Vancouver Shipyard
The Kaiser Company, Vancouver, commonly known as the Vancouver Shipyard, was an emergency shipyard constructed along the Columbia River in Vancouver, Washington, to help meet the production demands of the United States Maritime Commission in World War II. The shipyard was one of three Kaiser Shipyards in the Pacific Northwest, along with the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation and the Swan Island Shipyard across the Columbia in Portland, Oregon.[1]
History
The Vancouver yard began production in early 1942 and totaled nearly 200 acres (81 ha).[1] It had an initial payroll of 38,000 workers.[1] The shipyard produced vessels of five different types, with Casablanca-class escort carriers being its biggest production line.[2][3]
The shipyard's first escort carrier, USS Casablanca, was launched on April 5, 1943.[4]
In 1960, the shipyard was purchased by Gilmore Steel for $3,279,000.[5]
References
- ^ a b c Gordon Oliver. "Kaiser Shipyards". The Oregon Encyclopedia. Portland State University, Oregon Historical Society. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
- ^ Tom Vogt (August 18, 2013). "Working on the war effort at Vancouver's Kaiser Shipyard". The Columbian. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
- ^ "Kaiser Vancouver, Vancouver WA". ShipbuildingHistory.com. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
- ^ Kit Oldham (February 21, 2003). "Kaiser shipyard in Vancouver launches its first escort aircraft carrier on April 5, 1943". HistoryLink. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
- ^ "Portland Firm Buys Shipyard". Everett Daily Herald. AP. April 20, 1960. p. 26 – via Newspapers.com.
External links
- Media related to Vancouver Shipyard at Wikimedia Commons
- "The Bo's'n's Whistle: Vancouver Shipyard Edition" at OHS Digital Collections
- "Kaiser Company, Inc. (Vancouver, Wash.)" at OHS Digital Collections