D-Day, 75 Years Ago Today

Today, 75 years ago, the United States and our allies joined forces for the Normandy Landings, code named Operation Neptune.  This operation was the largest seaborne invasion in the history of the world, resulting in five allied beachheads being established in Normandy.

D-Day

What you may not have known, though, is that our little beach town of Newport Beach was also a major contributor to the war effort. Many of our docks and shipbuilders were re-purposed to build and maintain ships for both the Army and Navy.

Here are a list of over 100 military vessels which touched the water for the very first time right here in Newport Harbor (and this is not even listing the countless others which were repaired here):

Maker Number Built For Type Dates Built Notes
South Coast Shipbuilding YMS 88 US Navy Minesweeper 5-May-42 To the USSR 1945 as T-608
South Coast Shipbuilding YMS 89 US Navy Minesweeper 11-Jun-42 Struck 1946
South Coast Shipbuilding YMS 90 US Navy Minesweeper 24-Jul-42 Struck 1946
South Coast Shipbuilding YMS 91 US Navy Minesweeper 21-Aug-42 Sold 1946, active as Marabell in British Columbia
South Coast Shipbuilding YMS 92 US Navy Minesweeper 24-Sep-42 Mined off Okinawa and lost 1945
South Coast Shipbuilding YMS 93 US Navy Minesweeper 21-Oct-42 Struck 1947
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel MTL 1232 US Army Harbor Tug 1943 Sold as Lohilani
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel MTL 1233 US Army Harbor Tug 1943 Sold as Kolomona
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel MTL 1234 US Army Harbor Tug 1943 Sold as Ehukai, later Little Toot, now Claire
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel MTL 1235 US Army Harbor Tug 1943
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel MTL 1236 US Army Harbor Tug 1943 Sold as Wanda K
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel MTL 1237 US Army Harbor Tug 1943
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel LCM(3) US Navy Lndg. Craft 1943 Quantity built not known
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel HDML 1348 US Navy Launch 1943 To New Zealand
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel HDML 1349 US Navy Launch 1943 To New Zealand
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel HDML 1350 US Navy Launch 1943 To New Zealand
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel HDML 1351 US Navy Launch 1943 To New Zealand
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel MTL ? US Army Harbor Tug 1943 Sold as Tug 1061, now Viking
Victory Shipbuilding SC 1063 US Navy Sub Chaser 13-Feb-43 To USCG 1945 as Air Skimmer (WAVR 463), sold as Perry B
South Coast Shipbuilding YMS 259 US Navy Minesweeper 5-Mar-43 Struck 1946
South Coast Shipbuilding YMS 260 US Navy Minesweeper 9-Apr-43 To the USSR 1945 as T-527
Peyton Company SC 772 US Navy Sub Chaser 15-Apr-43 To USCG 1945 as Air Mallard (WAVR 437), sold 1948 as Lady Goodiver, now B-and-B SC-772 (Canada)
Victory Shipbuilding SC 1064 US Navy Sub Chaser 4-May-43 To USCG 1945 as Air Skylark (WAVR 464)
Peyton Company SC 773 US Navy Sub Chaser 12-May-43 Sold 1948 as Larry
Peyton Company SC 774 US Navy Sub Chaser 28-Jun-43 To the USSR 1945 as BO-323
South Coast Shipbuilding YMS 261 US Navy Minesweeper 8-Jul-43 To Britain 1943 as BYMS 2261, to Greece 1946 as Andromeda, struck 1967
Peyton Company SC 775 US Navy Sub Chaser 30-Jul-43 To USCG 1945 as Air Martin (WAVR 438), sold 1948 as Milmar
South Coast Shipbuilding YMS 262 US Navy Minesweeper 11-Aug-43 Later James M. Gillis (AGS 13) 1945, sold 1960
Peyton Company SC 1362 US Navy Sub Chaser 6-Sep-43 To USCG 1945 as Air Warbler (WAVR 477), sold 1948 as Warbler
South Coast Shipbuilding YMS 263 US Navy Minesweeper 10-Sep-43 Later Simon Newcomb (AGS 14) 1945, scrapped 1950
Peyton Company SC 1363 US Navy Sub Chaser 29-Sep-43 Disposed of 1946
South Coast Shipbuilding YMS 264 US Navy Minesweeper 26-Oct-43 To Britain 1943 as BYMS 2264
Peyton Company SC 1364 US Navy Sub Chaser 13-Nov-43 To the USSR 1945 as BO-331
South Coast Shipbuilding YMS 317 US Navy Minesweeper 18-Nov-43 Later Grosbeak (AMS 14) 1947, struck 1959
South Coast Shipbuilding YMS 318 US Navy Minesweeper 30-Dec-43 Struck 1946
Victory Shipbuilding MTL 1222 US Army Harbor Tug 10/43-11/43
Victory Shipbuilding MTL 1223 US Army Harbor Tug 10/43-11/43
Victory Shipbuilding MTL 1224 US Army Harbor Tug 10/43-11/43
Victory Shipbuilding MTL 1225 US Army Harbor Tug 10/43-11/43
Victory Shipbuilding MTL 1226 US Army Harbor Tug 10/43-11/43
Victory Shipbuilding MTL 1227 US Army Harbor Tug 10/43-11/43
Victory Shipbuilding MTL 1228 US Army Harbor Tug 11/43-12/43
Victory Shipbuilding MTL 1229 US Army Harbor Tug 11/43-12/43
Victory Shipbuilding MTL 1230 US Army Harbor Tug 11/43-12/43
Victory Shipbuilding MTL 1231 US Army Harbor Tug 11/43-12/43
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel TP 107 US Army Harbor Tug 1944 Sold as Daring
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel TP 108 US Army Harbor Tug 1944
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel TP 109 US Army Harbor Tug 1944
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel TP 110 US Army Harbor Tug 1944
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel TP 111 US Army Harbor Tug 1944
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel TP 112 US Army Harbor Tug 1944
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel TP 113 US Army Harbor Tug 1944
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel TP 114 US Army Harbor Tug 1944
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel TP 115 US Army Harbor Tug 1944
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel TP 116 US Army Harbor Tug 1944
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel TP 117 US Army Harbor Tug 1944
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel TP 118 US Army Harbor Tug 1944
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel TP 119 US Army Harbor Tug 1944
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel TP 120 US Army Harbor Tug 1944
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel TP 121 US Army Harbor Tug 1944
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel MTL ? US Army Harbor Tug 1944 Sold as Nyna Rose
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel MTL ? US Army Harbor Tug 1944 Sold as New Home
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel MTL ? US Army Harbor Tug 1944 Sold as Thelma Kay
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel MTL ? US Army Harbor Tug 1944 Sold as Two Nancies
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel MTL ? US Army Harbor Tug 1944 Sold as Norman H
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel MTL ? US Army Harbor Tug 1944 Sold as H F Lauritzen
Ackerman Boat & Consolidated Steel MTL ? US Army Harbor Tug 1944 Sold as Dixie Diver
TP ? US Army Harbor Tug 1944 Sold as Tiger-Horse
Peyton Company SC 1365 US Navy Sub Chaser 10-Jan-44 To the USSR 1945 as BO-329
South Coast Shipbuilding YMS 319 US Navy Minesweeper 4-Feb-44 Struck 1946
South Coast Shipbuilding PCS 1396 US Navy Sub Chaser 29-Mar-44 Reclassified Dutton (AGS 8) 1945, sold 1950 as Tarpon
South Coast Shipbuilding PCS 1397 US Navy Sub Chaser 16-May-44 Sold as South Beach, later Hidalgo
South Coast Shipbuilding PCS 1398/YMS 449 US Navy Minesweeper 7-Jul-44 Sold 1947
South Coast Shipbuilding PCS 1399/YMS 450 US Navy Minesweeper 25-Nov-44 Conversion cancelled, to the Philippines 1948 as Tarlac (P 11), scrapped 1969
South Coast Shipbuilding PCS 1400/YMS 451 US Navy Minesweeper 26-Dec-44 Completion cancelled, named Coquille 1956, sold 1963
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1338 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1339 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1340 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1341 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1342 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1343 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1344 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1345 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1346 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1347 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1348 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1349 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1350 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1351 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1352 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1353 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1354 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1355 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1356 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Victory Shipbuilding MT 1357 US Army Harbor Tug 3/44-7/44
Peyton Company TP 122 US Army Tug, Harbor Mar to Aug-44
Peyton Company TP 123 US Army Tug, Harbor Mar to Aug-44 Sold, later Outlaw V (Canada O.N. 320295)
Peyton Company TP 124 US Army Tug, Harbor Mar to Aug-44
Peyton Company TP 125 US Army Tug, Harbor Mar to Aug-44
South Coast Shipbuilding C-26646 US Navy Crash Boat 1945 To RAN as Air Hope
South Coast Shipbuilding C-26647 US Navy Crash Boat 1945 To RAN as Air Faith
South Coast Shipbuilding C-26648 US Navy Crash Boat 1945 To RAN as Air Foam
South Coast Shipbuilding C-26649 US Navy Crash Boat 1945
South Coast Shipbuilding C-26650 US Navy Crash Boat 1945
South Coast Shipbuilding C-26651 US Navy Crash Boat 1945
South Coast Shipbuilding YP 639 US Navy Patrol Boat 1945 Sold 1948 as Alphecca, later Jo Ann
South Coast Shipbuilding YP 640 US Navy Patrol Boat 1945 Sold 1948 as Intrepid, lost 1964
South Coast Shipbuilding PCS 1401/YMS 452 US Navy Minesweeper 13-Feb-45 Completion cancelled, named McMinnville 1956, sold 1963

Wouldn’t it be cool if we had one of these still in Newport to look at?  Well we do, but it’s disguised as a luxury cruise boat!  Our Hometown Hero John Wayne wanted a boat so big that it didn’t exist at the time, so he retrofitted a giant Minesweeping boat and turned it into his own luxury yacht, renaming it to “Wild Goose”– a far catchier name than “USS YMS-328”.

NOTES:
1) The Peyton Company was said to be at 901 West Pacific Coast Highway, but this location is not actually on the waterfront, although it’s close.  If anyone can pinpoint its site, please contact me at michael.glenn@devion.com .
2) If anyone can provide any information about this yard – who owned it, where was it, please contact me at michael.glenn@devion.com
3) Victory Shipbuilding was said to be at 613 West Pacific Coast Highway, but this location is not actually on the waterfront, although it’s close.  It is also unclear if this Victory Shipbuilding was connected in any way to the one in Holland MI.  If anyone can answer these questions, please contact me at michael.glenn@devion.com
4) Ackerman Boat Company was started in 1943 by Clarence Ackerman.  It was located on Lido Island, at a time when Lido Island was virgin ground.  Consolidated Steel bought it in 1943 and converted it into a boat repair yard, but sold it back to Ackerman in 1947.  It then continued as Ackerman Boat Works until quite recently.

Comments

comments

About Mike Glenn

Mike is the founder and publisher of Save Newport and Chair of Government Relations for the Elks Lodge. He writes, shoots photos, and edits, but much of the time, he's just "the IT guy". He can be reached at: Google+, Facebook, or via email, at michael.glenn@devion.com