Walsh-Kaiser Company
Providence, Rhode Island
source: Sawyer & Mitchell

©
Rhode Island

At a time when the New England area had been selected as the location of new shipyards (these being dependent upon the availability of labor and good sites), the management of one yard was vested in the Rheem Manufacturing Company. This company was experienced in the manufacture of water heaters and later in the production of ammunition, but had no shipbuilding knowledge.

Its own preference for a site was at Stockton in California, but this was overruled due to 'overcrowding' in that state and the company was forced to take a site at Providence, Rhode Island. It proved, however, to be a most difficult one and Rheem were unable to complete the facilities, even with the very high costs allowed. Instead of the original estimate of $6 million, the company spent $18 million and yet the six-slipway yard was still far from complete in February 1943. The Maritime Commision then installed new management, this being formed by the Kaiser group and the Walsh Construction Company. The Rheem contract was cancelled and only the first six vessels from the thirty-two ship order were subsequently completed, the first by Rheem themselves and the remainder under the auspices of the new management.

Later the construction of frigates commenced and in mid-1944 the yard further contracted with the US Navy for thirty-two Attack Cargo ships (AKAs). But the designs of these vessels were delayed and Providence was awarded a 'fill-in' contract for six Liberties. Late deliveries of material, trouble with the frigates and the consequent delays in outfitting so retarded deliveries, however, that by the spring of 1944 the yard was working on frigates, AKAs and Liberties at the same time.

Ultimately the Liberty contract was reduced to the five vessels which had found their way onto the stocks during the period of congestion.

Liberty ship output: 11 vessels.

USMC Numbers	Yard Numbers
Built by Rheem Manufacturing Company
1457	1
1463-1488	cancelled
Built by Walsh-Kaiser Company
1458-1462	2-6

For the remaining constructions at this yard the MCE number was used as the yard number. (No. 3124 was cancelled.)

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World War II Construction Records of Walsh-Kaiser Company, Inc.

Read recollections of the Walsh-Kaiser Shipyard, Providence, RI.