Victory Yard

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Victory Yard, 1943 Victory Yard.jpg
Victory Yard, 1943
Victory Yard, Aerial Victory Yard Aerial.jpg
Victory Yard, Aerial

The Victory Yard was a temporary expansion of the General Dynamics Electric Boat facility in Groton, Connecticut, to dramatically increase submarine construction during World War II.

Contents

Early property ownership

On 5 February 1942, the US Navy purchased the former Groton Iron Works property from Alfred Holter and Shell Oil Company for $222,000 using condemnation proceedings. [1] $9.5 million was spent to construct the Victory Yard, where General Dynamics Electric Boat began building submarines on 22 July 1942. [2] On 3 November 1943 a Federal Court Committee awarded an additional $203,000 to the former owners. [3]

Submarines built at the Victory Yard

EB Hull # [4] Way [4] Name [4] Class [4] Keel LaidLaunchedCommissioned
662-V USS Dace (SS-247) Gato 22 July 1942 [5] 25 April 1943 [5] 23 July 1943 [5]
683-V USS Dorado (SS-248) 27 August 1942 [6] 23 May 1943 [6] 28 August 1943 [6]
714-V USS Flasher (SS-249) 30 September 1942 [7] 20 June 1943 [7] 25 September 1943 [7]
735-V USS Flier (SS-250) 30 October 1942 [8] 11 July 1943 [8] 18 October 1943 [8]
766-V USS Flounder (SS-251) 5 December 1942 [9] 22 August 1943 [9] 29 November 1943 [9]
787-V USS Gabilan (SS-252) 5 January 1943 [10] 19 September 1943 [10] 28 December 1943 [10]
798-V USS Bream (SS-243) 5 February 1943 [11] 17 October 1943 [11] 24 January 1944 [11]
809-V USS Cavalla (SS-244) 4 March 1943 [12] 14 November 1943 [12] 29 February 1944 [12]
8110-V USS Cobia (SS-245) 17 March 1943 [13] 28 November 1943 [13] 29 March 1944 [13]
821-V USS Croaker (SS-246) 1 April 1943 [14] 19 December 1943 [14] 21 April 1944 [14]
892-V USS Becuna (SS-319) Balao 29 April 1943 [15] 30 January 1944 [15] 27 May 1944 [15]
913-V USS Besugo (SS-321) 27 May 1943 [16] 27 February 1944 [16] 19 June 1944 [16]
934-V USS Caiman (SS-323) 24 June 1943 [17] 30 March 1944 [17] 17 July 1944 [17]
955-V USS Blower (SS-325) 15 July 1943 [18] 23 April 1944 [18] 10 August 1944 [18]
986-V USS Charr (SS-328) 26 August 1943 [19] 28 May 1944 [19] 23 September 1944 [19]
1007-V USS Brill (SS-330) 23 September 1943 [20] 25 June 1944 [20] 26 October 1944 [20]
1028-V USS Bullhead (SS-332) 21 October 1943 [21] 16 July 1944 [21] 4 December 1944 [21]
1049-V USS Cabezon (SS-334) 18 November 1943 [22] 27 August 1944 [22] 30 December 1944 [22]
10610-V USS Capitaine (SS-336) 2 December 1943 [23] 1 October 1944 [23] 26 January 1945 [23]
1081-V USS Carp (SS-338) 23 December 1943 [24] 12 November 1944 [24] 28 February 1945 [24]
1102-V USS Entemedor (SS-340) 3 February 1944 [25] 17 December 1944 [25] 6 April 1945 [25]
1123-V USS Chopper (SS-342) 2 March 1944 [26] 4 February 1945 [26] 25 May 1945 [26]
1144-V USS Cobbler (SS-344) 3 April 1944 [27] 1 April 1945 [27] 8 August 1945 [27]
1165-V USS Corporal (SS-346) 27 April 1944 [28] 10 June 1945 [28] 9 November 1945 [28]

Subsequent property uses

On 13 January 1945, General Dynamics Electric Boat announced that $3,000,000 will be spent to convert the Victory Yard to manufacture 105mm shells. [29]

On 18 December 1946, Pfizer Inc purchased the property from the War Assets Administration. [30] Purchase price was $911,999. [31]

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References

  1. "Iron Works Property Turned Over to E.B.". The Day. 5 February 1942. p. 10. Retrieved on 13 January 2011.
  2. "EB". The Day. 2 September 1995. p. A5. Retrieved on 13 January 2011.
  3. $203,000 More for Groton Works". The New York Times. 3 November 1943. Retrieved on 13 January 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Electric Boat Production Record". Haze Gray & Underway. Retrieved on 24 January 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 "USS Dace (SS-247)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 "USS Dorado (SS-248)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  7. 1 2 3 "USS Flasher (SS-249)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  8. 1 2 3 "USS Flier (SS-250)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  9. 1 2 3 "USS Flounder (SS-251)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  10. 1 2 3 "USS Gabilan (SS-252)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  11. 1 2 3 "USS Bream (SS-243)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  12. 1 2 3 "USS Cavalla (SS-244)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  13. 1 2 3 "USS Cobia (SS-245)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  14. 1 2 3 "USS Croaker (SS-246)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  15. 1 2 3 "USS Becuna (SS-319)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  16. 1 2 3 "USS Besugo (SS-321)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  17. 1 2 3 "USS Caiman (SS-323)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  18. 1 2 3 "USS Blower (SS-325)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  19. 1 2 3 "USS Charr (SS-328)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  20. 1 2 3 "USS Brill (SS-330)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  21. 1 2 3 "USS Bullhead (SS-332)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  22. 1 2 3 "USS Cabezon (SS-334)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  23. 1 2 3 "USS Capitaine (SS-336)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  24. 1 2 3 "USS Carp (SS-338)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  25. 1 2 3 "USS Entemedor (SS-340)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  26. 1 2 3 "USS Chopper (SS-342)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  27. 1 2 3 "USS Cobbler (SS-344)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  28. 1 2 3 "USS Corporal (SS-346)". Wikipedia. Retrieved on 30 January 2011.
  29. "Electric Boat Co., Groton, Gets “Very Large Order” For Manufacture of 105 MM Shells". Lewiston Evening Journal. 13 January 1945. p. 7. Retrieved on 8 January 2011.
  30. "New London, Groton Salute Pfizer for Community Role; Plaque Given at Breakfast". The Day. 12 November 1954. p. 3. Retrieved on 10 January 2011.
  31. PFIZER BUYS WAR PLANT; Chemical Concern Gets WAA Shipyard at Groton for $911,999". The New York Times. 19 December 1946. Retrieved on 13 January 2011.

41°20′36.08″N72°4′50.8″W / 41.3433556°N 72.080778°W / 41.3433556; -72.080778