How a small town built 50 Aircraft Carriers in 16 months.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ต.ค. 2021
- The story of the Vancouver Shipyard in Washington State and their nearly forgotten contribution to the Allied Victory in World War Two. @AnyHistory
Watch the Escort Carriers that were built in Vancouver fight the largest battleship ever built.
• The Battle off Samar |...
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Fun fact... In early 1942 Henry Kaiser proposed to the U.S. Navy that he could build 30 escort carriers. The Navy rejected the offer. Undeterred, Kaiser went directly to FDR and proposed to build 100 escort carriers. FDR approved 50. You gotta love a guy like Henry Kaiser who doesn't take "no" for an answer, ups the ante and gets a contract for 50 instead of 30 escort carriers! Check out this short video on the Casablanca escort carriers. Enjoy. th-cam.com/video/6WSd0ZJuRHg/w-d-xo.html
@@1982nsu The escort carriers were also used in the Top Secret war on U-boats. Beginning in March, 1943 they were using Mark 24 "Fido" acoustic homing torpedoes to sink U-boats. The homing torpedoes were so successful that they reduced the original factory order by more than HALF. There is a TH-cam video on how the homing torpedoes were used and an actual audio recording of an attack that sank the Japanese sub I-52 carrying strategic supplies to Germany.
The folks that constructed the carriers and other ships were as important to the war effort as any other component. What an admirable bunch of people.
I'd argue they are the most important component, including everyone working in the factories. WWII was a war of production.
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, THE ARSENAL OF DEMOCRACY!
@@williamhaynes4800 well that was the original intention, there and then. But now, as during the last fifty years...
@@sidewinder3422 )ooo
There are some cool old war propaganda films that address workforce directly. Give them a watch its fascinating but you are correct. Can't fire a gun with a crooked barrell
My father worked there in 1944 to 1945.
He was 18 in 1944.
He was a Ship Welder.
My mother worked there building ships in WW2, she was an electrician.
Respect++
Tell her, From a greatful Nation Thank You
😮
That's so cool! Amazing that they accomplished what was almost impossible!☺
My grandpa died in the holocaust.
Fell off a guard tower
Mom built F4U Corsairs for LTV Corp. In Grand Praire plant next NAS Dallas
US Navy: We need 16 aircraft carriers by January 1944.
Kaiser Shipyard: We can build 18.
Vancouver Shipyard: We built 19.
Let's see you build one in a decade now
The Long Island was designated CVE-1. My father served on her for 4 years. He was a boatswain and quartermaster. He arrived for duty just before they sailed for Guadalcanal. They launched two squadrons of Marine fighter aircraft. The first to land at Henderson Field. They slipped in and out without the Japanese even knowing they were there. He served through Operation Magic Carpet. Their ports of call are too numerous to list. The Long Island was converted to a school dormitory after the war.
outstanding history, thanks for sharing
Is your father still alive? I'd love to hear his reaction about the game "Azur Lane"
Actually, she was commissioned as AVE-1, redesignated CVE-1 later when the Navy created that ship type. Also, she didn't launch 2 Marine Fighter Squadrons; she launched 1 Fighter Squadron and 1 Dive Bomber Squadron. 19 F4F3 Wildcats and 12 SBD-3 Dauntless.
@@patrickmccrann991 Thank you for clearing up my inaccuracies. Did you know she served in the Atlantic prior to being sent to the the Pacific theater? My Dad said he boarded her in San Diego just as they were leaving port for Pearl Harbor. He had no idea where they were going. He told me they returned to Guadalcanal in early 43 and off loaded P-47s for the AAF. Most of their trips were to resupply aircraft to various Islands and Australia.
@@rickklein7792 Yes, I knew she served in the Atlantic as well. She was actually purchased by the Navy before the war and finished her conversion shortly before our involvement in the war began. If I remember correctly, she was a C3 type cargo ship when purchased from the Maritime Administration.
My uncle was on USS Bismarck Sea (CVE-95) when it was sunk in 1945. It was one of those 50 I believe. I really wish I could have met him.
My uncle was also on the Bismarck Sea. He was the chief engineer. He is "still serving".
F
Sam, you are correct. CVE-55 to CVE-104 were in that class.
I live in Vancouver WA and at the time I moved here I had no idea that this was where the Casablanca class escort carriers had been built. My dad survived the sinking of the escort carrier St. Lo (CVE-63), sunk by a Kamikaze during the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October of 1944.
Thant's amazing, here is a pic of the St. Lo under construction, not sure which one though
imgur.com/a/hoKP794
My Father Kenneth McLaughlin served aboard the USS Gambier Bay until she was sunk in Battle off Samar.
@@markmclaughlin2690 Wow. What a harrowing experience that must have been. If you haven't seen it, I mention the ship in my video th-cam.com/video/2KjUlM_FDMU/w-d-xo.html
My great grandfather helped build it, he worked there from 43 - 45
Problem with all aircraft carriers today, those aircraft carriers don't need to travel near enemies are.
Because I am afraid within 25 minutes, unstoppable intercontinental hypersonic nuclear missiles are on their way to each aircraft carriers if US trying to escalate against Russia or China.
Wondering building cost for one unstoppable intercontinental hypersonic nuclear missiles vs one aircraft carriers filled up with weapons and fighter jets.
Unbelievable failure, yes it's huge kamikaze boat's with today's missiles.
Because US don't have Air defence system to stop those hypersonic missiles.
US used billions of dollars in wrong equipment.
As an Australian, I am grateful to not only the U.S.N.......but also to those amazing people at the Vancouver Shipyard for their enormous contribution to the ultimate Victory in the Pacific. Well done America!!!!
Les Griffiths
WW2 is so amazing. There are so many small, yet important, things that happened, like these carriers and this town. Everyone was affected by the war somehow.
I love history gems, like this.
Fascinating and wonderful.
So amazing ! all those deaths and genocide was amazing eyy...........
@@lambbosbread123 If you approach history with an agenda, you won't understand it. Your biases will prevent you from understanding how and why people did what they did.
@@craigkdillonSorry, what did he say?
@craigkdillon lol I full understand why it happened. I still don't find it amazing .
@@lambbosbread123Just the logistics were amazing. An army marches on its stomach, is a very old statement. An army can't fight without ammunition. Ships, airplanes, tanks, trucks and etc can't move without fuel. Repairs can't be made without supplies. Amazing logistics.
I worked at Newport News Shipyard back in the '90s building nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers and this was one heck of a feat to produce this many carriers in a short period of time, a modern aircraft carrier takes a few years to build alone. They don't call these people the greatest generation for nothing.
Fun fact... In early 1942 Henry Kaiser proposed to the U.S. Navy that he could build 30 escort carriers. The Navy rejected the offer. Undeterred, Kaiser went directly to FDR and proposed to build 100 escort carriers. FDR approved 50. You gotta love a guy like Henry Kaiser who doesn't take "no" for an answer, ups the ante and gets a contract for 50 instead of 30 escort carriers! Check out this short video on the Casablanca escort carriers. Enjoy. th-cam.com/video/6WSd0ZJuRHg/w-d-xo.html
My grandfather's carrier was from Vancouver, USS Manila Bay. His ship was at the battle for Leyte Gulf and Okinawa. It would have been cool if the government kept at least one Escort carrier as a museum ship after the war.
Had no idea, wow! Thank you to all those people who worked there. I know the risks inherent to that production level, even today, I just finished putting fifteen years plus in the San Diego shipyards !
CVE 81 USS Rudyerd Bay my father served on, she earned 5 Battle Stars, thanks for the story
I live in Vancouver and had no idea this stuff was made here. Awesome
Vancouver snd Portland have a CRAZY amount of history thats seemingly forgotten!!! Im into WWII naval history, and for a seemingly uninvolved area, im ALWAYS finding new nuggets of tied-in local history!!!
During ww2 Americans went above and beyond in factory and on the battlefield. When the Enterprise showed up 2 days after Pearl Harbor was bombed, it took 28 hrs to rearm, refuel and resupply food,etc. It normally took 3days to do this.
I just looked at sat view of the old shipyard. I count 14 slipways, side by side. Wow. Never seen that many in a yard. 14 ships would have been just feet away from each other, in different stages of building all at once.
They may have been small but, if they didn't sink it, Casablanca class carriers made the Yamato turn tail and run. And pirated a U-boat. In both cases they had an assist from destroyer escorts.
True.
Once the planes were in the air it was the threat.
I do not think a Japanese Ship cared if the planes bombing them came off 1 large carrier or 2 small Carriers.
Taffy 3 had THREE destroyers - DDs (including USS Johnston), and four destroyer escorts - DEs (including USS Samuel B. Roberts).
@@HemlockRidge My dad survived the sinking of the Gambier Bay, CVE 73.
@@bradclark2179 Wow. That whole Taffy 3 thing must have been terrifying for the participants.
BOARDED and captured a U-boat. Piracy is a crime under international and most national laws, even in wartime.
I look at WW2 and I marvel at the material flow the USA dealt with. It was not that we had better Generals, better Soldiers, or better plans, we had STUFF, lots and lots of STUFF. Never were battles decided on an empty stomach or a complete lack of ammunition or even a pair of stockings to trade for other stuff! That is how we won, we had coffee, steaks, chocolate, car tires, steel, wood, coal, oil, we had so much stuff we shared. Our allies loved our stuff, and so did our former enemies!
While most people would not think logging was an important activity during wartime, the pictures beginning at 2:50 show the great importance of logging and wood production during WW2. I had relatives in Idaho and Montana that were prohibited from enlisting so they could continue logging 6 and 7 days a week.
Those people of that generation must have been gifted with superhuman drive.
My Grandfather was there as a Navy welder during the war. He work on several of the Casablancas.
Great! Thanks very much. My Dad helped to build those vessels and was always proud of having contributed to that extraordinary effort.
That really is great, indeed something to be proud of.
My mom worked there, I tried spotting her in that group picture
The Casablanca "Jeep" carrier "Guadalcanal" (CVE 60) Captained by Daniel V. Gallery was commissioned July, 1943. The carrier, nicknamed "Can-Do", was the first US Navy ship to capture an enemy vessel (U-505) since the War of 1812. The captured German submarine is now on display at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois.
My Grandfather Gene Hathaway was a lead welder at Keizer in Portland, after he left Keizer he became a lead welder on the Seawall in down town Portland repairing battle damage. At night he worked at a barrel plant repairing damaged barrels, they could have had anything from Aviation gas to corn oil. But they needed to be emptied,cleaned and refilled. Grandma’s baking changed from sugar to corn syrup, and Grandpa always had Aviation gas to put in his Ford.....
Thanks for presenting this information. My father served on one of those escort carriers, the USS Kit Kun Bay during WWII. The sailors sometimes referred to the escort carriers as Kaiser coffins due to lighter materials used in their construction. The Kit Kun Bay was hit by a kamikaze crashing on the flight deck, but survived with relatively light damage.
Thanks again.
I worked in the buildings that were in the yards in 1974. Didn’t know about the carrier’s that were being made there.
My dad served on an escort carrier, the USS Bismark Sea, which was lost off Iwo Jima after being hit by two kamikazes. Most of the crew was lost, but my dad was incredibly lucky and a strong swimmer or I wouldn't be here!
Crazy to think how many times ive drove past that area and probably looked at that dockyard without knowing the history that happened there
There is a movie about the life of a Naval Officer who developed the escort carrier concept, Spig Weed.
John Wayne plays him in the movie and John Ford, who was a friend in real life of Spig,
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wings_of_Eagles
Joe from Washougal
.
remember that movie, wasnt bad and good to see and example of thinking out of the box
What a choice of places to build ships! MOST people don't know that the mouth of the Columbia River, which all the ships had to pass through, is an absolute nightmare to navigate with shoals and sandbars that shift hourly and you have to time the tides just right to get the big ships through. This is why the Columbia river has never developed as a big commercial waterway. But I guess this shows the expediencies of war.
And how absolutely desperate they were for escort carriers! The 1 advantage he didn't mention was that if 1 was sunk you weren't losing as much at once. Resource dispersal. Several squadrons/support personnel per carrier vs 1 squadron per carrier.
on the other hand , it was a good deterrent for any U-boat or other raids ...in ww1 u-boats sailed into Scappa Flow/scotland, in ww2 a u-boat slipped right trough up to the statue of liberty, british commandos raided st nazaire/france, italian mini subs attacked alexandria/egypt...makes sense to make your production area difficult to acces when you have wolfpacks patrolling off your coast
@@jawadad802 My thoughts exactly. It would be rather embarrassing to hit a sand bar in your mini sub than then have the outgoing tide pop you up above water.
The US lost 10,000 pilots and other air crews during TRAINING during WWII. We absorbed losses like we never will again.
@@jawadad802 That certainly explains why it was on the WEST coast. Im not aware of any u-boats that went thru the Panama canal. They certainly would run out of food/fuel going around South America.
Add, that thousands of workers came across the river from Portland Oregon to work in the shipyard, my mom’s family with all ten kids moved from Ohio to Portland Oregon, so my grandfather could work in the shipyards for the war effort. And the family stayed in Portland after the war.
Wow, excellent piece of Vancouver history. Thanks!
When the main aircraft carrier have a large and advancing operation in the pacific during world war 2 and the navy wants continous air support in the secured area,this escort carrier is always called in the front line,eventhough have a carrying capacity of just 27, if they make 50 ship thats 1,350 aircraft to support the campaign.
plus they could bring replacement aircraft for the fleet carriers
They should've mantained some as reserve/emergency carriers, with Harriers they could've been very useful in areas where a "normal" carrier couldn't be available
Also, keep in mind, with those 27 aircraft, and their stations near or in the combat areas, these little ships could recover, refuel, rearm and relaunch these airplanes a number of times over the course of several hours. With their ability to generate a number of sorties for each aircraft over a short period of time, the force multiplier these ships provided was punching way way above their weight and size class. Go look up the events of the escort carrier group Taffy 3 when a group of these carriers went toe to toe with the biggest and mightiest battleships and heavy cruisers afloat and not only survived, but stopped the Japanese center force and dished out as much as they were getting. They lost 3 carriers, 2 destroyers and one frigate (destroyer escort) in the battle. It’s a good read.
@@TheRetirednavy92 Their primary intent was to help close the "hole" in aircraft coverage in the Atlantic - which is where most of them ended up.
@@alessiodecarolis The Harrier was DECADES in the future.
Not a viable option, "saving" a carrier for an aircraft that hadn't even been THOUGHT of yet.
My parents worked here in 1943 to 1945, I was born there in 1946. The home land Americans help win the war.
Glad I found this, my Grandmother was a welder in this shipyard during the war. Pride of family here, thank you for posting.
World War 2 is the most fascinating time in Human history. Im constantly in awe at what everyone did to help achieve victory.
I grew up in Vancouver WA & was aware of the shipyard & it's mission during World War II. My grandfather, Ray Vincent, was an electrician who worked on infrastructure projects in the shipyard during the War. He told stories about what it was like working there. Granddad, Grandmother, Uncle Don & my mother Jean, lived in the War housing project in the Vancouver Heights. Most of the shipyard workers lived in temporary housing units in this project. The housing project mentioned in the video was located south of the Columbia River in what was then known as Vanport, which at the time was one of the largest cities in Oregon. Very interesting video. Thank you for posting it to TH-cam.
My parents worked there, shortly before I was born. My father was a riveter, and welder, and my mother was a painter. I eventually was born there. I appreciate this video, as I new they helped build Liberty ships, but, I've never seen any photos. I sincerely appreciate your efforts.
I lived in Vancouver Washington for over a year, and did not know this about the town. Thanks for the video!
Im in Vancouver too, and theres a ton of amazing history here!!! As a WWII naval history buff, im always suprised how many new things i find about an area that youd think might not have so many tie ins to the war!!
There is a tiny little place in North Florida called Newport; there is an oyster bar (biker bar) and a camp ground with boat ramp on the Saint Marks river and nothing else there except a few homes. There is an old abandoned boat basin connected to the river there but nothing testifies to the fact that during WW2 PT boat were manufactured and tested there.
My grandmother was a welder in their yard....grandfather laid out hvac inside the ships... and I went to work as a c/105 Radcon Tech on "boats"at Mare Island....
My father was on the USS Windham Bay (CVE-92) during WWII and lived through
a typhoon that curled the flattop like a sardine can. One of the few stories he
cared to recount about the war.
spend 8 years living in Vancouver and only learn its history by asking people at the college and airport/ thank you for your video I learned a lot.
Thank you... I never knew about this. Amazing story. Good job city of Vancouver and a thank you to you too for being part of the war effort. I love these behind the scenes achievements. The forgotten heroes. Good job Sir.
Great peace. Although I don't know that the Kaiser Carriers ever sported an actual F4F's? Maybe the very earliest few? They were mostly setup with fresh from the factory improved FM-2 Wildcats. Grumman had outsourced Wildcat production to GM, while their own factories were at max capacity making F6F Hellcats. The FM-2 was the improved version of the Wildcat with a bigger engine, complete with a water boost system, a larger tail for better stability and maneuvering, more ammo, split between 4 guns instead of 6, And actual powered landing gear, so the pilot didn't have to hand crank them down while lining up for a carrier landing. Also the Casablanca class was technically using a Merchant Hull design. They were built using the base design plans and power plants of a Kaiser oil tanker. It's just they weren't converted from existing merchant ships, the way many early light and escort carriers were.
Only the early CVEs were converted from merchant hulls, the light carriers were converted from Cleveland class light cruiser hulls. Independence class CVL-22 to CVL-30.
FM2 Wildcats actually engage in dogfights off Okinawa in 1945 because they were there at the right place at the right time. If we knew an air battle was going to happen, we would not be sending our FM2's, but our F4U Corsairs and F6U Hellcats.
Today, this would be analogous of our USMCR F/A-18A's having to face the latest SU-35's.
When was the first aircraft carrier made?
@@orinb8654 The first aircraft carrier was the HMS Argus I believe in early 1918 during World War I.
You can spot the F4Fs by the exposed wheel landing gear. The F6F Wildcats and Avengers were too big.
This video would have been even better if you had an actual tour of what remains today, that would have been great.
Great video, thanks for sharing this very important piece of history.
CVE also kmown in the Navy as Combustible-Vulnerable-Expendable
At keast until TAFFY 3 battle off Samar
Thanks for bringing this to people's attention. My grandfather, Turville Spreadborough, was one of those workers at the Kaiser yards during the war. Small side note, in February of 1942, only two people got a new car in the state of Washington. One was Henry Kaiser, the other, Turville Spreadborough.
There must be a story about how your grand father got a car. I'd love to know what it is.
@@minuteman4199 Yes there is. Grand dad was picking up 4 other guys and hauling them to work as well. In late January of '42, the Portland area experienced a 'silver thaw', ice storm. Wound up wrecking the car he had in it. He and the guys he was taking to work and back walked away from it, but the car was done. According to him, it was Henry Kaiser himself that saw to it that he got a new car to continue doing the commuter bus deal. What did he get, you may ask? A 1942 Dodge, that according to him, was made from whatever spare parts were laying around. Sold it in 1946 when better stuff became available. Many years down the road I asked if he was aware of how much that car would worth now (mid '80's). He said yes, but also reminded me that at that time they salted the roads heavily in the winter. Wasn't a whole lot left to it from the floor boards down. There are photos of it in the family archives. Ah well, one can dream.
A fascinating story of a hither to unknown aspect of war production during WW2 - an outstanding achievement by Vancouver. 😃👌👌👏👏
WOW I didn't know Kaiser built CVE's and at Vancouver no less. I lived in Portland for 5 years and I always thought of Vancouver as a small that you have to go through if you're going or coming from Seattle.
Lol, Vancouver is now 160,000 people or more
I feel bad you live in Portland nice turn downhill
I only knew Vancouver had Burgerville USA
@@KarlDahlquist Back when I was going to Clark College you can get five Hamburgers for a dollar and they had the best ham sandwich out there
@@richardtuholsky4028 Fortunately we left Portland (it was actually Aloha which is a suburb west of Portland) 30 years ago. Downtown Portland was a decent place to go to especially the old town area by the river where they were just starting to rehabilitate some of the old buildings. It's unfortunately how it's turned out.
Thank you. It’s nice that these efforts are remembered.
Incredible. Thanks for sharing.
I live in Australia and we are told it will take decades to build our subs, shows what a country can do when its really important!! great work by them they were the greatest generation
Your comparing a modern highly technological nuclear powered submarine to an old conventional powerd small carrier
@@stanielsoncoochiesmellehsm6114 -- yes but also commenting of the will to get in and get it done
@@stanielsoncoochiesmellehsm6114 I'm glad you were able to connect the dots.
@@Make-Asylums-Great-Again my point flew over your head sunshine.
These ships were obviously lower tech, and weren't expected to be in service decades later. They just had to last to the end of the war. Also, the Liberty cargo ships built in the US were constructed in an average of 42 days; one was built in 4 days.
I love history and you taught me something new. Thanks!👍
My Dad was a USMC sargeant, and served on board USS Rendova, CVE 114, late in WWII.
My Grandmother was a welder in a shipyard in WWII in Pascogoula Mississippi. She was a confident and determined lady.
Super cool video and really informative, well narrated and edited. Great job!
What a wonderful story! Thanks!
Amazing story, thanks for posting
This is great piece of history …thank you for this!!
That is absolutely staggering what heros they were ...this needs to be recognized!!!!!
Thank you. Great story
My great great grandparents worked in the kaiser / Vancouver ship yard during the war. Really cool video keep it up👌
Compare that to the Zumwalt class destroyer that was laid down in 2011, commisioned in 2016 and finally accepted into the fleet in 2020 and the cost for three of them exceeds 22 billion dollars.
True, but it is comparing apples and oranges in a way.
One is a bleeding edge technology destroyer in peace time. One is a cheap and cheerful escort in the time of war when everything gets put into getting the job done.
And it's also been a huge lemon after all of that time and money.
Thank You!!!!! For your hard work 😓 and being a great neighbor
My father was on the Windham Bay in WWII, a Casablanca-class escort carrier CVE-92.
So was my dad, CVE-92. I have videos of its return from the typhoon with
the flat-top curled back. He was a metalsmith, and had stories of patching up
planes that got shot up.
Apparently many if not most of them were named for Alaskan bays, including a couple above. So far I've seen the Gambier Bay and Rudyerd Bay, both in SE Alaska and places I've been commercial fishing. Windham Bay is in Stephens Passage on the Inside Passage between Petersburg and Juneau.
@@davidotness6199 Just finished reading "The Battle of Leyte Gulf" by Adrian Stewart. One of the very first ships to be sunk by a kamikaze was the Ommaney Bay, an escort carrier.
@@arjaysmithjr9083 I've got the book "Halsey's Typhoon" and was aware of that blow beginning a long time ago. At least one guy I knew in Petersburg (Alaska) went through it too. I spent over 50 years at sea, mostly in Alaskan waters (all the way to the Arctic Ocean,) fished the bering sea for many years, so I can appreciate what that storm was like.
My Father served on a CVE during the war. I never knew how many were manufactured on the west coast. I love learning about such diligence. 😢 I have such appreciation for that generation.
Wow...had no idea! Thank you for doing this video, I subscribed and looking forward to watching more of your videos!
Absolutely Amazing Fete !! 🌹
Kudos To Vancouver's Shipyard.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Outstanding video!
Amazing story never heard this bit of history. Without that shipyard the war could definitely taken a different turn or at least gone on longer
I live next to Vancouver and had no idea this happened here. Thanks for the history!
It's a great spot to visit. You can still see the remains of the spillways
@@AnyHistory I. Will look for them. Thanks!
Excellent stuff bro
You can't build that many carriers in that little time, but you can take cruiser hulls, tanker hulls and transport hulls, and make jeep carriers out of them. They helped get the job done, and that was all that mattered.
Fascinating, thanks!
2:16... except that's an F6F.
Roosevelt saw the need for more carriers before the war and directed the navy to complete 8 cruisers as Independence class light carriers. The Independence had a cruiser hull and could therefore maintain high speed with the fleet, but the CVEs were better able to support air operations.
In 1985 I met a guy who had been on the Gambier Bay. He was still upset about drifting in the water for four days, but he was cool.
Note for aviation fans: the Wildcats operated by the CVEs were the FM-2 Wildcat... basically a hot rodded F4 that General Motors was licensed to build. It could take on the Zero on equal terms.
i know where that is. i live in vancouver, but i didn't know about the 3 story building. i'll have to look into that. don't forget about fort vancouver, which was founded by the hudson's bay company, and lasted as a military outpost for a very long time.
Good information and great video!👍
Thank you for this video. My Dad was on the USS Casablanca CVE-55. That was the same ship in the news clipping that was christened by Elenor Roosevelt. It was called the Alzon Bay at the time, but was renamed. I loved talking with my Dad about his days in the service and he would become a younger man just telling me the stories. I lost my Dad in November 2019 and miss him every day. Your video helped me to connect with his life and times. This era of our country was truly the greatest generation. Thanks again.
Fascinating, amazing story. thank you.
This is also why the Black Cat Club was in San Fransico. I knew a guy that had not missed a days work in 42 years. i also knew six women welders that could do 12 hours of work in six hours, too. Bethlehem
Steel Shipbuilding Division, San Fransisco, CA c.a.1977
Great story, thank you for sharing!
I had 5 uncles work in Marinship building T-2 tankers during WW2. This was in Sausalito, just north of San Francisco. One uncle died of lead poisoning from working there.
Good to see some well made history videos :)
Wow, I’ve learned something new today. Thank you.👍👍👍👍👍
One of the 'jeep' carriers that came out of that shipyard was the U.S.S. Guadalcanal, CVE-60. She was built on a Maritime Commission freighter hull. Under the command of then Captain Daniel V. Gallery, Guadalcanal went on to fame as being the only 'modern-day' Naval Vessel to attack, board and capture an enemy combat vessel during wartime. That particular vessel is now on display at the Chicago Museum of Science and Technology, the U-505, a German Submarine.
If you can find it, 'Away All Borders' is Gallery's account of his command of Catalina Flying boats out of Iceland, his taking command of the Guadalcanal and the capture of the U-505.
After the war, he became close friends with the Kapitan of the U-505.
Gallery was also promoted to Admiral and went on as an author, penning many stories about the U.S. Navy (all of them fiction but probably based on a lot of truth). They are 'good yarns' if you like fun stories.
So much about the war years gets lost behind the big battles. But to have big battles, you first need the factories and shipyards. We hear a lot about the Liberty ships in the Atlantic.
This is an excellent example of the escort carriers in the Pacific.
Wish someone would do a mini series or a movie on this.
I had no idea that many carriers were even used in WW2, very interesting.
Great video!
I didn't know this until i saw images of aircraft Carriers at tongue point near Astoria oregon and found out Vancouver and Portland made escort carriers
great video. never knew about this
Fantastic info. I had no idea
Thanks for telling this story. I was born in Portland and grew up on and in the Columbia at St. Helens in the 50's & 60's. I never heard this story though. Another story that may interest you was the immense wooden boat shipyard at St. Helens where they built 220'+ four and five mast clippers in the late 1800's at the northern tip of Sauvie Island.
Wow! Good informative video. Never knew Vancouver, Canada built those warships. I liked and subscribed.
Amazing. Thanks for the information. I've been a history buff since childhood and still didn't know this aspect!
This channel is awesome and I'm happy the algorithm led me here