Charleston Naval Shipyard
Encyclopedia
Charleston Naval Shipyard (formerly known as the Charleston Navy Yard) was a U.S. Navy ship
building and repair facility located along the west bank of the Cooper River
, in North Charleston, South Carolina
and part of Naval Base Charleston. It began operations in 1901 as a drydock, and continued as a navy facility until 1996 when it was leased to Detyens Shipyards, Inc. during down-sizing.
The yard first produced the destroyer
, then began to increase production in the 1930s. A total of 21 destroyers were assembled at the naval facility.
In 1931, Ellicott Dredges
delivered the 20-inch cutter dredge
Orion still in operation at the old Charleston Naval Shipyard.
"Two of the largest vessels ever built at the yard were two destroyer tenders, the and the . The keels of these ships were laid in November 1944 and July 1945, respectively. Peak employment of 25,948 was reached in July 1943.
After the war, the shipyard was responsible for the repairs and alterations of captured German submarines. In April 1948, Secretary of the Navy John L. Sullivan
told Charleston's Representative Rivers
and Senator Burnet R. Maybank
that the Navy planned for CNSY to become a submarine overhaul yard and would ask for an initial appropriation for a battery-charging unit.
The first submarine, the , arrived for overhaul in August 1948. The shipyard expected to overhaul about 132 ships during the year, and its work force had stabilized to nearly 5,000 persons.
North Korean invasion of South Korea in June 1950 increased production once again. By 1951, the shipyard was back to over 8,000 employees. In all, the shipyard activated forty-four vessels and converted twenty-seven for active fleet duty during the Korean War
.
Submarines continued to be built into the 1960s along with missiles, and nuclear submarine overhauls took place like with the in 1962. In 1966, the shipyard completed the first refueling of a nuclear submarine, the , and began its first overhaul of an Fleet Ballistic Missile
(FBM) submarine, the . Work began on deepening Dry Dock No. 2 so it could handle the massive FBM submarines and destroyers fitted with sonar."
The facility remained a major installation throughout the Cold War
as a homeport to numerous cruisers, destroyers, attack submarines, FBM submarines, destroyer tenders and submarine tenders of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet
until its closure in the 1990s as a result of the end of the Cold War and subsequent BRAC
Commission action.
Today, a 340 acres (1.4 km²) section of the former base is being revitalized as a sustainable, mixed-use urban hub for the city of North Charleston. The new development is called The Navy Yard at Noisette. Ground broke in 2005.
Ship
Since the end of the age of sail a ship has been any large buoyant marine vessel. Ships are generally distinguished from boats based on size and cargo or passenger capacity. Ships are used on lakes, seas, and rivers for a variety of activities, such as the transport of people or goods, fishing,...
building and repair facility located along the west bank of the Cooper River
Cooper River (South Carolina)
The Cooper River is a mainly tidal river in the U.S. state of South Carolina. These cities are located along the river, Mt. Pleasant, Charleston, North Charleston, Goose Creek and Hanahan. Short and wide, it is joined first by the blackwater East Branch, then farther downstream, the tidal Wando River...
, in North Charleston, South Carolina
North Charleston, South Carolina
North Charleston is the 3rd largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina with incorporated areas in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties. On June 12, 1972 the city of North Charleston incorporated and was the 9th largest city in South Carolina. According to the 2010 Census, North...
and part of Naval Base Charleston. It began operations in 1901 as a drydock, and continued as a navy facility until 1996 when it was leased to Detyens Shipyards, Inc. during down-sizing.
The yard first produced the destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
, then began to increase production in the 1930s. A total of 21 destroyers were assembled at the naval facility.
In 1931, Ellicott Dredges
Ellicott Dredges
First established as the Ellicott Machine Company in 1885, Ellicott Dredges is one of the oldest manufactures in the world that specializes in the design and building of dredges and dredge machinery...
delivered the 20-inch cutter dredge
Dredge
Dredging is an excavation activity or operation usually carried out at least partly underwater, in shallow seas or fresh water areas with the purpose of gathering up bottom sediments and disposing of them at a different location...
Orion still in operation at the old Charleston Naval Shipyard.
"Two of the largest vessels ever built at the yard were two destroyer tenders, the and the . The keels of these ships were laid in November 1944 and July 1945, respectively. Peak employment of 25,948 was reached in July 1943.
After the war, the shipyard was responsible for the repairs and alterations of captured German submarines. In April 1948, Secretary of the Navy John L. Sullivan
John L. Sullivan (Navy)
John Lawrence Sullivan was Assistant Secretary of the Navy 1946-47 and the first Department of Defense Secretary of the Navy in the Truman Administration 1947-49. He was appointed to that position upon Secretary Forrestal's installation as the first Secretary of Defense. He resigned in protest...
told Charleston's Representative Rivers
L. Mendel Rivers
Lucius Mendel Rivers was a Democratic U.S. Representative from South Carolina, representing the Charleston based 1st congressional district for nearly thirty years...
and Senator Burnet R. Maybank
Burnet R. Maybank
Burnet Rhett Maybank was a U.S. Senator, the 99th Governor of South Carolina, and Mayor of Charleston, South Carolina. Maybank was the direct descendant of six former South Carolinian governors. He was the first governor from Charleston since the Civil War...
that the Navy planned for CNSY to become a submarine overhaul yard and would ask for an initial appropriation for a battery-charging unit.
The first submarine, the , arrived for overhaul in August 1948. The shipyard expected to overhaul about 132 ships during the year, and its work force had stabilized to nearly 5,000 persons.
North Korean invasion of South Korea in June 1950 increased production once again. By 1951, the shipyard was back to over 8,000 employees. In all, the shipyard activated forty-four vessels and converted twenty-seven for active fleet duty during the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
Submarines continued to be built into the 1960s along with missiles, and nuclear submarine overhauls took place like with the in 1962. In 1966, the shipyard completed the first refueling of a nuclear submarine, the , and began its first overhaul of an Fleet Ballistic Missile
Fleet Ballistic Missile
Fleet Ballistic Missile comprises a succession of nuclear-tipped missiles, initially with intermediate range but now with intercontinental range that is often called "the backbone of the nation's strategic deterrence."Beginning in 1960 these missiles were aboard nuclear-powered U.S...
(FBM) submarine, the . Work began on deepening Dry Dock No. 2 so it could handle the massive FBM submarines and destroyers fitted with sonar."
The facility remained a major installation throughout the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
as a homeport to numerous cruisers, destroyers, attack submarines, FBM submarines, destroyer tenders and submarine tenders of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet
U.S. Atlantic Fleet
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
until its closure in the 1990s as a result of the end of the Cold War and subsequent BRAC
Base Realignment and Closure
Base Realignment and Closure is a process of the United States federal government directed at the administration and operation of the Armed Forces, used by the United States Department of Defense and Congress to close excess military installations and realign the total asset inventory to reduce...
Commission action.
Today, a 340 acres (1.4 km²) section of the former base is being revitalized as a sustainable, mixed-use urban hub for the city of North Charleston. The new development is called The Navy Yard at Noisette. Ground broke in 2005.