FoundSF

Historical Exhibit

by Stacey Carter

DECOMMISSIONED: The History of Hunters Point Shipyard was curated by Stacey Carter at Building 101 at the HP shipyard, June 5 - August 2, 2025

Yellow line indicates original shape of the peninsula before the Navy demolished hills and filled in the bay to create the full shipyard.

By the end of the war, Hunter’s Point Naval Shipyard had developed into a mighty full-fledged shipyard capable of performing practically any task the fleet might require. The site had grown to nearly one thousand acres (979 acres) of modern industrial facilities, including almost five miles of berths, seventeen miles of railroad track, 200 buildings, and six dry docks ranging in length from 420 to 1,092 feet.26

The San Francisco Naval Shipyard’s ability to adapt itself to the many diversified work requirements of the fleet in full-scale warfare, in limited warfare as in the Korean conflict, and in peace time work load conditions has led to the permanence of the facility. This, together with the ability to dock the largest warship in the world here, led to the navy’s decision to establish the yard as an integral part of its fleet.

DRYDOCK No. 4: Critical Wartime Asset

Completed in 1943, Drydock No. 4 was the largest drydock in the world, capable of servicing any vessel afloat—including the massive aircraft carrier USS Intrepid, which it repaired three times during the war. Its scale allowed it to service multiple smaller ships simultaneously, making it a critical asset to the Pacific Fleet. Hundreds of war-damaged vessels were overhauled here, thanks to the monumental efforts of thousands of shipyard workers and engineers.

In July 1945, Drydock 4 played a secret but pivotal role in history: it was the site where the USS Indianapolis was loaded with components of the atomic bomb later dropped on Hiroshima. Designated a National Historic Landmark, Drydock 4 stands as a symbol of wartime innovation, labor, and strategic power.

USS Intrepid in Drydock #4, 1943.

HEALING THE USS INTREPID
January 1945: Repairs at Hunters Point

Intrepid spent all of January 1945 under repair in a dry dock at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard. Having sustained serious damage from kamikaze attacks off the Philippines, the carrier arrived on December 20 and headed across the Bay to Hunters Point for seven weeks of overhaul. For both ship and crew, this was a period of healing. As the ship's damage was repaired, physical reminders of the attack slowly disappeared.

This was lntrepid’s third visit to dry dock at Hunters Point. A little more than a year earlier, it had arrived following a collision in the Panama Canal. In February 1944, an encounter with a Japanese torpedo brought the ship back again for several months of repairs. These repeated visits gave Intrepid a reputation—some crew members even referred to it as the "Evil I."

But to the workers at Hunters Point, Intrepid had become "their ship." From December 22, 1944, to February 10, 1945, shipyard crews worked around the clock to repair battle damage and make key upgrades. At the stern, they replaced a 40mm gun with two new 40mm quad mounts and installed new gun sights and directors throughout the ship. The pace and precision of the work impressed the crew—one mechanic recalled that the workers must have "pulled some miracles" to complete the job in just seven weeks.

WHY HUNTERS POINT?

A Strategic Choice for the US Navy

By the early 20th century, the U.S. Navy urgently needed a deep-water shipyard on the West Coast. Silting in the upper Bay and growing ship sizes had rendered older facilities like Mare Island obsolete for the modern fleet. After decades of Naval studies and Congressional reports, one site stood out: Hunters Point.

In 1939, the Navy purchased the site from Bethlehem Steel, then took control of the shipyard 11 days after the Pearl Harbor attacks and launching what would become the San Francisco Naval Shipyard.

Grommet Maids

Why Hunters Point Was Chosen:

🔹 World-Class Harbor Protected entrance and deep anchorage for the Navy’s largest vessels

🔹 Natural Defense Geographic features shielded the site from potential sea attack

🔹 Room to Grow Ample waterfront and up to 1,400 acres of adjacent land for future expansion

🔹 Strategic Connections Easy access to rail, highway, air, sea, and radio networks, plus West Coast industry and finance

🔹 Build-Ready Terrain Ground and tide flats ideal for constructing large drydocks

🔹 Skilled Labor Nearby Close to a strong workforce trained in shipyard trades

🔹 All-Weather Advantage Temperate Bay Area climate perfect for year-round outdoor laborI

USS Enterprise in drydock at Hunters Point, c 1960s

Aerial view northerly over Hunters Point, c. 1950

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Decommissioned: Navy Takes Notice 1908

Decommissioned: A Mighty Shipyard 1941-1947

Decommissioned: Hunters Point and the Atomic Turning Point

Decommissioned: The Giant Crane 1947

Decommissioned: After the War 1946-1969

Decommissioned: Naval Radiological Defense Laboratory 1946-1969