Part I

Chronological Status of Contractors’ Work Load and Periods of Time Involved

Part I. Chronological Status of Contractors’ Work Load, and Periods of Time Involved.

Overview of Contractors and Contracts

In order to better understand the various stages of the organization and development of the offices of the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, USN, at the Defoe Shipbuilding Company, Bay City, Michigan and at the Fisher Boat Works, Inc., Detroit, Michigan, with their various branch offices and duty stations, immediately before and during World War II, it is considered desirable first to review briefly the various contractors and contracts and type of work involved.

Reference Exhibit No. 1.

On this plate is shown, on a single sheet, the approximate course of time occupied by the various contractors, and principal subcontractors, under the supervision of the two subject offices, from June 1939 through 1 September 1945.

Briefly described, the first naval work in this area began with:

  • (a) Contract No. S-67020 awarded on 8 June 1939 to the Fisher Boat Works, Inc., Detroit, Michigan for two experimental motor torpedo boats PT-3 and PT-4.
  • (b) Contract No. S-67137 awarded on 15 June 1939 to the Defoe Boat and Motor Works, Bay City, Michigan for one experimental steel submarine chaser PC-451.

Principal Building Yards

Subsequent workload under the Detroit and Bay City offices

(a) Fisher Boat Works, Detroit

With a short break in the workload in the summer of 1940, between the completion of the two PT boats and the commencement of construction of a series of 110′ wood submarine chasers, this yard was awarded and completed 19 – 110′ subchasers on five contracts. An additional contract for four of these vessels was cancelled in the early stages of the construction. The vessels were delivered at various points including Detroit, New York Navy Yard, two at Chicago (partially completed to avoid ice delay at Detroit) and one at New Orleans. The last vessel was delivered and commissioned at the New York Navy Yard on 12 November 1943, following which the office at Detroit was on 24 November 1943, disestablished. The total contract cost of the Fisher Boat Works contracts was $2,671,324.00.

(b) Defoe Shipbuilding Co., Bay City

This yard developed into the largest producing yard under the two subject supervisory offices. Following their first contract this yard was continuously employed through the defense period and the war period, in the construction of a total of 154 naval vessels on 12 contracts, not including cancellations and cutbacks as follows: one contract for 10 DE’s which was cancelled before any work was done; one contract for 38 PC’s was cut back seven vessels to 31; one contract for 58 LCI(L)’s was cut back 11 vessels to 47; and one contract for 30 AM’s was first cut back 25 vessels to five, and finally terminated with these five vessels in various stages of construction.

As these vessels are of eight various types it may be of interest to tabulate them here simply by types:

Number All Steel Vessels Designation Length
58* PC’s PC 170′
3 YT YT 100′
4 BAT BAT 143′
4 Fleet AM AM 220′
17 DE DE 300′
11 AFD AFD 300′
47 LCI(L) LCI(L) 153′
10 YF YF 132′

*Includes PC-452 partially completed for later installation of experimental machinery by the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

These vessels were delivered at many different points including: Norfolk, New York, Boston, Bay City, Chicago, Lockport and New Orleans, by the three routes of: (1) the St. Lawrence River; (2) the New York Barge Canal; and (3) the Illinois–Mississippi River. The last vessel delivered by Defoe was the YF-890, placed in service at Bay City, Michigan on 29 October 1945.

The total contract cost of these vessels was approximately $140,000,000.00, without correction for renegotiation, changes, etc. The maximum force employed at Bay City (not including any subcontractors) was about 3,700.

* Name changed later to Defoe Shipbuilding Company, effective 1 Feb. 1942.

Other Ship and Boat Building Yards

Brief summaries of contractors under the Detroit and Bay City supervisory offices

(a) Under Detroit

(1) American Cruiser Company, Trenton, Michigan

First contract awarded 1 April 1941. Ten (10) 110′ wood submarine chasers were built on three contracts (nine delivered at the Navy Yard, New York and one (SC-684) delivered at the Naval Station, New Orleans. Last vessel was delivered 23 August 1943. The contract cost for the ten vessels totaled $1,337,000.00.

(2) Robinson Marine Construction Company, Benton Harbor, Mich.

First contract No. S-83462 awarded 1 April 1941 for two 110′ wood submarine chasers. A total of 12 – 110′ wood submarine chasers were built on this contract, its extension to two more on 30 July 1941, and on contract No. S-546. The contract cost of the 12 vessels totaled $1,668,000.00.

Note: Two vessels had been completed and a third keel laid when this yard was transferred from SupShip, Detroit to the jurisdiction of the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, USN, Chicago on 6 June 1942. The last vessel was completed on 25 September 1943.

(3) Dachel-Carter Shipbuilding Company, Benton Harbor, Mich.

First contract awarded 6 June 1941. Twenty wood hull vessels of five different types were built on five contracts, including:

Number Type
2 BYMS
2 SC (110′)
8 YMS
4 PCS
4 ATR

* There was evidence in certain files that the Robinson Marine Construction Company had previously built two Bombing Target Boats, C-1828 and C-1829 on contract No. S-6917. The records are not complete but they were apparently completed late in 1940, and some assistance was given in the inspection by Lt.(jg) COWN of the SupShip Bay City office, although the general cognizance was apparently under the INM Chicago.

Of these vessels none were completed prior to the transfer of the jurisdiction to the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, USN, Chicago on 6 June 1942, although four vessels had been launched and were nearing completion. The last vessel was completed 22 August 1944. The total contract cost of the 20 vessels totaled $6,376,800.00.

(4) Chris-Craft Corporation, Algonac, Cadillac and Holland, Michigan (and later Grand Rapids, Michigan 1-1-45)

This developed to be the second largest producing yard in value of the subject supervisory offices. First contract was awarded 17 December 1941. The supervision, although under the cognizance of the SupShips, first at Detroit and later at Bay City, was directly under the supervision of the Asst. SupShip at Algonac. See also his separate history — Exhibit 2. This corporation produced on 18 contracts and five extensions:

Number Length Type
105 36′ Picket boats (harbor)
1,238 36′ LCP(L) Landing Craft Personnel (Large)
2,535 36′ LCP(R) Landing Craft Personnel (Ramp)
600 36′ LCV Landing Craft Vehicle
7,806 36′ LCVP Landing Craft Vehicle & Personnel

A grand total of 12,284 craft at a contract value of over $70,000,000.00 in addition to over $5,000,000.00 worth of additional material on 379 maintenance and spare parts contracts and 754 orders of less than $5,000.00.

The last craft under these contracts were delivered on 9 January 1946, being delayed by a work stoppage August 29 to November 21, 1945.

(5) Gar Wood Industries, Marysville, Michigan

Note: This contractor was also directly under the Asst. SupShip, Algonac.

First contract awarded 24 December 1941. 145 boats were built on three contracts and one extension, divided by type as follows:

Number Type
75 36′ Navy Picket Boats (Harbor)
70 24′ Plane Personnel Boats, Mark I

At a total contract value of $1,135,792.50. The last boat was delivered on 6 November 1943.

(6) Victory Shipbuilding Company, Macatawa, Holland, Michigan

First contract awarded 30 April 1942. Six wood-hull vessels were built on two contracts:

Contract No. Number Type
NObs-179 2 110′ Wood Submarine Chasers
NObs-838 4 YTL

At a total contract price of $500,000.00. The supervision of this contractor was transferred from SupShip Detroit to the jurisdiction of the Supervisor of Shipbuilding, USN, Chicago, on 12 December 1942, at which time the first subchaser had been launched but not completed. The last vessel was completed 21 September 1943.

(b) Under Bay City
(1) Foster Boat Company, Charlevoix, Michigan

First contract 6 April 1942. 247 small boats of five different types, including:

Number Type
150 33′ Plane Rearming Boats
30 24′ Plane Personnel Boat Mk. 2
50 24′ Plane Personnel Boat Mk. 4
27 17′ Line Handling Boats
40 9′ Sailing Dinghies

These were built on seven contracts and two modifications, with some interruptions between contracts. The last boat was delivered 4 January 1946. The total value of all contracts, less cancellations, amounted to $769,447.70, not including a termination claim of about $35,000.00.

(2) Eddy Shipbuilding Company, Bay City, Michigan

First contract 13 July 1942. 130 small boats of three different types, including:

Number Type
30 33′ Plane Rearming Boats
60 28′ Whale Boats
20 24′ Plane Personnel Boats Mk. 2
20 24′ Plane Personnel Boats Mk. 4

These were built on four contracts and one modification, with a long interruption of over a year between two of the contracts. Concurrent with the last contract, this yard had a small repair contract to recondition two 24′ Plane Personnel Boats, which had been loaned by the Navy for research purposes in connection with the test of a newly proposed system of propulsion.

The last boat was delivered on 25 September 1945. The total value of all contracts amounted to $362,663.00.

(c) Under Assistant Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Algonac
(1) Hacker Boat Company, Mount Clemens, Michigan

First contract 6 July 1945. 25 — 36′ Bombing Target Boats. First boat delivered 11 December 1945. Estimated last boat to be delivered in June 1946. Total value of contract was $186,425.00.

Defoe Shipbuilding Company Subcontractors

The Defoe Shipbuilding Company did considerable subcontracting during their program, using at least thirty-five (35) subcontractors in Michigan. Of these, the following have been shown on Exhibit 1, as being the most prominent and generally prefabricating major parts of steel hulls for various vessels; also those where inspection supervision was maintained by SupShip, Bay City.

Name Dates Principal Parts Manufactured Approx. Value of Work
Valley Welding & Boiler Co., Bay City, Mich. 6-13-41 / 10-6-44 PC Rudders, LCI(L) Sterns & Rudders $1,140,000.00
Baker Perkins, Inc., Saginaw, Michigan 9-5-41 / 12-29-44 PC Small Tanks, DE Bows, LCI(L) Pilot Houses $1,189,000.00
Hugh Lee Iron Works, Saginaw, Michigan 9-12-41 / 9-25-44 PC Deck Houses, DE Deck Houses, LCI(L) Bows $720,000.00
Whitehead & Kales Co., River Rouge, Michigan 1-7-43 / 10-16-44 DE Bulkheads, DE Bottom Sections, DE Deck Sections, LCI(L) Main Hull Sections $4,835,000.00
Wickes Boiler Co., Saginaw, Michigan 4-5-43 / 12-7-44 DE Boiler Assemblies, DE Deck Houses $180,000.00
Nicholson Terminal & Dock Co., Ecorse, Michigan 4-28-43 / 8-22-44 PC, completed 18 vessels including installation of machinery, etc. $2,260,000.00
Allied Steel & Conveyor Co., Detroit, Michigan 3-4-44 / 9-25-44 LCI(L) 47 Deck Houses fabricated (in four sections) $470,000.00

All of the above contractors and subcontractors and the period of time covered by their work are shown graphically on Exhibit 1. Broken vertical lines indicate periods of no Navy work between contracts.

In addition to the above subcontractors where duty stations were maintained more or less, the Defoe Shipbuilding Company also employed at least twenty-nine other subcontractors in Michigan, where the inspection was carried on by periodic visits of the SupShip representatives, or by representatives of the Inspector of Naval Material, Detroit District.

A graphical presentation of the series of Navy shipbuilding contracts awarded the Defoe Shipbuilding Co. is shown on Exhibit No. 3. This supplements the information previously described in paragraph 3(b).

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