Requisitioned Ships: Illustrations
Pennsylvania Shipbuilding Co., Gloucester City, N.J.
Later Pusey & Jones Co.
Requisitioned: 17 ships: Yard nos. 1-12 and 15-19, plus 2 cancelled.
Click on the photographs below to prompt larger views of the same images.
| Note: This yard in Gloucester City, N.J., and the New Jersey Shipbuilding Co. located next to it were consolidated with the Pusey & Jones Co. of Wilmington, Del., on 22 January 1918. The renaming of the two Gloucester yards to Pusey & Jones was announced in mid-1918. All three yards were owned and controlled by Christoffer Hannevig. |
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S.S. Desdemona, later Chestnut Hill (Yard no. 1) On launch day, 23 August 1917. The dignitaries are assembled around the ramp to the platform. Photo No. 165-WW-499A-052 Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-165-WW |
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S.S. John M. Connelly (Yard no. 2) Being side launched on 10 November 1917. She is flying both the Norwegian and British flags from her temporary masts. Photo No. 165-WW-499A-051 Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-165-WW |
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S.S. Chestnut Hill, ex Desdemona (Yard no. 1) The after deck and poop photographed on 18 February 1918 while fitting out. Photo No. 165-WW-496D-002 Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-165-WW |
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S.S. John M. Connelly (Yard no. 2) Looking forward towards back of bridge house on 18 March 1918 while fitting out. Photo No. 165-WW-496F-007 Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-165-WW |
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S.S. John M. Connelly (Yard no. 2) Looking aft at front of bridge house while fitting out on 18 March 1918. She was delivered to the EFC on 7 May 1918 and commissioned in the Navy two days later. See her WWI page. Photo No. 165-WW-496F-015 Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-165-WW |
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USS Chestnut Hill, ex Desdemona (Yard no. 1) Photographed on 16 March 1918 two days after she was completed and taken over by the Navy. See her WWI page. Photo No. NH 70471 Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center |
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S.S. John M. Connelly (Yard no. 2) Photographed at an unknown location in camouflage but without guns or naval flags. Photo No. NH 70471 Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center |
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S.S. Sharon, ex Calpurnia (Yard no. 6) Photographed on 9 September 1918 from shipway no. 4 (see map below) showing shipways nos. 3 (left) and 6 with their mobile cranes. A new double bottom is on No. 3, probably the tanker Sharon which was laid down on 4 September 1918, and no. 6 has a hull that is well advanced, probably the freighter Abraham Lincoln, which is mentioned as Yard no. C9 in the inscription on the photo. A tanker in camouflage is under the fitting out crane at the end of the pier and an incomplete freighter is afloat to its right. Note that ships at this yard were side-launched. Photo No. 165-WW-496F-011 Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-165-WW |
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S.S. Allentown, ex Lucretia (Yard no. 3) Photographed on 17 December 1917 showing the mobile crane of this shipway over the midships portion of the ship assisting in its construction. S.S. John M. Connelly is afloat on the right. Photo No. 165-WW-496D-007 Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-165-WW |
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Pennsylvania and New Jersey Shipbuilding Co. yards A panoramic view photographed on 1 November 1917. The six shipways of the Pennsylvania Co. yard are on the right with the tanker Desdemona afloat and John M. Connelly nearly ready for side launching. The two tall "sheds" are covered mobile cranes, there would ultimately be six here, one per shipway. The big machinery and boiler shop and the smaller joiner shop in the right center are in frame, the angle shop for the New Jersey yard to their left is more complete, and beyond it are the buildings at the head of the five smaller shipways of the New Jersey Co. yard. The empty land in the two left panels is not part of the shipyards. (Click in the middle of the displayed image to enlarge further) Photo No. 165-WW-496F-002 Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-165-WW |
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Shipyards in Gloucester City, N.J. Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Gloucester City, Camden County, New Jersey, 1923 showing the layout of the New Jersey Shipbuilding Co. and the Pennsylvania Shipbuilding Co. plants of the Pusey & Jones Co. This is the source for the identification of features in the panorama and other images above. Photo No. None Source: Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/sanborn05490_007/ |
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