Kaiser Vancouver Shipyard file photo [31723]

Kaiser Vancouver Shipyard

Type   261 Shipyard
Historical Name of Location   Vancouver, Washington, United States
Coordinates   45.612138000, -122.638952000

Contributor:

ww2dbaseThe Kaiser Shipbuilding Company was established by industrialist Henry J. Kaiser in 1939. By the time the United States entered WW2 in Dec 1941, it was operating seven shipyards on the western coast of the United States. Its Vancouver Shipyard, established hurriedly in early 1942 to meet war time demands, was located on nearly 200 acres of land in Vancouver, Washington, United States. In early 1942, it employed 38,000 employees. It produced vessels of five different types, with the Casablanca-class escort carriers being the largest. The Kaiser Shipyards shut down at the end of the war, and Vancouver Shipyard was sold to Gilmore Steel for US$3,250,000.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia

Last Major Update: Apr 2022

Ships Constructed at Kaiser Vancouver Shipyard

Ship NameYard NoSlip/Drydock NoOrderedLaid DownLaunchedCommissioned
Casablanca3 Nov 19425 Apr 19438 Jul 1943
Anzio12 Dec 19421 May 194327 Aug 1943
Corregidor3041018 Jun 194217 Dec 194231 Aug 194331 Aug 1943
Manila Bay15 Jan 194310 Jul 19435 Oct 1943
Natoma Bay17 Jan 194320 Jul 194314 Oct 1943
Wake Island6 Feb 194315 Sep 19437 Nov 1943
Shamrock Bay15 Mar 19434 Feb 194415 Mar 1944
Marcus Island15 Sep 194316 Dec 194326 Jan 1944
Savo Island27 Sep 194322 Dec 19433 Feb 1944
Ommaney Bay6 Oct 194329 Dec 194311 Feb 1944
Petrof Bay15 Oct 19435 Jan 194418 Feb 1944
Sargent Bay8 Nov 194331 Jan 19449 Mar 1944
Steamer Bay4 Dec 194326 Feb 19444 Apr 1944
Makin Island12 Jan 19445 Apr 19449 May 1944
Sanborn10 Mar 194419 Aug 19443 Oct 1944

Slip/Drydock Utilization

[Con]: Construction; [FO]: Fitting Out



Kaiser Vancouver Shipyard Interactive Map

Photographs

Three Casablanca-class escort carriers being readied for launch at the Kaiser Shipyards, Vancouver, Washington, United States, Jan 1943. At the White House 18 Mar 1943, Henry Kaiser, right, and President Franklin Roosevelt looking at a model of a Casablanca-class escort aircraft carrier, then under construction at Kaiser’s Vancouver, Washington shipyard.USS Casablanca (right) being prepared for launching two days later, Kaiser Vancouver Shipyard, Vancouver, Washington, United States, 3 Apr 1943; note Casablanca-class escort carriers Liscombe Bay, Alikula Bay, and Corregidor under constructionFirst Lady Eleanor Roosevelt preparing to christen the USS Casablanca, the lead ship in a new class of escort carriers, 5 Apr 1943, Kaiser Shipyards, Vancouver, Washington, United States.

Kaiser Vancouver Shipyard Timeline

15 Apr 1942 Henry Kaiser’s Vancouver Shipyard laid down its first keel. The ship would go on to become the Liberty-ship George Vancouver.
17 Dec 1942 The keel of Anguilla Bay was laid down by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Company in Vancouver, Washington, United States.
18 Mar 1943 At the White House in Washington DC, United States, President Franklin met with Navy Rear Admiral Emory Land, Chairman of the United States Maritime Commission, Rear Admiral Howard Vickery, Vice-Chairman of the United States Maritime Commission, Artemis Gates, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air, and industrialist Henry J. Kaiser who presented the President with a model of the proposed Casablanca-class escort aircraft carrier, 50 of which Kaiser would build at his Vancouver, Washington shipyard.
12 May 1943 Corregidor was launched by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Company in Vancouver, Washington, United States, sponsored by Mrs. J. Hallett.
8 Nov 1943 Casablanca-class escort carrier Sargent Bay was laid down at the Kaiser Shipyard, Vancouver, Washington, United States.
4 Dec 1943 Casablanca-class escort carrier Steamer Bay was laid down at Kaiser Vancouver Shipyard, Vancouver, Washington, United States.
31 Jan 1944 Casablanca-class escort carrier Sargent Bay was launched at the Kaiser Shipyard, Vancouver, Washington, United States.
26 Feb 1944 Casablanca-class escort carrier Steamer Bay was launched at Kaiser Vancouver Shipyard, Vancouver, Washington, United States with Mrs. Evelyn Kendall as sponsor, wife of Rear Admiral Henry S. Kendall.




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Modern Day Location
WW2-Era Place Name Vancouver, Washington, United States
Lat/Long 45.6121, -122.6390
Kaiser Vancouver Shipyard Photo Gallery
Three Casablanca-class escort carriers being readied for launch at the Kaiser Shipyards, Vancouver, Washington, United States, Jan 1943.
See all 4 photographs of Kaiser Vancouver Shipyard


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