Craig Shipbuilding Company

Craig Shipbuilding was a shipbuilding company in Long Beach, California. To support the World War I demand for ships Craig Shipbuilding shipyard switched over to military construction and built: US Navy Submarines and Cargo Ships. Craig Shipbuilding was started in 1906 by John F. Craig. John F. Craig had worked in Toledo, Ohio with his father, John Craig (1838-1934), and Blythe Craig, both shipbuilders, their first ship was built in 1864 at Craig Shipbuilding Toledo. John F. Craig opened his shipbuilding company in Port of Long Beach on the south side of Channel 3, the current location of Pier 41 in the inner harbor, becoming the port's first shipyard. In 1907 Craig Shipbuilding is given a contract to dredge a channel from the Pacific ocean to the inner harbor. In 1917 Craig sold the shipyard to the California Shipbuilding Company. But then opened a new shipyard next to the one he just sold and called it the Long Beach Shipbuilding Company. The Long Beach Shipbuilding Company built cargo ships in 1918, 1919, and 1920 for the United States Shipping Board.

John Craig (1838-1934) founder of Craig Shipbuilding
Light Vessel No.57 at Toledo, Ohio
SS Puritan later became SS George M. Cox in 1093
SS City of South Haven (American Passenger Steamship, 1903) Underway prior to World War I, with her decks crowded with passengers. This Great Lakes steamer was USS City of South Haven (ID # 2527) in 1918–1919
Broadwater (APA-139) alongside Bellerophon (ARL-31) in San Francisco Bay, October 1945
USS L-7 in port, in 1917
USS Ozaukee (ID-3429) around the time of her completion in September 1918.

In 1918 California Shipbuilding started to have difficulties completing contracts that it had purchased with the Craig Shipyard, including two submarines and a lighthouse tender. In 1921, Craig purchased his original shipyard back and renamed it back to Craig Shipbuilding. At the same time he renamed the Long Beach Shipbuilding to Craig Shipbuilding and ran both as one company. The tow shipyard did repair work on built yachts.

The United States Maritime Commission started a shipbuilding program in 1939, to support the World War 2 demand for ships. Craig leased the Long Beach Shipbuilding yard to Consolidated Steel Corporation. Consolidated Steel Corporation built type C cargo merchant ships and two type p1 passenger ships at the leased yard. Consolidated Steel operated two other large shipyards and two other small boatyards. After World war 2, the Consolidated leased yard closed. Craig shipyard continued to do repair work as the Long Beach Marine Repair and closed in 1970.[1]

Craig Shipbuilding Toledo

Notable ships built at Craig Shipbuilding Toledo (1864-1905), Sold to American Ship Building in 1905 and renamed Toledo Shipbuilding then American Ship Building. Run today by the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority:[2][3][4]

Craig Shipbuilding Long Beach Yard

Notable ships built at Craig Shipbuilding Long Beach Yard (1906 to 1917) and (1922-1934):[9]

Long Beach Shipbuilding Company

Notable ships built at Long Beach Shipbuilding Company Long Beach Yard (1918-1921):

  • SS West Kasson
  • USS Ozaukee (ID-3439)
  • World War I cargo Design 1019 ships built in 1918, 1919 and 1920: Silverado, Eldorado, Wallingford, Ozaukee, Oshkosh, Magunkook, West Kasson, West Keene, West Katan, Vinita, Haleakala, West Keats, West Kebar, and West Kedron.
  • Edythe yacht for owner John F. Craig. At 186 tons in 1920. Later sold and renamed Melodie.
  • Mazatlan 987 ton cargo ship for Swayne & Hoyt shipping. Later renamed San Diegan in 1937.

Consolidated Steel at the Long Beach Shipyard
USS Feland in camouflage paint

Consolidated Steel at the Long Beach Shipyard (1941 to 1943)

See also

References
  1. Craig Shipbuilding shipbuildinghistory.com
  2. Craig Shipbuilding Toledo shipbuildinghistory.com
  3. Craig Shipbuilding Toledo wrecksite
  4. Boats Built at Toledo, Ohio
  5. E.G. Crosby (1903)
  6. NPS, SS George M. Cox
  7. NPS SS George M. Cox Wreck
  8. NPS, SS George M. Cox: Operational History
  9. Historical Society of Long BeachOctober 2018The Great War as Civic Engagement:Southern California, 1916-1925, by Craig Hendricks
  11. NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive - AK-98 Auriga
  12. navypedia.org, Doyen-class attack transport
  13. usmaritimecommission.de, Outboard Profiles of Maritime Commission Vessels, The Passenger Ships & Troop Transports

[Category:American Theater of World War II]]

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