Long Beach Naval Shipyard

The Long Beach Naval Shipyard was a major U.S. Navy shipyard located on Terminal Island between Long Beach and San Pedro, California. Founded in 1943 to quickly repair war damage, the facility reached its peak during World War II, with more than 16,000 employees. After a brief closure, it reopened in 1951 for the Korean War and, during the Cold War, was used mainly to overhaul non-nuclear ships, including famous aircraft carriers and battleships. As the primary emergency dry dock for the West Coast, it played a central role until it was permanently closed in 1997, following the end of the Cold War.