Former NYSC South Yard (Gloucester City, New Jersey)

 place with historical importance, shipyard, production, shipbuilding

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Purchased with funds from the US Emergency Fleet Corporation after the outbreak of the First World War, New York Shipbuilding Corporation's South Yard was built as a temporary location to build had a fleet of sixteen 500+ ft transports for the British and American Navies. All were completed too late to see service as intended, and so each was refitted as first-class passenger liners for the commercial trades.

After the completion of the US Emergency Fleet Corporation contract, the South Yard was largely liquidated to repay war loans and was returned to the City of Camden in name only. NYSC retained several ancillary facilities and shops on the site during the interwar years to support its main facilities, but for over 20 years there was no ship production onsite.

At the outbreak of the Second World War NYSC was requested to establish a facility to produce large quantities of Amphibious Craft, and the South Yard was selected to perform the duty. Duly purchased back from the City of Camden, the South Yard underwent a hasty conversion to barge plant for the production of 112-foot long LCTs (Landing Craft Tank). Equipped with its own shops, power plant, administration building and a large Hammerhead Crane, the South Yard and its workforce were soon pumping out LCT's at a rate of up to ten a week. Each vessel was completed landside and then picked by the crane "launched" into Newton Creek, where they were outfitted for duty. The South Yard also produced LCI(L) Craft (Landing Craft Infantry Large) for both the US and Royal Navies before filling their contracted allotments in late 1942. With all of its Amphibious Craft completed so early in the conflict, NYSC was likely one of the best-represented shipyard at many of the Amphibious Invasions in the European Theatre in 1943, 44 and 45.

After newbuilding ceased at the South Yard in January 1943, the facility again became a support base for the main NYSC yard, building sub assemblies, gun turrets, superstructure modules and machining engine and weapon parts. This work occupied the South Yard and its workers through the end of the war, after which the yard was once again idled.

NYSC had little use for the South Yard after the end of WWII and after again liquidating much of its materials, sold the property to the City of Camden outright. Today the former South Yard is home to several large breakbulk cargo warehouses.

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