SHIPFITTERS . . . ELECTRIC AND MACHINE SHOP
mAR ISLAnD nAUAL SHIPYARD, UALLEJO, CALIFORniA, BORn TO ATASK
ON 30 HQVEMIER 1945 'MARE ISLAND lliACHED ANOTHER MILE·
srONllN ITS HlnD.IY. ON THAT DAY NAVY YARD, MARE ISLAND,
WAS DISIS'••L.ISHlD. ITS LAST COMMANDANT, REAR A.DMIRAL TISDALE" ASSUMED HIS NEW COMMAND OF THE U. S. NAVAL lASE, SAN
FUNCISCO. THE OL)) NAVY YARD IECAME MARE ISLAND NAVAL
SNIPY.RD, VALLUO. CALIFORNIA, UNDER ITS NEW COMMANDER.
REAR ADMIRAL KLEIN.
AL~9!1GH
MARE ISLAND CHANGED IN NAME, IT DID NOT CHANGE
I'" S'-llPl, .skl~ AND INDUSTRY. WITH TYPICAL VIGOR, THE HEW
Sltl' RD, .UNDER ITS NEW ~.OMMANDER, ADMIRAL KLEIN, TURNED
'fb THI'1'ASK OF KEEPING THE "MAGI'C CARPET" VESSELS RUNNING,
,. ia"~G t'ME MEN HOME, AND '0 THE IMP.ORTAHT JOB Of 'RE.
~~~ DEStROY,-ERS, .CRUISE"S AND SUBMARINES FOR THE USERVI
fUpS. NP "II'D LEAD ROWS" AFTER THIS WAR. tHE '-"IGHt OF THE
fL,HT
J,J ~F,.u:LY ,PRESERYED, BE RlADY FOR ANY EMER·
cJJltCY ~ A ""pMENT'S NOtiCE ~ •• JUST AS THE SKILLED REPAIR
D OVt:..,..UL O.F THE ,HIP-5 OF THE 4CTlYE F~En MUST GOtON,
Pt~/'HE URE QF 'H'E WOU.NDEO AND SICK CONTINUE WITH
'ME: $ME ~.tLJ. 4H'O PATI,ENC~E AT T,HE HOSPI14L. AS ALWAYS,
.Hi S"~FEIlIN_G <sTilL COME FIRST, .MUST ALWAYS II REMEMIERED.
."5'
59
SUmmARY OF AJOB WELL DonE
As t.4.r. hlend appro.c:h.. 11'1. 'lui of III n..... y••r 1'47, ...ith 11'1, e.tlm COllfid,nu of uperie"ud
production •• pert" ....11 p.eurved unlh of 11'1. l,d Fleet, tOmfT'hlnd.d by Viu Admlr.1 Ho....rd F.
1(;II<;1mllln, USN, end .,1.1 u,bmMi"" ,,"d tend,,, of 11'1, 19th Ft•• t, c.ommand.d by Werle'll S••
Fronti.r Commendelll Admire' It. S Ed ,d" USN, Ii• • 1011<;1 the .. "t,rhon!. Th, ,lIIqut•• work of
routine 0... ,1'1 .... 1 end repei, of th. lIleti
fleet con'inuel. Th. job of 11'1. shipy.rd q01ll1 on.
I.for. lurninq fo .. look 6' th. 'lItlir. il would b......11 10 r...le" ,,,. brilliellt conlhucfioll end
repei, 'ecord. of the employ••• of t.4.r. i,J"nd du,ir,,; 11'1,
An ••cell.nt IlIm,"<IIry of thele
ecti..ltiu .." publhhed I" 11'1. 6,.p...I.... , "'"..., 0 • ., .dition for "'5: llIud'lIIli... P.lw9" .,.
reoroduced lI.re
"'<II' .,••".
'Whfn tht gr/ll'dcllltdrtn of somt Matt hl.nd ....Ofltm.n duntr atound il,s Itfltt .l ~ fututf diU! .nd
aslt lI,m, Whu did you do dUf,ng tilt GrtU Wat, Grillfldlll1' he UII ttll tIltm Wt lit worUd iIIt tilt Navy Yvd
th.lt bu,lt 5 sub ttlld",rs, 19 subrn.i",~s,)4 dtstrc}'tr tsCO'U, 216 LCT·6s, iIIId 87 LCT-5s dUfOfl9 Ult dlys of 1M
world- ....,de c(nflicC" (And ,f sa dinltlotd he ((uld ttll tIltm 'hS Yvd i11lso turntd out numtrous YFs, YRs, YSDs
0IIId YOs.)
Tilt NIIVY OilY, 1945, c.ommissiorhllq of tht wb ttfldtf Ntrtus WillS tht filtll sucll twnt Mart lslllnd m¥lrtd up
sinct tht "b,g iIInd buutllul Fulton sillS dewn htr wllys on 27 Otctmbtf 1940:'
'W,Ulln Itss tllan a yur, on 17 D~tmbtr 1941, tht ttndtr Sperry sped down MilI't bland's No.1 ¥r.I)'S,
.lfld in ItSS thilln /I w~lt, tht ~I plllttS of tht U.S,S Busllntll swung Inlo pos,tion.
"Nlnt months lattr, on 14 St9l.tmbtr 1942, lilt Busllntll dipped Into tht wattrs of tilt Mart 1,land channel
lI1'd madt room lor tilt Gllmort
"An 1I0ROfary ....tldtr put lilt first uclt on tilt Gllmort's knl on 12 Dtctmber 1942, /lnd by 16 5epttmbtr
194) sht fOlolnd htrstlf d"pplng cllampagnt /lnd btlng nubbtd lnlO a quay btrtll as Yard workmtn onct mort
rtaditd lilt stlll·hot wa)'1 lor Iht build,ng of anOllltr ship of IItr class.
''lllal sll,p W/l~ tht Ntrtu~ B(gu" on 11 O~I' ~r I'N, s ,- wa~ lauflclltd ~n 12 Ftbruary 1945
"[)es,gMd to rtllllr, rtf't, supply /lnd lot",ict lilt ships of tht 'fIISt U. S. Submarll'lt FItt1, MilI't Islillnd's
ttndtrs ltfl for W/lf lot""C_ as complett flOOIt,ng NaV)' YardS with tht populilltion of small cit it'S.
"Thty ttndtd thelf broodS of ~ubmllrines liltt tffiCltnt mollltrs and no sm/lll PVt of ttlt sUett'SS of Amt'ria'~
subs dUfllI9 tht wv ~1I'lISt tilt Am powtrs un bt t/l,d to tilt compettnt Qrt of tilt Ilard-wortllll9 ttndtrs.
"In many ,nsL/l/lC.tS It wn tM prompt and pfof,citnt iIItttnt'On5 .dmon,sttrtd by the Mart blw·bvllt
Fultoo, Sperry, BltShntU iIInd G,lmort U1at stnt ~ut:rs l,ke the M;ut blilltld·built TUM, Gudgeon, Silvenldts and
Trl99tr ~ck onto iIIct,on ..,..,n .lttr lIlty hilld sufftrtd tilt orduls of punIShing WiIIr ~trots.
''The TUM, Gudqton, S,I\ltOldts /lJ'd Trtggtr wert but four of the 19 submMifltS construettd Iltrt .IS tM
-_.
"Aftff lht Tr,99tr U1mt tht W..hoo, WlI.lIlt, Sunf,sh ..lid Tunny. Tlltn tM Tinow, Ttlllibtot, Se~, 5btt,
T/IJl9( Tlltf,sh iII/Id SP/lldtfish And lutly, tilt TrtP/llll9, Spot, Sprlngtr" iIIIId StickltbM:1t.
, DUflll9 Ult /w,ght of tht wv, ntwly bu,lt Sllbl'rlv,ntS -Mnt sk,dding ,nto the Mate 1s1Olnd c/wlntl WltIl sud!
monotonous Irtqutncy U1at P/IISS'i'l9 worktntn no longtr P/IIuSf'd to WiIItttl ill latlnch,i'l9.
"But Ulne Sillmt wortmtn clan pOlUSf'd to wonder whOlt IlapPtntd to Ulne sitek, blillCk undtnus raJd~
onct ~ Itft MVt hl.nd ~d /w.d~ out irrtQ cle.dly stu.
''Otasl(ll'lillUy they k/otwo, illS _htn tilt gr,m words UIJTIt through tNt the Gud9fon, tilt POII"IW'IO, tM Willhoo,
the Trl99t!", tilt Tulllbtot, tilt 111119 lind lilt SMordflsh "",trt 'long CMfdue ill\d must bt preumtd Ion.'
BUI on most casts ,t WillS not untol tilt WiJ1 was _f iIItId tilt wraps of M'f/Iil unsorshlp 1Ift.td frum tile
's,!tnt stl"llct'" ttl/lt YMd worklT'tn ltMIIfd at l1It rNgnlflctnt fuu 1M ships Ptrformtd whIch tMy II.lId htlptd
bu,ld. It WillS not Ilmll thtn thOIt the~ kntw t/'It v,L'l1 PMt thtst MilI't Islillnd sIlips hOld playtd in wiMli'l9 the
sll'U99tt iIIg/llnst ill CUMill9 /I/Id ruthless tntmy.
''Thtn, u word COImt O\'tr tht YilI'd publIC /lddms S)'Sttm at 4:01 p.m. on TlftSd/Iy, 14 AlI9l1St 1945, th.ll
lilt Japanew Empl~ Ilad gont down to dtfut iIInd that tht WM was lM!r, stories btgan to pour In.
''Tilt SUhorst, I.. unchtd Iltrt on 9 JanU/lT)' 194), Ilad sunk 26 tntmy 5Ilips, rt'Ct'v~ IN Pmlclenti..1 Unit
Ciut,on, torpedotd • Jap sub off S':lIpan, witllstood 16 hOllrs of dtpth cllarglll9 at 40 fillthoms_
''Tht Spadtl'SIl, launclltd IItrt on 8 Jan\l/lT)' 1944, Illld sunlt ~d d.lrno/l9td 32 5Il1j)S loLJling 100,000 tons,
tarned tht Presldtntlal Unit C,ution and four NaV)' CrosH'S, sunk /I Jap COIrritr and destroyer.
''T1'It Spr,ngtr Illunclltd Iltrt on 3 August 1944, h/ld got four tntm)' dtstrO)'tf'5, rtsCUf'd nint B-29 fl~tf'5
from tht waltrS off Tokyo, shlXlk off 24 dtpth chargts wh,lt stilliting a Japantst transport ship.
''Tilt Sunf,sh, '/lunchtd Iltrt on 2 May 1942, Ilad destroytd 167,000 tons of tf\tmy shipping, sunk or darna<jtd
42 slllps, patrol~ off Truk and SII,pan dUflng urrltr 1tflltt$ /It ltltse ,sl/lnds, sunk two lt~ ~hips of ill Jap convoy
off Horuhu, sunk 14 sta trudu In a thrn-Ilour gun bault In ttlt KUfOles.
''1"1\(0 T111OSi11, launctltd tltrt on 7 Ottobtr 1942, IIOId sUflk 24 N,p~ ships, darn~ nint, de:strO)'~
245,000 tons of tntmy sll,ppill9, su",,~ bomb dlnu.gt off Truk.
"And SO It wtnt. Evel)' d/liy ntw stor,es aI tltro,sm, d/lirong ..nd br.I'o'tl)' ill'lOlvill9 Man Isi/l/ld·built wbmvl/1t5
t.al'lt off tht Pftss w,m /lnd O\'tr tilt radio.
"MilI't 1s1..ndtrs wtrt proud of tht ~UbrnV'fles their hillnds /II'Id MiIIrt.S IIOId fWOductd.
"But lIlty .... trt .lsa prOl/d cf tilt" DEs: tlltlr swllt, INf\t\I\'trilbtt littlt dtstrOYtr tsCOIU tNt plill)'td such ill
~ty rol~ In hclt,ng tilt Naz, wbrr.iIIront mellile.t ,n tl'lt Atl.ntlC ill\d INcle tilt still 1i111e5 yft for tht mlgllty Unittd
Nilltlons' COINO)'S wlilch ~tlPplotd tht IMn iIIfId mattro/lb for tile ITrQSion of FrVltt ill\d ttlt drovt to Btrlin.
"DufOng l.IIe MilI't hl/lnd DE pI'Ogl"illJTl, whICh SL/lrttd on 28 Ftbruillry 1942 Wltll tilt ktel till~11I9 of the
Bft'flMn /II'Id tilt Dofttrty, iIIId contlnutd Cl'I thrcugh tilt lillutlch,ng of tilt H..lsty on 11 Ap"l 1944, Mate I~..nd
lotnt )4 fltet ..nd clelldly destroytr ncorts all to tht WiIf'5
"From tilt molt·h,qll cIty of ~fM'r, CoICll"/ldo, ~ prtf/lbrn:attd st'CtoCIIIS of DEs to bt ~bltd hert on
bu,ldill9 will)'S wlllCh sttnIfll to sprong Into t.,sttnct O\'trn,qht on w nortllefn t,p c:f Mart Isl..nd.
'What cnct w.s /I ulotles~ tult ITIvsllliind SI.lddtnly blosscmtd Into a humming btotlllw of 5Illpbuildu'l9 xU_it)'
thOit productd tilt iIIIlS',"tr to tht Gtrm/lll U·bcOIt th~/lt and Sfnt tht VIcious wolf ~cks SCUrrying bad: to tlItlr
concrtt~ lain In tM Hun homtlillnd.
"By 12 October 194) Mvt hlillnd hlld IIlrtilld~ lallnchfll wliOit /lmountfll to a small N/I'/)' In lUtlf, but on this
d.tt stili /I/IOtlltr ~h,pbu,ldlng P"'9rilm ~tarttd IItrt.
"Mort btillclles IIOIw to bt Ulttn, y,d the N/I'/)', ~d ~yt qot lo haw mOl"t land,ng craft to L'lkt tIItm with.
"Mllrt Island PfomlStd olfId clehwrtd tliOW land,nq craft Du"ng tilt program, whICh starttd on 12 Octobtr
19<1) with tilt It~l I..ylng of tilt LCT ·6~ 914 and 915 /lnd tndtd with tilt I/lunch,ng of tilt LCT·6 U90, M .. r~
Isl/lnd productd 216 of thiS lype of craft, and B7 LCT·Ss.
"Up onto tht btllcllrs of Normandy and ttlt Jap·lltld Islllnds at tM Pac,fic wtnt tht landIng craft bu,ll by
tht Mart Island Na'/)' Yard. DUI of thtm pcurtd tilt mllnpO'<\ltr and lirtpowtr U1at st1. tht tntmy totlHlng and
twnlually poundtd him Into submiSSIon.
"MaInly, lhls Is tht story of tilt part Mart Island's new construction pfogram plill)'td In tilt flll/ll dtftat
0' tht A.ls.
"But btllind it all ~hlnts lilt tffOfU and swtat of thOlJlands of Amtrican mtn and womtn from tVtry sL'ltt in
tht Union wllo tolltd htrt to makt tills stOl)' posslblt.
"Tllty camt Irom tvtry corntr, crossrO/ld and plain In tilt Unlttd SUtes, and from all walb of lift. Tlity
wtrt 01 f'Ytl)' color, ract ..nd crtfll."
Tht)' IItlped build tilt ~Il,p~ and tllty htlped rtPOlir and OYtrllaul tht sllips. For, from tilt unlof9ttL'lblt Sund.ay
mCll"nlng of 7 Dtctmbtr 1941 to tht unlOf9ttt.lblt afttrnoon of 14 August 1945, wlltn tilt SiIInds: of tilt Ja~~
Emplrt h/ld run out /lnd tht tablrs of war h/ld m..dt tlltlr complttt turn,ng, M~ Island tmploytn ,,",d comptntd
7&6 stp/lralt rtpair ..nd O\tr/laul asslqnmtnU. (This rtmvkablt rt'Cord did not lncludt tilt tl\ollsands of ~pOIir
toOs umfll QUt at HunltrS Point, /lfld Undtf tile supe",lslon 01 tilt MM't Ist/lnd command tlr0U9" the Assistant
IndltStrl..l ManOl9tf /It tilt Ferry BUlldlll9, s.an FrllnclSCO.)
"Tilt IIilmrs of tilt fighting Crllft rtpa,m1 IItrt ..nd stnl bOIck to bOIttlt rtillds I,kt ill rosttr" of the IItro ships
wlllch bluttd tilt tntrny from tht hlgll stas
"to'l1lny of thest sllllK will Ilt'o'tf J9OI,n be ittn In M/lft Island nngtr plH'S or dl)'docks. They I\ollndtd MId
PQUn<kd llle Jol~ntst from 1M Alttlll"ns to tilt homt Islands; tilt)' !J/I;~~ btUtf than tllty toole, .and tM1 llI·tnt
6OYon fight I...
''Cont from tilt SCtnt art tM Milrt Island wartlmt·rt~l~ cruistl'S A$lOrl/l, HtltAil, Ind~1s ud
Vlnctnnes, iIIIId tilt Mart Islilnd·bIlllt ilnd rtpOllrtd CliltOl9o.
''Cont ..Iso Vt tilt wafllmt·rtp;llrtd SI.lM Albacor... Flltf, Grampus, Hardtfl Plcktrtl, Pompano, TiIItl'i, WatIoo,
S.27 ~d 5·28' tM /lu~IHarlu K..ll/IwlloJ iIIId McKtan, iIIIId tilt dtstrO)'tf'5 Abntf RtOld, Btnh/llll, BIIIt, Bu:sh,
Cushing, Gillin, Htnlty, Hull, J.tnIS, Mahan, MOllilghJn, O'Brltn, Parrott, Ptrkins, Porttr,.pmton, Rtld, Tucktr,
W/llkt. Wlllillm 0 Porttr ..nd Wordtn.
''TMy .... trt iIIl1 pall of tht villSt Ilttt of ~IlIPS thoJt was rt~"ed IItrt betwttn 7 OKtmber 1941 /lnd 14 AlI9l1St
1945, /lnd Mart IsloJfldtrs k_ thtm wtll.
"No Yillrd ...orkrn.in ... ho W/IS a pan of Iht Yard's rtpOllf crew will tftr forgtt tIM! ballit daruge proj«U
..lIo.Jtd ships likt tilt OtnWr, Htltna, S/ln Franclsco Alchlba, 5110I·...., Cassin, DowntS, Haztlwood and Isl'ltrWood.
''Tht Pfojtcl /lboard tilt ~n~tr alOnt took 17 j ,Bn m/ln·days to complttt, lIf1d that aboard tht AlchlbOl,
.... hlch look Il!r~ torpedo hiU, 81399 man·days to finish
"Mart Island'~ IftmtnOous jO~ on tilt dtsuo)trs SlIaw, Cassin alld DOWMS madt battlt rt~lr hlnOl'1.
"VIrtually torn In Ilalf during tht Pearl Harbor dolY oomblng, tilt Sh/lw, f1Utd wltll a tempofary bow' and
navlgattd Ifom tilt afttr dtc~ 1l0uSt, ploughtd htr way acron tilt Pacific to find a new bow iIInd bfldgt waIting
fOf lIer /It Mart Island.
"Whtn Sht salltd to rtv~ngt htr wounds, Silt W/IS a bttlu and mllfe modtrn ship than tilt Ont tilt .laps
thought tht~ Ilad dtnlo)~d on 7 Dtctmbtf.
"Caught In drydoc~ and bombed rtltntltssly durlllg the snuk atUck, tht dutroytrs Cassin and Downt'S Wtft
so Mady dtstroytd as 10 ma~t tlltlr rtpalf practically a _
construction Job.
''Work began Ilt,t 011 .... Ilat W/IS left of tht OClY<nts on 15 October 1942, and work 011 tilt blasttd and
blac~tMd CoUsin began on 16 Novtmbe, of tht S/lmt ~tar
"Bi 4 OtCtmbtf 19:1) ...o,k on tll~ DO'<\Ints was compltted and Sht was rtady to slflkt b.lck al tilt tntmy lhat
h/ld stabbed IItrt In tht bad. By 19 Ftb'lHIT)' 1944 tht Casslll, 100, was armtd ~d stt for ICtlon.
"StfUC~ /It IItf Willltrllnt by • torpedo, tht crulsu HtltM, I/lttr sunlt In tM Kllla Gulf In July of 194),
....s /lnotMf Ptarl HMbor casualt~ that Mart hl/lnd jUICkl Y pUl oack Into tht IIghtlll9 1I11tl1p.
Lllttr on In tilt ......f...s tht Nlp~ read 1M hOIn ..rIUng on tlltlf Shinto 51lrlnu and futl'o'tl)' Sought to $liW
olf tM IlIt'olt.blt bl hurlll'llj ~ulcldt pl/lntS Into Amt"clln wjJ'~hllK, tilt dfo~trO)'tf'5 HiUtl... ooct iIInd Iwrwood
pulled IlIlO Mart hlOll'd .... lth thtlf dtcks aIId S41p.tntruclufes /I sh..mblu ffom ttlt tlltclS of tilt I(lmlkazts.
"Y.rd ....orhn Iklg In, ..nd only tilt tnd of tht .... v s,htd tM Japs IrOll\ mOft dtstrllCtlon /It tilt hill\ds 0(
thtlot Mro ships
'With htl)' type of ,",IIltr urgtntty nttdtd for tilt fll\o1l dfl\t 0/1 ,Up,ln, tM battlt uailltd and stnlned
Clr<'opellS "'is forctd to tit up hert for .In o~rllllul th.. t .... u long O1otrdut
"Tilt ..pPt..l "'tnt QUt IrOll\ Nllval HtadquJrtU1 to ~t Mf b.Kk Into illCtlon In a hurry
'M..rt Islllnd gOI her b.lck In .. hurry
'1'he lin of ~Illps rtPII,'td Mft dUfi
tilt dilltk olnd cle..dl)' dol)S of tilt WiJ1 15 II long OM, and ~ lWnt
on t~t lin bfirlg) b.lck mtmorlrs of M/I't 1~land blood S"'tal lind ttan
"Thtrt art (fuhtn Ilkt tilt S/ln Oltgo, Villo ltd tht .... ol~ Into TOkrO Bol)' for Iht slgnl.. of tht JapantW
~Ulltndtf; Iht Salt lakt City, St Louis, BOlst, CIttUef, ~trolt, Honolu u, MlnMapalls. Nasllvillt, New OrltaN,
Photnlx Portl.. nd Raltlgh ..nd Tftnton
"onUO,t'S lI~t tilt Pilul JontS, htrolc old fouf-nachr of tilt 'rtd Iud IItet,' iIInd tile O'Bilinnon, Clldwtll,
Ollnl/lp, Flttchtf, GanSt~lIOft, HoptoOtll, Jtnklns /lnd Mundt,
"Ol'll)' I Itw of tilt 517 ~hlps .... Illch this Y/lfd ,tpalrtd during tht war (man)' of thtm two, th~t ilfId fOllr
tlmts) h... ~ bttn mentlontd, but !'Jl..,t Isla~d ",.rkmtn nted no mtntlon of thtm to btlng them to mind.
"Thti .... Ofktd on thtm; th,~ s'r' tlltm bllck In,o /lctloll wlltn Iht~ Wtrt SOftly nttdtd; tht~ rtmtmbtr thtm:'
A L 0 0 K T 0 THE FUTURE
•
•
•
TODAY, MARE ISLAND, QUR NATION AND THE ENTIRE WORLD STAND AT
THE CR05SRDADS OF CIVILIZATION, ON THE THRESHOLD OF THE ERA OF
ATOMIC POWER. THE RESULTS FROM HIROSHIMA, NAGASAKI AND fROM THE
BIKINI ATOMIC BOMB TESTS HAVE PLACED A GRAVE RESPONSIBILITY UPON
THE SHOULDERS OF OUR DIPLOMATS. VICE ADMIRAL W. H. P. BlAHDY, USN,
COMMANDER OF JOINT ARMY-NAVY TASK FORCE ONE, WHO DIRECTED THE
BIKINI TESTS, HAS PUBLICLY STATED THE ONLY SURE DEFENSE AGAINST ATOMIC
BOMBS WOULD BE THE OUTlAWING OF THEIR USE AS WEAPONS OF WAR.
BUT, LACKING CERTAIN, UNBREAKABLE AND PERMANENT GUARANTEES SAT-
ISFACTORY TO All NATIONS fOR SUCH ATOMIC CONTROL, THE RESULTS FROM
BIKINI HAVE GIVEN US MANY VALUABLE GUIDEPOSTS TO KEEPING THE NAVY
STRONG AS A MODERN DEFENSE AGAINST ANY POSSIBLE ATTACK IN THIS
NEW ERA.
RADICAL CHANGES IN TACTICS AND DESIGN HAVE ALREADY BEEN INDICATED. IN THE LATTER FIELD, MARE ISLAND AGAIN STANDS READY TO CARRY
OUT ITS APPOINTED TASK. HOWEVER. ONE LESSON, LEARNED AFTER WORLD
WAR I, IS ALREADY BEING FORGOTTEN. SEVERE LIMITATIONS IN ARMY AND
NAVY BUDGETS HAS REDUCED EMPLOYMENT FROM A PEAK OF 42,000 TO A
BARE 12,000 MEN AND WOMEN. MANY SKILLED CRAFTSMEN HAVE BEEN LOST,
GONE TO OTHER FIELDS OF ENDEAVOR. HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF IN ITS STUPIDITIES AS WELL AS IN ITS TRIUMPHS. BUT MARE ISLAND, BECAUSE OF ITS
HERITAGE OF NEARLY 100 YEARS OF SKILLED REPAIR AND CONSTRUCTION OF
NAVAL SHIPS, WILL MEET THE ECONOMIC CHALLENGE AGAIN, BE EVER READY
TO 00 ITS PART IN KEEPING THE UNITED NAVY STRONG AND PREPARED FOR
ANY EVENTUALITY.
IT IS OUR HERITAGE OF THE PAST, THE SKILLS ACQUIRED, THE EXPERIENCE
ACCUMULATED, THAT HAS MADE US WHAT WE ARE TODAY. WE ARE DEPEND~
ENT UPON OUR PAST fOR OUR GROWTH IN THE FUTURE. MISTAKES OF THE
PAST SHOULD NOT BE FORGOTTEN. LESSONS LEARNED SHOULD NOT PASS
UNHEEDED.
WE MUST REMEMBER THE PAST AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE. WE SHOULD
REMEMBER NOT ONLY THE PRACTICAL TEACHINGS OF EXPERIENCE IN SHIPBUILDING AND REPAIR, BUT THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF MANY WORKMEN TO
THE GROWING "KNOW-HOW" WE HAVE ACCUMULATED. THE "OLD-TIMERS"
WILL ALWAYS BE OUR BRIDGE OF SKILLS FROM THE PAST, THROUGH THE PRES.
ENT, TO THE FUTURE. NOR MUST WE FORGET THE SACRIFICES OF THOSE WHO
FOUGHT AND DIED ON THE FIELDS OF BATTLE, OR IN THE LINES OF PRODUCTION HERE AT MARE ISLAND, NOR YET THE LIVING, WHOSE SACRIFICE
BROUGHT THEM TO A HOSPITAL BED. WE MUST, AS WE 010 DURING THE WAR,
EVER LEND OUR SUPPORT TO A STRONG UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, IN
INDUSTRIAL EFFORT, MORALLY, AND THROUGH THE PURCHASES OF UNITED
STATES BONOS.
THE COMPOSITE OF OUR PAST PROVIDES THE OVERTONES OF OUR FUTURE.
THE DIRECTION OF OUR PATHS LIES IN THE HANDS OF OUR LEADERS, DEALING
ACROSS INTERNATIONAL BOUNDARIES. WE PRAY THAT SUCH MEN, BORN TO
GOODWILL, WILL FORGE AN INDESTRUCTIBLE CHAIN OF PEACE AROUND THE
WORLD. IT WILL EVER BE OUR TASK TO KEEP THE UNITED STATES STRONG,
SHOULD ONE OF THE LINKS OF THAT CHAIN EVER PART.
AS WE LOOK TO THE FUTURE, OUR LEADERS ABOUT MARE ISLAND ARE
STRONG MEN, SKILLED AND DETERMINED: ADMIRAL EDWARDS, COMMAN_
DANT, WESTERN SEA FRONTIER; VICE ADMIRAL KINGMAN, COMMANDER,
3RD flEET; REAR ADMIRAL BEARY, COMMANDANT, 12TH NAVAL DISTRICT;
REAR ADMIRAL TISDALE, COMMANDANT, NAVAL BASE, SAN FRANCISCO;
REAR ADMIRAL KLEIN, COMMANDER, MARE ISLAND NAVAL SHIPYARD. IN
WASHINGTON, OUR SECRETARY OF THE NAVY FORRESTAL STILL HOLDS THE
HELM, WITH HIS UNDER SECRETARY SULLIVAN, AND ASSISTANT SECRETARIES
AND NAVY CHIEFS. ALL THESE AND MANY MORE MAKE UP THE TEAM DIRECT.
ING THE PROGRESS OF MARE ISLAND ALONG A PATH OF DESTINY WHICH
WILL BE SHARED WITH THE WHOLE WORLD.
INDEED, THE FUTURE OF MANKIND, WHETHER IN WAR OR PEACE, CAN BE
SUMMED UP IN THREE PICTURES ON THE OPPOSITE PAGE: OUR YOUNGER
GENERATION, GROWING UP; THE UNITED NATIONS, PICTURED AS THEY VIS_
ITED MARE ISLAND IN 1945; AND THE ATOMIC BOMB EXPLOSION ON BAKER:
DAY AT BIKINI. BUT, THE IMPLORATIONS OF THIS PICTURE SEQUENCE MAY NOT
BE HEEDED. THEREFORE WE MUST, AND WE WILL, BE PREPARED TO BACK UP
THE SHIPS THAT GO TO SEA WITH THE INDUSTRIAL MIGHT OF MARE ISLAND
IN THIS WORLD OF ELECTRONICS AND ATOMiC POWER.
60
l SUBmARinE TEnDER U. S.S. nEREUS
r
LAunCHED FEBRUARY 12, 1945
12,500 YEARS OF SERUICE!
IACKIONI 0' MARl I LAND AeMllVIMINT HAVI IIIH lNI . . ~
SANS, ENGINEERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE PIISOHNIL WHO MADI
MAR
ISLAND THUI CAIUI
L15l1D ON lHIS 'AOI AI' ,ttl NAMII
Of IVERY MAN AND WOMAN WHO SUVID MAl. ISLAND OU.....
..
~.
•
•
~~
10TH WOlllD WARS I AND II MANY WI IIMIMIII IN MIMOI"', AU.
WI HONOR fOR lHllI SKllUD
IfflCIENT AND LOYAL UIVICI.
'"
f1iJL Vimu Df-
HE ISLAnD nAUY YARD-,,'"'",-'
VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA
t1.iJL Vimu Df-
0, CALIFORniA
VAL CITY Of THE WEST
ACROSS THE CHANNEL FROM
~M"I.I ISLAND NAVY YARD