Former Site of Walsh-Kaiser Company, Inc Shipyard (Providence, Rhode Island)

 Second World War 1939-1945, navy, marine, place with historical importance, shipyard, historical layer / disappeared object

 Upload a photo

Founded in early 1942 by the US Maritime Commission as an emergency shipyard for the construction of cargo vessels, this yard was constructed and placed into operation by mid 1942, under the management of the Rheem Company. Beginning it's construction with a series of 6 Liberty Ships, the yard was ordered to retool for the production of Tacoma Class Frigates which were desperately needed to protect shipping convoy's in the dangerous waters of the North Atlantic. All 21 of the Frigates built here were sold to Britain upon their completion.

Following operational difficulties and several missed delivery dates, the Rheem Corporation sold their interest in the yard to Industrialist Henry J. Kaiser who quickly brought the yard up to standard and increased it's size to 6 shipbuilding ways and a workforce of nearly 21,000 people working around the clock. In mid-1944 the yard re-tooled for the production of US Navy Attack Cargo Ships, which it built 31 of before the end of hostilities in World War Two.

Following the war, the yard was closed and it's assets liquidated to repay war bonds. Today, little evidence of the yard remains, aside from the once-appropriately named Shipyard Street.

For a complete list of ships built here, please see:
www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/4emergenc...