Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation



The Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation was a United States corporation which built ships for the US Navy and merchant marine during World War II.

The shipyard had existed since the 1920s as part of the Todd Dry Dock & Construction Company, but had shut down some time after the First World War. In 1939, the old shipyard in Commencement Bay, Tacoma was revived by Todd and Kaiser Shipbuilding together with the aid of some $15 million in capital provided by the US Navy, for the production of vessels in anticipation of possible US entry into World War II. The money enabled the owners to expand the number of ways from three to eight in total.

Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding produced a significant number of ships during the war, from escort carriers and destroyers to merchant vessels. On Liberty Fleet Day 27 September 1941 one of the first Liberty ships the SS Fredrick Funston was launched by Seattle-Tacoma.

In 1942 Todd bought out Kaiser's holding and some time thereafter the company was reabsorbed into Todd Dry Dock & Construction, which eventually became Todd Pacific Shipyards. Todd sold the Tacoma shipyard to the Navy after the war ended, which in turn sold the site to the Port of Tacoma in 1959. Today the site is set for redevelopment as part of the Port's Commencement Bay Industrial Development District.