Levingston Shipbuilding Company was a shipbuilding company at Orange, Texas on the Sabine River founded by George Levingston. During World War II Levingston Shipbuilding Company built ships for the United States Naval Station Orange also on the Sabine River. George Levingston also purchased major shares of Joseph Weaver and Son Shipyard, also on the Sabine River. [1] The company was started by Samuel H. Levingston in 1859.
[2] First ship completed was in 1925, last ship was in 1982, as the company was sold to the company's CEO, Ed Paden. For World War II Levingston built Tank Barges a Type B ship and Tugboats a Type V ship.
Notable ships:
At the site of Levingston Shipbuilding Company is a historical marker that reads: [3]
In 1859, three brothers, Samuel, David and John Levingston, arrived in Orange from Ireland and purchased an existing shipyard, where they built wooden ships for more than thirty years. The some of Samuel Levingston, "Captain" George Levingston, established his own shipbuilding business in 1919-1920. In 1930, Levingston purchased five acres at Front and Mill Streets in Orange, enlarging his operation, and Levingston Shipbuilding Company operated from this location fro the remainder of its existence. Incorporation in 1933 sustained the company during the slow economic times of the 1930s. Edward T. Malloy was hired in 1939 as a general manager, and stayed with the company for thirty-seven years, becoming president of the company when he bought the controlling interest in 1945.
World War II brought a vast influx of business--the company had begun construction of military vessels before the United States entered the war, and continued to be a major supplier for the Army and Navy during the duration. Levingston Shipbuilding delivered its first vessel for the war effort, a 530-ton steel tugboat named Tuscarora on December 13, 1941. Between 1941 and 1945, Levinston built and delivered a total of 160 vessels for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army including tugs, tankers, barges and ocean going rescue tugs. After World War II, Levingston Shipbuilding changed with the economic times and became a worldwide leader in the design, engineering and construction of off-shore drilling rigs, jack-up platforms, and self-propelled drilling ships. Levingston Shipbuilding was the only U.S. builder of all five types of offshore drilling rigs until it ceased operations in 1985.
Among the Drilling Ships built in the mid-seventies was the Glomar Java Sea built for Global Marine. Jack up Rigs for Diamond 'M' included the Diamond 'M' Gem. Ashland Chemical Company purchased the yard thereafter and built drilling rigs for their own operations. [4]
Avondale Shipyard was an independent shipbuilding company, acquired by Litton Industries, in turn acquired by Northrop Grumman Corporation. In 2011, along with the former Ingalls Shipbuilding, the yard was part of Huntington Ingalls Industries. It closed in October 2014. The yard was located on the west bank of the Mississippi River in an area called Bridge City, about 20 miles (32 km) upriver from New Orleans near Westwego, Louisiana. It was the site of the modernization of the battleship USS Iowa in the early 1980s and also constructed some of the lighter aboard ships (LASH). At one time, it was the largest employer in Louisiana, with about 26,000 employees.
USS Salish (ATA-187) was a Sotoyomo-class rescue tug of the US Navy. Her hull was laid down on 29 August 1944. She left US service on 10 February 1972 and was recommissioned in the Argentine Navy on the same day as the ARA Alférez Sobral (A-9).
Seaspan ULC provides marine-related services to the Pacific Northwest. Within the Group are three shipyards, an intermodal ferry and car float business, along with a tug and barge transportation company that serves both domestic and international markets. Seaspan, is part of the Washington Companies that are owned by Dennis Washington. Kyle Washington, is the Executive Chairman of Seaspan, who has become a Canadian citizen.
USS Tunica (ATA-178) was a Sotoyomo-class auxiliary fleet tug acquired by the United States Navy for service during and after World War II.
The Great Lakes Group (GLG) is an American full-service marine-related transportation company headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. The Great Lakes Group is the parent Company to The Great Lakes Towing Company, Great Lakes Shipyard, Tugz International L.L.C., Puerto Rico Towing & Barge Co., Soo Linehandling Services, Admiral Towing and Barge Company, and Wind Logistics, Inc.
USS ATA-176 was an ATR-1-class rescue tug built for the United States Navy during World War II. She was laid down on 30 January 1944 and launched on 1 March as USS ATR-103, but was re-designated ATA-176 on 15 May. She was commissioned as USS ATA-176 on 19 August. She served in the U.S. Pacific Fleet during the war and was decommissioned on 30 June 1947. She was then manned with a civilian crew and placed in service, being renamed USNS Tonkawa (T-ATA-176) on 16 July 1948. Tonkawa, the first U.S. Navy vessel named for the Tonkawa, was taken out of service in 1956 and placed in reserve.
USS Wateree (ATA-174), the third ship named USS Wateree, was a Sotoyomo-class auxiliary fleet tug in the service of the United States Navy during World War II. She later served with the Military Sea Transportation Service and the Peruvian Navy as a diving support ship. In Peruvian naval service she was renamed BAP Unanue (ATA-136).
The Halifax Shipyard Limited is a Canadian shipbuilding company located in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Arapaho-class tugboats were oceangoing tugboats designated fleet tugs by the United States Navy during their service in the early half of the 20th century. They were in service during World War I and World War II. Arapaho was built by the Seattle Construction and Drydock Company in Seattle, Washington.
USS Koka (ATA-185) was a US Navy tugboat. Koka is from the phonetic spelling of Coca, formerly an Indian village in southern Arizona. Originally designated as ATR-112, she was redesignated as ATA-185 on 15 May 1944; launched 11 September 1944, by Levingston Shipbuilding Co., Orange, Texas; and commissioned on 16 November.
USS Penobscot (ATA-188/ATR–115) -- a Sotoyomo-class auxiliary fleet tug—was originally placed in service by the U.S. Navy as USS ATA–188 until she was renamed USS Penobscot (ATA-188) 16 July 1948. She served in the Pacific Ocean during World War II, and on the U.S. East Coast after the war’s end. She was finally decommissioned in 1971.
USS Sotoyomo (ATR-43/ATA-121) was a rescue tug of the United States Navy that served during World War II and the early 1950s, and was sold to Mexico in 1963.
USS Sonoma (ATA-175) was a tugboat of the United States Navy, which served during World War II. She was the third Navy ship to bear the name "Sonoma", which is of American-Indian origin, in accordance with the Navy's naming convention for tugs.
Gulfport Shipbuilding Corporation was a shipbuilding company at Port Arthur, Texas, formed as Gulfport Boiler & Welding Works opened in 1930. For World War II Gulfport built Tank Barges a Type B ship and Tugboats a Type V ship. The shipyard closed in 1985.
Bay Shipbuilding Company (BSC) is a shipyard and dry dock company in Sturgeon Bay, Door County, Wisconsin. As of 2015, Bay Ships was a subsidiary of Fincantieri Marine Group and produces articulated tug and barges, OPA-90 compliant double hull tank ships and offshore support vessels. It also provides repair services to the lake freighter fleet. In the past the shipyard located in Sturgeon Bay has operated under several different names and traces its history back to 1918.
The Type V ship is a United States Maritime Commission (MARCOM) designation for World War II tugboats. Type V was used in World War II, Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Type V ships were used to move ships and barges. Type V tugboats were made of either steel or wood hulls. There were four types of tugboats ordered for World War II. The largest type V design was the sea worthy 186-foot (57 m) long steel hull, V4-M-A1. The V4-M-A1 design was used by a number of manufacturers; a total of 49 were built. A smaller steel hull tugboat was the 94-foot (29 m) V2-ME-A1; 26 were built. The largest wooden hull was the 148-foot (45 m) V3-S-AH2, of which 14 were built. The smaller wooden hull was the 58-foot (18 m) V2-M-AL1, which 35 were built. Most V2-M-AL1 tugboats were sent to the United Kingdom for the war efforts under the lend-lease act. The Type V tugs served across the globe during World War II including: Pacific War, European theatre, and in the United States. SS Farallon, and other Type V tugs, were used to help built Normandy ports, including Mulberry harbour, on D-Day, 6 June 1944, and made nine round trips to Normandy to deliver Phoenix breakwaters.
United States Naval Station Orange, later Texas Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet and US Naval Reserve Orange was a major United States Navy shipyard in Orange, Texas on the Sabine River. The shipyard opened on August 24, 1940, to manage the construction of 24 landing craft. To support the shipyards the navy built new naval offices, barracks and civilian housing. The Navy built twelve piers in the Sabine River at the Base. U.S. Naval Station Orange also worked with the civilian shipyards in Texas during World War II. Major civilian shipyards were: Consolidated Steel Corporation, Levingston Shipbuilding Company, and Weaver Shipyards. At the end of the war in November 1945 the shipyard was closed and the base was turned into the Texas Group, Atlantic Reserve Fleet with 250 ships.
Weaver Shipyards, also called Weaver Brothers Shipyards was a shipyard in Orange, Texas on the Sabine River. The shipyard opened in 1897. The shipyard was founded by Joe Weaver and his son as Joseph Weaver and Son Shipyard. Joe Weaver was L.E. Weaver, known as Ed Weaver. In 1898 Levingston Shipbuilding Company founder, George Levingston purchased major shares of Joseph Weaver and Son Shipyard. Weaver Shipyard's early work was the construction work for Galveston Navigation District building barges. The yard was also active in building and repairing tugboats. In 1930 Joseph Weaver died and a new family partnership was made, L.E. Weaver and his son. Ed Weaver's son was L.A. Weaver. In 1941 Ed Weaver died and L.A. Weaver changed the shipyard to Weaver Shipyards. Weaver Shipyards became a partnership of several a Weaver family members.
Bethlehem Beaumont Shipyard was a shipyard in Beaumont, Texas that opened in 1948. The yard is located on an island in the Neches River and upstream of the Sabine Pass that grants access to the Gulf of Mexico. The deep-water port shipyard was founded in 1917 as the Beaumont Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company. Beaumont Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company started as a World War I Emergency Shipbuilding Program yard.
M & J Tracy Inc. was a shipping and tugboat towing company founded in New York City by the racy brothers in 1881, as M & J Tracy Transportation company. The brothers: John Tracy, Michael J. Tracy and Thomas Tracy founded the Tracy Towing Line in 1917. The brother's sisters: Catherine Tracy and Helen Tracy were on the company's board. M & J Tracy Inc. office was located at 1 Broadway in New York City and had a field office in Brooklyn. The Tracy companies owned both owned tugboats and barges. Early work was transporting coal to New York harbor port in barges. M & J Tracy Inc. supported the World War II effort by operating United States tugboats and ships. After the war, M & J Tracy Inc. purchased some surplus ships. M & J Tracy Inc. also operated the M & J Tracy New York Harbor Industrial site. The family lived in the Frank J. Helmle 1912 Tracy Mansion at 105 8th Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, now a 7 unit Condo. John Tracy founded the Maritime Association of the Port of New York. John Tracy was born in 1855 and died on October 1, 1931. Michael J, Tracy died on November 7, 1927,
30°05′22″N93°43′43″W / 30.08938°N 93.72857°W
