The Boston Navy Yard, originally called the Charlestown Navy Yard and later Boston Naval Shipyard, was one of the oldest shipbuilding facilities in the United States Navy. Established in 1801, it was officially closed as an active naval installation on July 1, 1974, and the 30-acre (120,000 m2) property was transferred to the National Park Service to be part of Boston National Historical Park. Enough of the yard remains in operation to support the USS Constitution. The USS Cassin Young, a World War II-era destroyer serving as a museum ship, is also berthed here. Among people in the area and the National Park Service, it is still known as the Charlestown Navy Yard.[1]
The South Boston Naval Annex was located along the waterfront in South Boston.
History[]
The earliest naval shipbuilding activities in Charlestown, Massachusetts, began during the American Revolutionary War. The land for the Charlestown Navy Yard was purchased in 1800 and the yard itself established shortly thereafter. The yard built the first U.S. ship of the line, USS Independence, but was primarily a repair and storage facility until the 1890s, when it started to build steel ships for the "New Navy". By then, it was called the Boston Navy Yard.
On June 24, 1833, the staff and dignitaries including Martin Van Buren, Secretary of War Lewis Cass, Secretary of the Navy Levi Woodbury, and many Massachusetts officials, witnessed "one of the great events of American naval history": the United States frigate Constitution was inaugurating the first naval drydock in New England designed by prominent civil engineer Loammi Baldwin, Jr..[2] On March 14, 1975, the historic ship floated out of the dock—the last commissioned vessel to use the facility.[3]
| Boston Navy Shipyard | |
|---|---|
| Boston, Massachusetts | |
| Type | Shipyard |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States Navy |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1800 |
| In use | 1800 — 1975 |
The ropewalk supplied cordage used in the Navy from the time it opened in 1837 until the Yard closed in 1975. After the Civil War, the Yard was downgraded to an Equipment and Recruit Facility.[3]
In the 1890s, the Navy began expanding and that brought new life to the Yard. In the first years of the 20th century, a second drydock was added. During WWII, it worked to fix British Ships damaged by the Germans. On 27 September 1941 Liberty Fleet Day Boston launched two destroyers USS Cowie and USS Knight. In November 1941, Boston was one of four United States naval shipyards selected to build Captain class frigates as Lend-Lease for the Royal Navy. Since the United States was at war when these ships were completed, some were used by the United States Navy as destroyer escorts.[4] In the post war period, the shipyard modified World War II ships for Cold War service through Fleet Rehabilitation and Modernization (FRAM). The Korean War and Vietnam War didn't bring much work to the Yard since it was so far from the fighting.[citation needed]
[]
The South Boston Naval Annex, circa 1958
- 1934 — USS MacDonough (DD-351) - (Farragut class destroyer)[5] Attack on Pearl Harbor - Battle of Savo Island - Battle of the Philippine Sea - Battle of Leyte Gulf
- 1935 — USS Monaghan (DD-354) - (Farragut class destroyer)[5] Attack on Pearl Harbor - Battle of the Coral Sea - Battle of Midway - Battle of the Komandorski Islands - Battle of the Philippine Sea
- 1935 — USS Case (DD-370) - (Mahan class destroyer)[6] Attack on Pearl Harbor - Battle of the Philippine Sea
- 1935 — USS Conyngham (DD-371) - (Mahan class destroyer)[6] Attack on Pearl Harbor - Battle of Midway - Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands - Operation Crossroads
- 1936 — USS Mugford (DD-389) - (Benham class destroyer)[7] Attack on Pearl Harbor
- 1936 — USS Ralph Talbot (DD-390) - (Benham class destroyer)[7] Attack on Pearl Harbor - Battle of Savo Island - Battle of Kolombangara - Battle off Cape Engaño - Operation Crossroads
- 1938 — USS Mayrant (DD-402) - (Benham class destroyer)[7] Naval Battle of Casablanca - Operation Crossroads
- 1938 — USS Trippe (DD-403) - (Benham class destroyer)[7] Allied invasion of Sicily - Invasion of Salerno - Operation Crossroads
- 1939 — USS O'Brien (DD-415) - (Sims class destroyer)[8] Guadalcanal Campaign
- 1939 — USS Walke (DD-416) - (Sims class destroyer)[8] Naval Battle of Guadalcanal
- 1939 — USS Madison (DD-425) - (Benson class destroyer)[8] Battle of the Atlantic - Operation Dragoon
- 1939 — USS Lansdale (DD-426) - (Benson class destroyer)[8] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1940 — USS Gwin (DD-433) - (Gleaves class destroyer)[9] Doolittle Raid - Battle of Midway - Naval Battle of Guadalcanal - Battle of Kolombangara
- 1940 — USS Meredith (DD-434) - (Gleaves class destroyer)[9] Doolittle Raid
- 1940 — USS Wilkes (DD-441) - (Gleaves class destroyer)[10] Naval Battle of Casablanca
- 1940 — USS Nicholson (DD-442) - (Gleaves class destroyer)[10] invasion of Salerno - Battle for Leyte Gulf
- 1941 — USS Forrest (DD-461) - (Gleaves class destroyer)[10] Operation Torch - Normandy invasion - Operation Dragoon - Battle of Okinawa
- 1941 — USS Fitch (DD-462) - (Gleaves class destroyer)[10] Operation Torch - Normandy invasion - Operation Dragoon
- 1941 — USS Cowie (DD-632) - (Gleaves class destroyer)[11] Operation Torch - Allied invasion of Sicily
- 1941 — USS Knight (DD-633) - (Gleaves class destroyer)[11] Operation Torch - Allied invasion of Sicily - Allied invasion of Italy
- 1941 — USS Doran (DD-634) - (Gleaves class destroyer)[11] Operation Torch - Allied invasion of Sicily
- 1941 — USS Earle (DD-635) - (Gleaves class destroyer)[11] Allied invasion of Sicily
- 1942 — USS Guest (DD-472) - (Fletcher class destroyer)[11] Battle of the Philippine Sea - Battle of Iwo Jima - Battle of Okinawa
- 1942 — USS Bennett (DD-473) - (Fletcher class destroyer)[11] Battle of Iwo Jima - Battle of Okinawa
- 1942 — USS Fullam (DD-474) - (Fletcher class destroyer)[11] Battle of the Philippine Sea - Battle of Iwo Jima - Battle of Okinawa
- 1942 — USS Hudson (DD-475) - (Fletcher class destroyer)[11] Battle of the Philippine Sea - Battle of Iwo Jima - Battle of Okinawa
- 1942 — USS Hutchins (DD-476) - (Fletcher class destroyer)[11] Battle of Surigao Strait - Battle of Iwo Jima - Battle of Okinawa
- 1942 — USS Charrette (DD-581) - (Fletcher class destroyer)[12] Battle of the Philippine Sea - Battle for Leyte Gulf
- 1942 — USS Conner (DD-582) - (Fletcher class destroyer)[12] Battle of the Philippine Sea - Battle for Leyte Gulf
- 1942 — USS Hall (DD-583) - (Fletcher class destroyer)[12] Philippines campaign - Battle of Iwo Jima - Battle of Okinawa
- 1943 — USS Halligan (DD-584) - (Fletcher class destroyer)[12] Philippines campaign - Battle of Iwo Jima - Battle of Okinawa
- 1943 — USS Haraden (DD-585) - (Fletcher class destroyer)[12] Philippines campaign
- 1943 — USS Newcomb (DD-586) - (Fletcher class destroyer)[12] Battle of Surigao Strait - Battle of Iwo Jima - Battle of Okinawa
- 1943 — USS Bennion (DD-662) - (Fletcher class destroyer)[13] Battle of Leyte - Battle of Iwo Jima - Battle of Okinawa
- 1943 — USS Heywood L. Edwards (DD-663) - (Fletcher class destroyer)[13] Battle of Surigao Strait - Battle of Iwo Jima - Battle of Okinawa
- 1943 — USS Richard P. Leary (DD-664) - (Fletcher class destroyer)[13] Battle of Surigao Strait - Battle of Iwo Jima - Battle of Okinawa
- 1942 — HMS Bayntun - (Captain class frigate)[14] shared credit for sinking U-757, U-1279, U-989 & U-1278
- 1942 — HMS Bazely - (Captain class frigate)[14] shared credit for sinking U-648, U-600 & U-636
- 1942 — HMS Berry - (Captain class frigate)[14] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1942 — HMS Blackwood - (Captain class frigate)[14] shared credit for sinking U-648 & U-600
- 1942 — USS Evarts (DE-5) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[15] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1942 — USS Wyffels (DE-6) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[15] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — USS Griswold (DE-7) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[15] shared credit for sinking I-39 - Battle of Okinawa
- 1943 — USS Steele (DE-8) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[15] Pacific Theater of Operations
- 1943 — USS Carlson (DE-9) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[15] Battle of Okinawa
- 1943 — USS Bebas (DE-10) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[16] Battle of Okinawa
- 1943 — USS Crouter (DE-11) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[16] Battle of Okinawa
- 1943 — HMS Burges - (Captain class frigate)[14] shared credit for sinking U-1063
- 1943 — USS Seid (DE-256) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[16] Battle of Okinawa
- 1943 — USS Smartt (DE-257) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[16] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — USS Walter S. Brown (DE-258) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[16] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — USS William C. Miller (DE-259) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[16] shared credit for sinking Japanese submarine I-55 (1944)
- 1943 — USS Cabana (DE-260) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[16] Pacific Theater of Operations
- 1943 — USS Dionne (DE-261) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[16] Pacific Theater of Operations
- 1943 — USS Canfield (DE-262) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[17] Pacific Theater of Operations
- 1943 — USS Deede (DE-263) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[17] Pacific Theater of Operations
- 1943 — USS Elden (DE-264) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[17] Pacific Theater of Operations
- 1943 — USS Cloues (DE-265) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[17] Battle of Okinawa
- 1943 — HMS Capel - (Captain class frigate)[14] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — HMS Cooke - (Captain class frigate)[14] shared credit for sinking U-988 & U-214
- 1943 — HMS Dacres - (Captain class frigate)[14] Normandy Invasion
- 1943 — HMS Domett - (Captain class frigate)[14] shared credit for sinking U-988
- 1943 — HMS Foley - (Captain class frigate)[14] shared credit for sinking U-538
- 1943 — HMS Garlies - (Captain class frigate)[14] shared credit for sinking U-358
- 1943 — HMS Gould - (Captain class frigate)[14] shared credit for sinking U-91 & U-358
- 1943 — HMS Grindall - (Captain class frigate)[14] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — HMS Gardiner - (Captain class frigate)[14] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — HMS Goodall - (Captain class frigate)[14] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — HMS Goodson - (Captain class frigate)[14] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — HMS Gore - (Captain class frigate)[14] shared credit for sinking U-91 & U-358
- 1943 — HMS Keats - (Captain class frigate)[14] shared credit for sinking U-1172 & U-285
- 1943 — HMS Kempthorne - (Captain class frigate)[14] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — HMS Kingsmill - (Captain class frigate)[14] Normandy Invasion
- 1943 — HMS Lawford - (Captain class frigate)[14] Normandy Invasion
- 1943 — HMS Louis - (Captain class frigate)[14] shared credit for sinking U-445
- 1943 — HMS Lawson - (Captain class frigate)[14] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — HMS Pasley - (Captain class frigate)[14] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — HMS Loring - (Captain class frigate)[14] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — HMS Hoste - (Captain class frigate)[14] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — HMS Moorsom - (Captain class frigate)[14] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — HMS Manners - (Captain class frigate)[14] shared credit for sinking U-1051
- 1943 — HMS Mounsey - (Captain class frigate)[14] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — HMS Inglis - (Captain class frigate)[14] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — HMS Inman - (Captain class frigate)[14] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — USS O'Toole (DE-527) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[17] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — USS John J. Powers (DE-528) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[17] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — USS Mason (DE-529) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[17] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — USS John M. Bermingham (DE-530) - (Evarts class destroyer escort)[17] Battle of the Atlantic
- 1943 — USS Edward H. Allen (DE-531) - (John C. Butler class destroyer escort)[18] rescued crew of the SS Andrea Doria
- 1943 — USS Tweedy (DE-532) - (John C. Butler class destroyer escort)[18]
- 1943 — USS Howard F. Clark (DE-533) - (John C. Butler class destroyer escort)[18] Battle for Leyte Gulf - Battle of Okinawa
- 1943 — USS Silverstein (DE-534) - (John C. Butler class destroyer escort)[18] Pacific Theater of Operations - Korean War
- 1943 — USS Lewis (DE-535) - (John C. Butler class destroyer escort)[18] Pacific Theater of Operations
- 1943 — USS Bivin (DE-536) - (John C. Butler class destroyer escort)[18] Pacific Theater of Operations
- 1943 — USS Rizzi (DE-537) - (John C. Butler class destroyer escort)[18]
- 1943 — USS Osberg (DE-538) - (John C. Butler class destroyer escort)[18]
- 1945 — USS Donner (LSD-20) - (Casa Grande class dock landing ship)[19] Mercury-Redstone 2 recovery
- 1945 — USS Fort Mandan (LSD-21) - (Casa Grande class dock landing ship)[19]
- 1945 — USS Tortuga (LSD-26) - (Casa Grande class dock landing ship)[19] Korean War - Vietnam War
- 1945 — USS Whetstone (LSD-27) - (Casa Grande class dock landing ship)[19] Korean War - Vietnam War
- 1955 — USS Wagner (DER-539) - (John C. Butler class destroyer escort)[18]
- 1955 — USS Vandivier (DER-540) - (John C. Butler class destroyer escort)[18]
Present day[]
USS Cassin Young berthed at the Boston Navy Yard
A view of the dry dock without water
The Cassin Young in drydock
USS Cassin Young in dry dock at night
The Yard closed after the Vietnam War. When ideas were floated for redevelopment of the yard, one popular idea was to have the yard turned into a construction yard for oil tankers.[20] Ultimately, these plans fell through, and the site became part of the Boston National Historical Park. Its mission is, "to interpret the art and history of naval shipbuilding." [3] The Charlestown Navy Yard hosts many attractions. The fully commissioned USS Constitution and the museum ship USS Cassin Young (DD-793) are tied up at Pier 1 and open to the public (as the Constitution is a US Navy ship, consult her official website before visiting). The Navy Yard also hosts the USS Constitution Museum. Drydock No. 1 is still used for ship maintenance, mostly on historic vessels.
The Yard is toward the North end of the Freedom Trail and is seen by thousands every year. The MBTA Water Shuttle stops at nearby Pier 3, providing easy visitor access to the Yard.
References[]
- ↑ Charlestown Navy Yard, National Park Service
- ↑ Historic Naval Ships Association
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Charlestown Navy Yard: The Shipyard on the Charles
- ↑ Franklin, Bruce Hampton (1999) The Buckley-class Destroyer Escorts Naval Institute Press ISBN 1-55750-280-3 p.7
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Silverstone, Paul H. U.S. Warships of World War II (1968) Doubleday & Company p.114
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Silverstone, Paul H. U.S. Warships of World War II (1968) Doubleday & Company p.118
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Silverstone, Paul H. U.S. Warships of World War II (1968) Doubleday & Company p.124
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Silverstone, Paul H. U.S. Warships of World War II (1968) Doubleday & Company p.126
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Silverstone, Paul H. U.S. Warships of World War II (1968) Doubleday & Company p.129
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Silverstone, Paul H. U.S. Warships of World War II (1968) Doubleday & Company p.132
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 Silverstone, Paul H. U.S. Warships of World War II (1968) Doubleday & Company p.135
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 Silverstone, Paul H. U.S. Warships of World War II (1968) Doubleday & Company p.140
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Silverstone, Paul H. U.S. Warships of World War II (1968) Doubleday & Company p.141
- ↑ 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 14.12 14.13 14.14 14.15 14.16 14.17 14.18 14.19 14.20 14.21 14.22 14.23 14.24 14.25 14.26 14.27 14.28 14.29 14.30 Lenton, H.T. & Colledge, J.J. (1968) British and Dominion Warships of World War II Doubleday pp.242-245
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 Silverstone, Paul H. U.S. Warships of World War II (1968) Doubleday & Company p.153
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 Silverstone, Paul H. U.S. Warships of World War II (1968) Doubleday & Company p.155
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 17.6 17.7 Silverstone, Paul H. U.S. Warships of World War II (1968) Doubleday & Company p.157
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 18.7 18.8 18.9 Silverstone, Paul H. U.S. Warships of World War II (1968) Doubleday & Company p.175
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 Silverstone, Paul H. U.S. Warships of World War II (1968) Doubleday & Company pp.263&266
- ↑ "NEW ENGLAND: Bases for Sale". New England: Time Incorporated. July 1, 1974. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,942895,00.html. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
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