Vancouver Shipyard

The Kaiser Company, Vancouver, commonly known as the Vancouver Shipyard, was an emergency shipyard constructed along the Columbia River in Vancouver, Washington, to help meet the production demands of the United States [Maritime Commission] in World War II. The shipyard was one of three Kaiser Shipyards in the Pacific Northwest, along with the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation and the Swan [Island Shipyard] across the Columbia in Portland, Oregon.

History

The Vancouver yard began production in early 1942 and totaled nearly. It had an initial payroll of 38,000 workers. The shipyard produced vessels of five different types, with Casablanca-class escort carriers being its biggest production line.
The shipyard's first escort carrier,, was launched on April 5, 1943.
In 1960, the shipyard was purchased by Gilmore Steel for $3,279,000.