Seattle–Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation

Seattle–Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation was an American shipbuilding enterprise operating two principal yards in Washington State: a destroyer and repair complex on Harbor Island in Seattle and a large construction yard on Commencement Bay in Tacoma. The company emerged from the revival of the Tacoma shipyard by Todd Shipyards Corporation and Kaiser Shipbuilding in 1939, at a time when the United States was rebuilding its commercial and naval shipbuilding capacity. The federal government supported the expansion with substantial capital investment, helping the Tacoma facility grow from two initial slipways to eight, while a new destroyer-construction complex was developed in Seattle. The company’s early wartime work included construction of C1-B diesel cargo ships for the American merchant marine. Its naval output expanded rapidly after the Two-Ocean Navy Act and the escalation of the Second World War. The Seattle yard received contracts for large batches of destroyers, while the Tacoma yard concentrated heavily on escort carriers, transports, seaplane tenders, gasoline tankers, destroyer tenders, and cargo vessels. In total, the two facilities became particularly important suppliers to the United States Navy and the merchant marine. Seattle–Tacoma is credited with building 45 destroyers, the largest West Coast total for a single producer, and 56 escort carriers, reportedly the largest number of escort carriers constructed by any American shipyard during the war. Some vessels were completed or fitted out at associated yards in Oregon. The Seattle yard built destroyers of the Gleaves, Fletcher, Allen M. Sumner, and Gearing classes, as well as work connected with destroyer tenders. The Tacoma yard constructed ships of the Bogue and Commencement Bay escort-carrier classes, along with attack transports, seaplane tenders, gasoline tankers, destroyer tenders, and C1 cargo ships. Its output supported convoy protection, amphibious operations, logistics, aviation support, and fleet maintenance across the expanding U.S. war effort. In June 1944, the company was renamed Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc. The legal entity continued into late 1946, but the end of wartime demand fundamentally changed the business. The Navy took over the Tacoma shipyard for reserve-fleet purposes, using it to store surplus vessels after the war. Some ships held there were later reactivated during the Korean War. The Navy sold the Tacoma site to the Port of Tacoma in 1959. The Seattle operation resumed new-vessel construction in 1952 under Todd interests, and the former repair-yard presence ultimately continued through successor shipbuilding and marine-repair operations. The Seattle–Tacoma corporate identity itself is therefore defunct, although portions of its industrial legacy survived in later Todd and Pacific Northwest maritime facilities.

Seattle–Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation developed from earlier shipbuilding and repair operations associated with the William H. Todd Corporation. Todd acquired the Seattle Construction and Drydock Company, formerly the Moran Brothers yard, in 1916. It later established a repair facility on Harbor Island and expanded into Tacoma, where a new yard began construction in 1917. The Tacoma operation launched its first vessel, Tacoma, in March 1918. During the First World War and its aftermath, the predecessor facilities built cargo ships, naval vessels, submarines, and other commercial craft. The Seattle yard produced, among other vessels, the N-class submarines N-1, N-2, and N-3, while Tacoma built cargo ships and several Omaha-class light cruisers. Shipbuilding subsequently stopped at Seattle in 1920 and Tacoma in 1924. The Tacoma facility was revived in 1939 by Todd Shipyards Corporation and Kaiser Shipbuilding. The project was intended to restore industrial shipbuilding in the Pacific Northwest and was supported by approximately $15 million in U.S. government capital. Initial construction involved two slipways, but the yard was later expanded to eight. The company also benefited from coordination among Todd interests, General Construction Company affiliates, and regional labor organizations. Its first major prewar commercial assignment was a group of five C1-B diesel cargo ships. Cape Alava, Cape Flattery, Cape Cleare, Cape Fairweather, and Cape Douglas were launched between 1940 and 1941, with several later transferred or renamed in merchant service. Naval work grew sharply after passage of the Two-Ocean Navy Act. The Seattle operation received contracts for destroyers and built a new Harbor Island facility beginning in October 1940. The Tacoma complex became a major producer of escort carriers and auxiliary vessels. During the Second World War, the two yards built 45 destroyers and 56 escort carriers, in addition to attack transports, seaplane tenders, gasoline tankers, destroyer tenders, and cargo ships. The Seattle yard produced destroyers in the Gleaves, Fletcher, Allen M. Sumner, and Gearing classes. One additional Gearing-class vessel, Seaman, was launched incomplete and was never commissioned. The Tacoma yard built large portions of the Bogue-class and Commencement Bay-class escort-carrier programs, although some vessels were completed or fitted out at affiliated Oregon yards. The company was renamed Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc. in June 1944. The renamed entity remained legally active until November 1946. Wartime shipbuilding also left a substantial postwar industrial footprint. The Navy took over the Tacoma yard and used it to support the Pacific Reserve Fleet, where surplus vessels were stored. A number of reserve ships were later brought back into service during the Korean War. The Navy sold the property to the Port of Tacoma in 1959. In Seattle, the former Todd repair operation resumed new-vessel construction in 1952. A destroyer-production area known as Plant A produced the civilian ferry Chinook, launched in 1947, before the location was converted to other industrial uses. The continuing Seattle repair facility passed through later successor organizations and remains associated with the region’s marine-maintenance industry, but the Seattle–Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation itself no longer operates.

1. 1959Port of Tacoma acquires former yard

   The Navy sold the Tacoma property to the Port of Tacoma.

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2. 1946Tacoma yard enters reserve-fleet service

   The Navy took over the Tacoma site for Pacific Reserve Fleet operations after the war.

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3. 1944Renamed Todd Pacific Shipyards

   The corporate name changed to Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc.

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4. 1941C1-B cargo program delivered

   The Tacoma operation delivered its first group of C1-B diesel cargo vessels for American merchant service.

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5. 1940Harbor Island destroyer facility developed

   A new Seattle facility was built to support large-scale destroyer construction for the U.S. Navy.

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6. 1939Tacoma shipyard revived

   Todd and Kaiser revived the Tacoma facility, creating the production base that became Seattle–Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation.

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7. 1918First Tacoma vessel launched

   The vessel Tacoma became the first ship launched from the newly developed Tacoma yard.

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8. 1917Tacoma yard construction begins

   Todd began developing a new shipyard in Tacoma’s Commencement Bay area.

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9. 1916Todd acquires Seattle Construction and Drydock

   The William H. Todd Corporation acquired the Seattle Construction and Drydock Company, a predecessor of later Todd-associated shipbuilding operations in Seattle.

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A wartime American defense and commercial shipbuilder specializing in high-volume naval construction, convoy-support vessels, auxiliary ships, and merchant cargo tonnage.

• DestroyersNaval vessels1941

  The Seattle Harbor Island yard was a major West Coast destroyer producer during World War II. It built 45 destroyers across the Gleaves, Fletcher, Allen M. Sumner, and Gearing classes, supporting fleet screening, anti-submarine warfare, convoy protection, and surface combat operations. One further Gearing-class ship, Seaman, was launched incomplete and never commissioned.

• Escort carriersNaval aviation vessels1941

  The Tacoma yard was a leading producer of small aircraft carriers used for convoy air cover, anti-submarine patrols, aircraft transport, and amphibious support. It built or participated in the construction of 56 escort carriers, including vessels of the Bogue and Commencement Bay classes. Several hulls were completed or fitted out at associated Oregon facilities.

• C1-B cargo shipsMerchant ships1940

  Seattle–Tacoma built five C1-B diesel-propelled cargo ships for the U.S. merchant marine. The vessels were designed for general cargo service and entered operation under American commercial or government-linked shipping arrangements. Several were later renamed or transferred between operators.

• Naval auxiliariesSupport vessels1941

  The Tacoma yard produced a range of support vessels, including attack transports, seaplane tenders, gasoline tankers, and destroyer tenders. These ships supplied fuel, transported personnel and equipment, supported naval aviation, and provided repair and maintenance capabilities to the wartime fleet.

• 1944Change corporate name to Todd Pacific ShipyardsOther

  The company operated as part of Todd’s broader Pacific shipbuilding interests during the peak wartime period.

  What changed. Seattle–Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation was renamed Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc.

  Aftermath. The renamed legal entity continued until late 1946, after which the wartime corporate structure was effectively wound down.

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• 1940Prioritize mass destroyer production at SeattleStrategy

  The Two-Ocean Navy Act created demand for a large expansion of the U.S. destroyer fleet.

  What changed. Seattle–Tacoma accepted major destroyer contracts and constructed a dedicated Harbor Island facility with multiple building ways.

  Aftermath. The Seattle yard became the largest single West Coast producer of destroyers during World War II.

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• 1939Revive and expand Pacific Northwest shipbuildingStrategy

  Todd Shipyards and Kaiser Shipbuilding sought to restore commercial and naval shipbuilding capacity in the Pacific Northwest as international tensions increased.

  What changed. They reactivated the Tacoma site, secured government support, and expanded the yard from two initial slipways toward an eight-slipway production complex.

  Aftermath. The investment created the industrial base for large wartime programs in escort carriers, auxiliaries, and merchant vessels.

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• 1959Tacoma shipyard sold to Port of Tacoma

  The Navy sold the former Tacoma shipbuilding site to the Port of Tacoma, ending its role as a Navy reserve-fleet facility.

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• 1946Tacoma facility transferred to Navy reserve-fleet use

  After the war, the Navy took over the Tacoma yard for storage and management of surplus vessels in the Pacific Reserve Fleet.

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• 1944Company renamed Todd Pacific Shipyards

  Seattle–Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation changed its name to Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc. during the wartime production period.

  Leadership change
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• 1940Federal investment expands Tacoma shipyard

  The U.S. government funded major expansion of the Tacoma complex, increasing its planned building capacity from two slipways to eight.

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• 1940Destroyer construction accelerates at Harbor Island

  Following the Two-Ocean Navy Act, Seattle–Tacoma received contracts for 25 destroyers and developed a new Harbor Island construction facility.

  Product launch
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• 1939Tacoma shipyard revived for renewed Pacific Northwest production

  Todd Shipyards Corporation and Kaiser Shipbuilding revived the Tacoma facility and began rebuilding its production capacity with federal support.

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• 1939Seattle–Tacoma receives C1-B cargo-ship contracts

  The company was awarded contracts for five C1-B diesel-propelled cargo vessels, supporting the restoration of commercial shipbuilding in the Pacific Northwest.

  Product launch
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1. Seattle–Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation
2. Todd Seattle shipyard construction record