The long beach naval shipyard, which closed in 1997. Long beach naval shipyard long beach, california landmark. Naval dry docks, roosevelt base, california, opened with 300 workers. Supporters of air power argued that the battleship as the principal capital ship of the navy was obsolete because of the long reach of naval aircraft. Uss missouri was commissioned on june 11, 1944 uss missouri is one of four iowa class battleships completed by the united states during world war ii. A history of the long beach naval shipyard, roosevelt base.
It covers mostly the shipyard and its special equipment, special projects and most of all the special people who made it the only naval shipyard in history to receive the meritorious unit citation. Created in 1998, the long beach navy memorial heritage association lbnmha exists to. Of the approximate 4700 acres, approximately acres were or will be transferred to other federal and state agencies. Prior to its move to panama in 1996, the crane was based at the long beach naval shipyard from the end of world war ii until the yards closure in 1995. Terminal island closed in 1947, and its property assigned to the bureau of yards and docks. A history of the long beach naval complex on terminal island, california.
By 1965 the entire cunard fleet was operating at a loss and they decided to retire and sell the legendary queen mary. On may 1, 1995, long beach was decommissioned and stricken from the navy list. San pedro becomes battleship anchorage of the pacific fleet san pedro bay operations the impact of the manchurian crisis the fleets growing impact on the local communities naval expansion and the fight to keep the fleet in san pedro the fleet prepares for war. Naval dry docks activity later to be renamed long beach naval shipyard was established to encompass the existing terminal island facilities, with the mission to perform routine and battledamage repairs to naval ships. Jul 27, 2009 a history of the long beach naval complex on terminal island, california. The 1995 base realignment and closure commission recommended closing the shipyard. Combat naval gunfire support file conga, fixedlength version, 31966 11973 a record of hulls vietnam gunfire support missions. After six years of active duty, including service in the persian gulf war in 1991, the famous battleship is decommissioned for the second time in march 1992 at the long beach naval shipyard in california and. The destroyer departed the shipyard on 21 december and steamed to san diego where she began preparations both at sea and in port for refresher training on 7 e february 1973. She was launched in 1944 toward the end of world war ii at the new york naval shipyard in brooklyn, new york.
Queen mary story thequeen mary legendary queen mary ship. There were quite a few naval facilities in long beach at the time, including the naval shipyard, naval station, and several piers. The 21th annual picnicstyle reunion was the formal last call for the waning group. She completed those repairs on 21 october, conducted sea trials on the 28th and 29th, and began normal operations out of san diego early in november. Officially retiring from ocean travel, the queen mary was moved to sunny long beach, california where it is a living landmark, popular attraction and hotel, exposing a whole new generation of fans to bygone era. The increasing popularity of air travel helped signal the end of an era for the queen mary.
She was then berthed at the puget sound naval shipyard in bremerton, wa, and got her superstructure removed. Growth of the long beach naval shipyard eventually obliterated the former airfields runways. A formidable vessel with numerous guns mounted in gun turrets, mighty mo. The primary role of nsy long beach at the time of its closure was overhaul and maintenance of conventionallypowered us navy surface ships. Naval shipyard dry dock built to service the largest naval ships. Kearsarge was redesignated as attack aircraft carrier cva 33 on october 1, 1952, and antisubmarine warfare aircraft carrier cvs 33 in october 1958. Uss long beach was laid down as cgn 9, 2 december 1957 by bethlehem steel co. Join huell as he takes us on one of the last tours of the base which is to be closed due to military downsizing.
The name of this facility was changed to terminal island naval shipyard on november 30, 1945. This view was strengthened early in world war ii when the british carried out a carrier strike on the italian battle fleet at taranto on november 11, 1940. The shipyard was renamed to long beach naval shipyard nsy in march 1948. Uss missouri bb63 was built by the new york naval shipyard. The charleston naval shipyard served as a shipbuilding and repair facility for the u. An aerial view of the long beach naval shipyard on december 9, 1973 in long beach, california. Following a similar cruise, 6 january2 july 1958, she was converted to an antisubmarine warfare support carrier cvs12 in the puget sound naval shipyard. Oil was discovered on signal hill and long beach flourished with a milliondollarpermonth building boom downtown.
Naval station, long beach california state military museum. The destroyer departed the shipyard on 21 december and steamed to san diego where she began preparations both at. The vessel had been moored at the puget sound naval shipyard for 30 years 19541984. Long beach nsy was primarily a repair yard and is now a container terminal. Ticonderoga reached san diego on the 17th and disembarked her air group.
This site was developed to allow former employees, friends and family a way to communicate and stay in contact. Landgraff 2009, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. On october 31, 1967, the queen mary departed on her final cruise, arriving in long beach, california, on december 9, 1967. The charleston naval shipyard began as a drydock and then ramped up shipbuilding operations with the beginning of world war i. Operational closure of the mcas occurred in july 1999. In a study documented in 1979, 6,640 employees, or about 88 percent of the total number of staff members, underwent a chest xray to determine if they had developed any abnormalities as a result of their exposure. The name became long beach naval shipyard nsy in march 1948. Late winter of 1960 she completed her yard period at. The long beach nsy was placed in an inactive status on 1 june 1950. Long beach was first assigned to the atlantic fleet.
The airfield was adjacent to the former long beach naval station. In 1992, the navy decommissions mighty mo in long beach. Even as the flags were marched away and the final ships bell rang friday, marking the end of the long beach naval station, it was clear that few were willing to surrender. An aerial view of the long beach naval shipyard on. Quick facts about the long beach naval shipyard press. On the 22d, she entered the long beach naval shipyard for postdeployment repairs. The uss long beach cgn9, a nuclearpowered guided missile cruiser, was commissioned on 9 sep 1961. On sunday, april 12, 1992, the uss missouri bb 63 arrives under tow at the puget sound naval shipyard in bremerton for deactivation and storage at the puget sound naval shipyard.
New orleans ns was never a naval shipyard but built some sub chasers during wwi. For the last of the yardbirds, long beachs oncemighty. Bremerton, along with pearl harbor in honolulu, san francisco, and long beach, california, all submitted proposals to the navy for the historic battleship. Records of naval districts and shore establishments. Uss kearsarge was the 16 th essex class aircraft carrier and the third ship in the navy to bear the name. In a study documented in 1979, 6,640 employees, or about 88 percent of the total number of staff members, underwent a chest xray to determine if they had. After retirement, i was then free to provide the author any and all personal knowledge of the ships reactivation period at the long beach naval shipyard. The 1995 base realignment and closure commission recommended closing the. Long beach navy memorial long beach, ca earth globes.
The first on the entire west coast, with 142 years of service to our nation, the mare island naval shipyard has been a long time builder of californias naval gold. On 3 april 1959 she sailed from long beach to join the 7th fleet in antisubmarine warfare tactics ranging from japan to okinawa and the philippines. The text deals with some of the special facitlities such as dry dock 1 and. The chinese will have the option to expand the perimeter of the operation onto another 150 acres of old navy shipyards that will be developed at the city of long beach taxpayers expense. Uss long beach was the first nuclear powered guided missile cruiser. Operation desert storm is the last chapter in the long beach naval stations and the long beach naval shipyards long service to our country. Queen mary story thequeen mary legendary queen mary. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection. She was subsequently towed to the puget sound naval shipyard in bremerton, arriving without fanfare on sunday, april 12, 1992. George fink, left, and gene rose, right, raffle off a shipyard plaque and book during the long beach naval shipyard reunion at. The long beach naval station and naval shipyard played a critical role in the history and development of long beach, california. Long beachs hull is currently awaiting final disposal.
Uss long beach served her country for 33 years, 7 months and 22 days, until decommissioned on 1 may 1995. The naval reserve established a training center at the san pedro. The uss missouri bb63, moored at bremertons puget sound naval shipyard from 1954 to 1984, was the last battleship commissioned by the united states navy and the second battleship to bear the name missouri. Former long beach naval complex united states navy. In 1994, the naval station closes permanently followed by the departure of herman the german to panama. Many workers at the long beach naval shipyard were exposed to high levels of asbestos fibers. Herman was dismantled and transported across the atlantic through the panama canal to long beach, where it subsequently served at the long beach navy yard from 1946 following its reassembly to 1994 when the shipyard was closed. The uss taluga ao62 retured from its wwii tour in the pacific here on. A tale of two bases, the long beach naval station and. Herman the german was seized as a war prize following the end of world war ii. Uss missouri bb63 returns to bremerton for deactivation. Naval shipyards where sailors were exposed to asbestos. Titan, better known by its former nickname herman the german us navy designation yd171, is a large floating crane currently serving in the panama canal zone performing heavy lifts for lock maintenance. On 15 november 1946, the adjoining naval station long beach was established.
Paul selected the best memories i documented and included them superbly into the book. The naval reserve established a training center at the san pedro airfield in 1927. The missouri was opened to the public during the summer of 1995, and received 216,149 visitors. Search the history of over 431 billion web pages on the internet. To commemorate these bases, a video legacy has been produced which takes viewers through the earliest beginnings of the base and shipyard in the 1930s through to their closing in the 1990s.
Naval history and heritage command united states navy. During world war ii, the naval dry docks provided routine and battle damage repairs to a parade of tankers, cargo ships, troop transports, destroyers, and cruisers. She was laid down on january 6, 1941, and launched on january 29, 1944. In 1860, san francisco merchant and irvine patriarch james irvine sr. Photo by albert mootedonaldson collectiongetty images. A number of destroyers were home ported there as well as all of the pacific force minesweepers. The site was located in north charleston, south carolina near the west bank of the cooper river. The iowa class battleships were built and designed without any of the treaty limitations that. Operational history click on book to view crew pictures click on book to view crew pictures. She completed those repairs on 21 october, conducted sea trials on the 28th and 29th, and began normal operations out of san diego early in. Local exercises and inspections occupied agerholm until 24 july 1972 when she entered the long beach naval shipyard for a fivemonth overhaul. Craig hosmer, wife of congressman hosmer of california. On march 31, 1992, while moored at the long beach naval shipyard, the uss missouri was decommissioned for the second time and reentered the reserve fleet. However, on april 21, 1997, the long beach harbor commission voted to cancel the lease with cosco.
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