View source for Fore River Shipyard

{{Short description|Shipyard in Massachusetts, United States}}
{{Infobox company
| name             = Fore River Shipyard
| logo             = General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division.svg
| logo_caption     = "Quincy-built ... The best thing you can say about a ship"<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1985/07/25/General-Dynamics-announces-closing-of-its-Quincy-shipyard/8327491112000/|title=General Dynamics announces closing of its Quincy shipyard|agency=UPI|date=25 July 1985|access-date=30 December 2017}}</ref>
| image            = Ships fitting out at the Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts (USA), 19 March 1918 (NH 43022).jpg
| image_caption    = {{USS|Meade|DD-274}}, {{USS|Sinclair|DD-275}}, {{USS|McCawley|DD-276}}, {{USS|Moody|DD-277}}, {{USS|Henshaw|DD-278}}, {{USS|Meyer|DD-279}}, {{USS|Doyen|DD-280}}, {{USS|Sharkey|DD-281}} and {{USS|Katrina Luckenbach|ID-3020}} fitting out at Fore River in 1918
| trade_name       = General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division
| type             = Corporation
| traded_as        =
| industry         = [[Shipbuilding]]
| fate             = Closed in 1986
| predecessor      = Fore River Engine Company<br />Fore River Ship and Engine Company<br />Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Ltd.
| successor        =
| foundation       = {{Start date|1901|02|15}}
| founder          = [[Thomas A. Watson]], et al.
| defunct          = {{End date|1986|06|1}}
| location_city    = [[Quincy, Massachusetts]]
| location_country = United States
| key_people       = [[Thomas A. Watson]], [[Francis T. Bowles]], [[Joseph P. Kennedy]]
| products         = [[Merchant vessel]]s, [[warships]]
| production       =
| services         =
| revenue          =
| operating_income =
| net_income       =
| assets           =
| equity           =
| owner            =
| num_employees    = Under 1,000
| parent           = [[General Dynamics Corporation]]
| footnotes        =
| intl             =
| bodystyle        =
}}

'''Fore River Shipyard''' was a [[shipyard]] on [[Weymouth Fore River]] in [[Braintree, Massachusetts|Braintree]] and [[Quincy, Massachusetts]], that built hundreds of ships for military and civilian customers from 1883 to 1986.  

The yard was founded in Braintree by [[Thomas A. Watson]] and Frank O. Wellington; it moved to [[Quincy Point]] in 1901. In 1913, it was purchased by [[Bethlehem Steel]], and later transferred to [[Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation]]. It was sold to [[General Dynamics]] in 1963 and closed in 1986. 

Most of the ships at the yard were built for the [[United States Navy]]. Its first government contract, for the destroyer {{USS|Lawrence|DD-8}}, was followed by many others, including the battleship {{USS|Massachusetts|BB-59}}, the cruisers {{USS|Springfield|CL-66}} and {{USS|Salem|CA-139}}; and the aircraft carrier {{USS|Lexington|CV-2}} and its successor {{USS|Lexington|CV-16}}. The yard built early submarines for [[Electric Boat]], including {{USS|Octopus|SS-9}} and {{USS|Sunfish|SSN-649}}. For foreign navies, Fore River produced five [[Japanese Type 1 submarine|Type 1 submarines]] for the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]], ten submarines for the [[Royal Navy]], and the battleship {{ship|ARA|Rivadavia}} for the [[Argentine Navy]].

The yard built several merchant marine ships, including [[Thomas W. Lawson (ship)|''Thomas W. Lawson'']], the largest pure sailing ship ever built, and {{SS|Marine Dow-Chem}}, the first ship built to carry refrigerated chemicals. General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division, as it eventually came to be known, ended its career as a producer of [[LNG carrier|LNG tankers]] and merchant marine ships.

The yard also built [[American Built Passenger Liners|passenger liners]], including [[Matson, Inc.|Matson Line's]] [[SS Mariposa (1931)|SS ''Mariposa'']], [[SS Monterey|SS ''Monterey'']], and [[SS Lurline (1932)|SS ''Lurline'']] and [[American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines|American Export Lines]]' [[SS Independence|SS ''Independence'']] and [[SS Constitution|SS ''Constitution'']].<ref>{{Cite web|title=S.S. Independence and S.S. Constitution; Bethlehem-Built|url=https://digital.wolfsonian.org/WOLF076930/00001|access-date=2021-01-16|website=digital.wolfsonian.org|language=en|archive-date=2021-01-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210122173807/https://digital.wolfsonian.org/WOLF076930/00001|url-status=dead}}</ref>

It was home to [[Goliath (Mangalia)|the second-largest shipbuilding crane]] in the world. It had two sub-yards: the [[Victory Destroyer Plant]] in Quincy during [[World War I]] and the [[Bethlehem Hingham Shipyard]] in [[Hingham, Massachusetts|Hingham]] during [[World War II]]. The yard also owned [[Bethlehem Atlantic Works]], a [[drydock]] in [[East Boston]].

One theory holds that the yard was the origin of the "[[Kilroy was here]]" graffito. 

==History==
{{One source section
| date = August 2022
}}
[[File:Massachusetts - Quincy - NARA - 23941353 (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Shipyard in 1921]]
===Origins===
The shipyard traces its beginnings to 1882, when [[Thomas A. Watson]] purchased a farm alongside the [[Weymouth Fore River|Fore River]] in [[East Braintree, Massachusetts]]. In 1884, Watson unsuccessfully attempted to farm the land, but switched his focus to developing a [[steam engine]] after he was approached by a local businessman. He gave up that effort the following year, and decided to work with business partner Frank O. Wellington on shipbuilding.<ref name="RinesSarcone">{{cite web|url=http://thomascranelibrary.org/shipbuildingheritage/history/historyindex.html|publisher=Thomas Crane Public Library|title=A History of Shipbuilding at Fore River|access-date=23 December 2013|author=Rines, Lawrence S.|author2=Sarcone, Anthony F.|archive-date=7 September 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907025146/http://thomascranelibrary.org/shipbuildingheritage/history/historyindex.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Fore River Engine Company===
[[File:1899 Fore River Engine Company advertisement.jpg|thumb|alt=Advertisement for the shipyard, advertising the products that it built at the time|1899 advertisement for the Fore River Shipyard]]

The pair created the '''Fore River Engine Company''' after receiving an order from Maine for a 50-horsepower engine. Their first ship, the ''Barnacle'', was fitted with local furnishings.<ref name=RinesSarcone /> Watson later said of this decision:

<blockquote>
It was a momentous decision for from it came one of the largest shipbuilding establishments in the country, if not in the world, that made Massachusetts again a shipbuilding center and afterwards played an important part in the World War.<ref name=RinesSarcone />
</blockquote>

The shipyard's engines gained a reputation for quality along the eastern seaboard. Soon, a new engine-building facility was constructed, employing between twenty and thirty workers. Additionally, the [[Prouty Printing Press]] and [[Sims-Dudley dynamite gun]], staple guns for shoes, and electric light accessories were produced by Fore River. Fore River made many products because Watson wanted to employ as many friends as possible.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

The [[Panic of 1893]] limited the yard's possibilities, but the [[United States Navy]] awarded a contract to them to construct {{USS|Lawrence|DD-8}} and {{USS|Macdonough|DD-9}}. These two ships were the last to be constructed at the [[East Braintree, Massachusetts|East Braintree]] location, as the yard moved down the river to a site on nearby [[Quincy Point]] in 1901. The construction of [[United States lightship LV-72]] alongside the destroyers further strengthened the company financially.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

The awarding of {{USS|Des Moines|CL-17}} was also beneficial for Fore River. Faced with the problem of not having a large enough area to build the cruiser, the contract was produced at the new Quincy yard. The Des Moines was launched in 1902 and commissioned in 1904, bringing with it some financial stability to the yard, as new revenues were quadruple those at the East Braintree location. During the construction of the new yard, old buildings were floated over to make up for the lack of buildings at the new location, and it was constructed with some of the largest shipbuilding equipment of the time.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

===Fore River Ship and Engine Company===
[[File:Schooner 'Thomas W. Lawson' 1902-1907a.jpg|thumb|alt=A seven-masted schooner outfit with sails sits high in the water|''Thomas W. Lawson'' on her maiden voyage in 1902]]

The building of the new yard created ample space for building new ships, which allowed for the building of {{USS|New Jersey|BB-16}} and {{USS|Rhode Island|BB-17}}. The Navy did mandate that before they could receive the bids, they would have to incorporate, so the company was incorporated in New Jersey, with a capital of ${{Format price|6500000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|6500000|1902|r=2}}}} in today's dollars).{{Inflation-fn|US}} Immediately, [[Thomas A. Watson]] realized that the contract would be more costly than anticipated, but soon an order came in for the seven-masted ''[[Thomas W. Lawson (ship)|Thomas W. Lawson]]''. This was immediately followed by an order for the six-masted [[William L. Douglas (ship)|''William L. Douglas'']], which was delivered in 1903.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

In 1902, Watson decided to build the [[Fore River Railroad]], a short-line railroad from [[East Braintree, Massachusetts|East Braintree]] to the yard, {{convert|3|mi}} away. This was done in order to save costs of having to remove supplies from the trains, transport it over land to [[Weymouth Fore River]], and then float it over to the yard.<ref name=MERA>{{cite web|title=The Fore River Railroad|url=http://www.mwra.state.ma.us/03sewer/html/railroad.htm|publisher=[[Massachusetts Water Resources Authority]]|access-date=24 December 2013}}</ref> Watson ended up buying a parcel of land after the owner refused to sell him {{convert|3|ft|0|in|m}} of land for the railroad.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

During this time, the yard struggled financially, as expenses from suppliers exceeded reimbursement from the Navy. As a result, Watson decided to sell some of his telephone stock and secured a loan. At this time, the yard was awarded with a contract for {{USS|Vermont|BB-20}}, although this did not solve the company's troubles. Following a failed attempt by Watson to seek reimbursement from the Navy, he eventually resigned and was replaced by former Admiral [[Francis T. Bowles]], as he was pleased by how Bowles ran the yard.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

In 1905, the yard got a contract to build the [[steam turbine#History|Brown-Curtis]] steam turbine engine, which was considered to be too fast to be economical at the day and age. That same year, the Navy awarded a contract to build the [[Chester-class cruiser]]s at the yard, two of which were supposed to be equipped with the Brown-Curtis turbine, but which later received new turbines.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

[[File:JapanFirstSubmarines.jpg|thumb|upright=1.5|alt=Five submarines moored next to each other with men standing on them|The first five submarines of the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] in [[Japan]]]]

The [[Russo-Japanese War]] further benefited the yard, as the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] contracted five [[Japanese Type 1 submarine|Type 1 submarine]]s at the yard. Little is known of the first submarines built at the yard, although they were promptly disassembled and shipped to the West Coast, from which they were shipped to [[Japan]] in 1904.<ref>Gardiner, Robert, ''Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921'' Conway Maritime Press, 1985, p. 245. {{ISBN|0-85177-245-5}}.</ref> The war brought expanded submarine development to the yard, as the [[Holland Torpedo Boat Company]] was purchased by the [[Electric Boat Company]]. Since Electric Boat had no yard of its own, it subcontracted to Fore River in order to complete orders. The first American submarine built at the yard was {{USS|Octopus|SS-9}}, launched in 1906. This arrangement lasted for the next twenty years, until Electric Boat built its own yard in 1924. Fore River would remain the primary builder of Electric Boat-designed submarines through the [[United States S-class submarine|S-class]] of 1922, completing a total of 69 submarines for the US Navy during this period.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

During this time, the yard built civilian ships, including ''[[Sankaty]]'', which was built for the [[New Bedford, Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket Steamboat Company]]. Furthermore, the company created the [[Fore River Apprentice School]], in order to ensure that an adequately trained workforce would be able to work at the yard in the coming years. Over time, over 2,000 people were graduated from its program.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

In 1906, {{USS|New Jersey|BB-16}} and {{USS|Rhode Island|BB-17}} were delivered by the shipyard, marking the yard's first battleships delivered. The completion of these two battleships and other ships at the yard coincided at a time when there were 2,500 people employed. In 1908, there were eighteen contracts employed at Fore River, which would not be met again until 1916. The yard also completed car floats for the [[New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad]] during the time .<ref name=RinesSarcone />

Of note, Fore River fielded [[Fore River (soccer)|a soccer team]] from at least 1907 to around 1920&ndash;1921. This team, which played in local leagues, was part of one of the early soccer leagues in the U.S..<ref name=DellApa>{{cite news|last=Dell'Apa|first=Frank|title=A Steelworker Forged History|newspaper=Boston.com |date=28 September 2005 |url=http://www.boston.com/sports/soccer/articles/2005/09/28/a_steelworker_forged_history/|publisher=[[The Boston Globe]]|access-date=19 January 2014}}</ref>

[[File:ARA Rivadavia launch.jpg|thumb|alt=The launching of the battleship ''Rivadavia'', which is lacking many of her main armaments and is just a basic hull|Launching of ''Rivadavia'']]

Another big development in the history of the yard was the receiving of the contract to build the {{ship|ARA|Rivadavia}} for the [[Argentine Navy]]. The ship was one of two foreign battleships ever constructed in the United States, and occurred during the [[South American dreadnought race]]. After [[Rivadavia-class battleship#Bidding|a long bidding process]], the Argentine Naval Commission found that the [[Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company]] bid was lowest on one battleship, and the Fore River Shipbuilding Company was lowest on the other. Despite some potential setbacks, the upcoming 1910 [[Pan-American Conference]], and a guarantee of American participation in the Argentine centennial celebrations, Fore River secured the battleship contracts on 21 January 1910.<ref name="Livermore38">Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 38.</ref>{{efn-ua|There were five specific assurances (quoted from Livermore):<ref name="Livermore38"/>}} The maximum price Fore River tendered, $10.7&nbsp;million, underbid the British by more than $973,000, but their ship's [[displacement (ship)|displacement]] was {{convert|2000|LT|t|0}} smaller, the [[belt armor]] was {{convert|2|in|mm}} thinner, and the top speed was slightly slower.<ref name="Evening Post" /><ref name="Alger595">Alger, "Professional Notes," 595.</ref>

''Rivadavia'' was built by Fore River, but they were contractually obligated to [[subcontractor|subcontract]] the second ship to a different shipyard in the hope that both would be completed faster, so {{ship|ARA|Moreno}} was constructed by the [[New York Shipbuilding Corporation]] of [[Camden, New Jersey]].<ref name="Scheina83">Scheina, ''Latin America'', 83.</ref> The steel for the ships was largely supplied by the [[Bethlehem Steel Company]] of Pennsylvania,<ref name="Evening Post">"[http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=EP19100323.2.42 Argentine Navy; Dreadnought Orders]," [[The Evening Post (New Zealand)|''Evening Post'']], 23 March 1910, 4.</ref> which, due to their ability to produce steel at a lower price than other nations, was an integral cost-saving measure.<ref name="Livermore39">Livermore, "Battleship Diplomacy," 39.</ref>
 
The ship was laid down in 1910, but was finally delivered in 1914 after delays in construction due to a work backlog at the yard. It was because of this issue that Admiral Bowles suggested that the yard be sold to a larger corporation, as it would be able to better deal with the extra workload than the yard could on its own. The last ship laid down in the yard at the time was {{USS|Nevada|BB-36}}, which happened in 1912.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

In 1911, the yard was part of the case [[Fore River Shipbuilding Co. v. Hagg]], in which a foreign citizen sued for the yard for reparation in the death of her husband, who was killed in the yard's forge shop. The case was later dismissed by the [[United States Supreme Court]].<ref name=Findlaw>{{cite web|title=FORE RIVER SHIPBUILDING CO. v. HAGG, 219 U.S. 175 (1911) 219 U.S. 175|url=http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=us&vol=219&invol=175|work=FindLaw|access-date=4 January 2014}}</ref>

===Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Ltd.===
[[File:USS Tucker (DD-57), under construction January 1915.jpg|thumb|{{USS|Tucker|DD-57}} under construction in 1915, with {{USS|Cushing|DD-55}} visible in the background]]

In 1913, [[Bethlehem Steel Corporation]] bought the yard for ${{Format price|4800000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|4800000|1913|r=2}}}} in today's money),{{Inflation-fn|US}} as [[Charles M. Schwab]] was looking to diversify the company. At the time, the yard was constructing 23 vessels and doing a business of ${{Format price|20000000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|20000000|1913|r=2}}}} in today's dollars){{Inflation-fn|US}} a year. The yard was {{convert|110|acre|ha sqmi|lk=on}} in size, and had a capacity for {{convert|60000|ST}}. At this time, Bethlehem decided to construct a [[drydock]], although it would take into the 1920s to make this happen. Finally, immediate improvements were made to the yard to improve its financial well-being.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

The first year of the company's ownership brought very little in terms of business. Two destroyers were ordered, three submarines were sublet in the yard, and no outside orders by private companies were received in this time. Furthermore, the [[Royal Navy]] placed an order during this time for ten submarines. Due to the fact that the United States was officially neutral during [[World War I]], the yard prefabricated the submarines, and then shipped the parts to [[Canada]] for assembly. In 1915, the [[Spanish Navy]] contracted out the building of the submarine [[Isaac Peral (A-0)]] in the yard, while the United States Navy ordered {{USS|T-1|SS-52}}. Finally, the [[Texas Oil Company]] and the [[Edward F. Luckenbach Company]] ordered four tankers and freighters, respectively.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

====World War I====
[[File:O type submarines at Boston.jpg|thumb|alt=Nine submarines sit moored next to each other against a dock, with ships in the background|Nine [[United States O-class submarine|O-class submarines]] from [[Submarine Division 8]] at [[Boston Navy Yard]], 1921, including many built at Fore River]]

War brought opportunities for expansion for the yard. This meant the building of a steel mill and a sheet metal shop that contained one of the best molds in the country. The steel mill was capable of prefabricating {{convert|250|ST}} of steel a day. A {{convert|1000|ft|m|adj=on}} building slip was also constructed, costing ${{Format price|500000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|500000|1902|r=2}}}} in today's dollars).{{Inflation-fn|US}} The yard created a department that was dedicated to the welfare of its workers during this time, as well.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

1916 brought nineteen contracts to the yard, eight of which were for the [[United States O-class submarine|O-class submarine]], and ten more submarines were laid down for the Royal Navy, with another ten being built in Montreal at the [[Canadian Vickers]] yard. The submarines, once built, were stored at the nearby [[Boston Navy Yard]] until the country entered the war. Over 15,000 persons were working at the yard at the time, including [[Joseph P. Kennedy]].<ref name=RinesSarcone /><ref name=Museum>{{cite web|title=Joseph P Kennedy|url=http://www.jfklibrary.org/JFK/The-Kennedy-Family/Joseph-P-Kennedy.aspx|publisher=[[John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum]]|access-date=28 December 2013}}</ref>

Entry of the United States into the war brought twenty-eight destroyer orders to the yard. Due to this sudden increase in production, the yard needed to expand. Soon, a suitable location was found on nearby [[Squantum Point]], and the [[Victory Destroyer Plant]] started construction in 1917. Located on {{convert|70|acre|ha sqmi|lk=on}} of land, the yard exclusively built destroyers, with {{USS|Osborne|DD-295}} being the last ship constructed at the plant. In 1920, the yard was turned over to the United States government and dismantled.<ref name=RinesSarcone /> This same year, [[Bethlehem Steel]] split off its shipbuilding division into the [[Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation]], which was headquartered at the yard.<ref name=Blume>{{cite book|last=Blume|first=Kenneth J.|title=Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Maritime Industry|year=2011|publisher=Scarecrow Press|location=Lanham, Md.|isbn=978-0810856349|page=67|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=r_jTIbdFUnYC&q=Bethlehem+Shipbuilding+Corporation+1917&pg=PA67|access-date=28 December 2013}}</ref>

Combined with the Squantum yard, Fore River turned out 71 destroyers during the war, more than any other American yard. Besides the other Quincy yard, Bethlehem built the [[Fields Point Plant]] for boiler construction in nearby [[Providence, Rhode Island]] and the [[Black Rock Plant]] for turbines in [[Buffalo, New York]]. The yard constructed {{USS|Mahan|DD-102}} in 174 days. Not to be outdone, the Squantum yard built {{USS|Reid|DD-292}} in twenty-eight days, delivering it to the Navy seventeen days later. Such was the speed at which the yard produced ships that the Navy was forced to moor the ships at the Boston Navy Yard for lack of crews. The yard's speed allowed for the management to enter a bet with another Bethlehem plant, [[Union Iron Works]], to see which plant would deliver more ships in a year. At the end of 1918, Fore River delivered eighteen ships to Union's six.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

====Post-War and Great Depression====
[[File:Fore River gantry cranes circa 1922.jpg|thumb|alt= sits within the skeleton of a gantry crane|LEXINGTON on ways under gantry cranes at Fore River, circa 1922]]

The end of [[World War I]] did not immediately affect the yard, as it was still producing ships from wartime orders. The only cancellations that occurred in the yard after the war were the cancellation of the [[Lexington-class battlecruiser]] {{USS|Lexington|CC-1}}. This was offset by the construction of two cruisers, which were delivered in due time. Additionally, the yard finished building the multiple orders that it received for the [[United States S-class submarine|S-class submarine]], as well as orders for two other submarines.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

Between 1922 and 1925, the yard underwent a major expansion period, including the purchase of the [[Atlantic Works]], which later became '''Bethlehem Atlantic Works'''. Bethlehem also purchased a floating drydock from [[Simpson’s Dry Dock Company]], built a battleship slip, and constructed a new way for merchant ships.<ref name=RinesSarcone /><ref name=Shipbuilding>{{cite book|title=Shipping: The Magazine of Marine Transportation, Construction, Equipment, and Supplies|publisher=Shipping Publishing Company, Inc.|location=[[New York City]], [[New York (state)|New York]]|page=42|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7CLmAAAAMAAJ&q=East+Boston+Dry+Dock+Company+bethlehem+atlantic+works&pg=RA5-PA42|access-date=19 January 2014|date=December 1922}}</ref> The terms of the [[Washington Naval Treaty]] in 1921 brought the conversion of the Lexington to an aircraft carrier ({{USS|Lexington|CV-2}}), which was launched in 1925 in front of a group of over 20,000 people. The treaty brought about the cancellation of {{USS|Massachusetts|BB-54}}, part of the now-prohibited [[South Dakota-class battleship (1920)|South Dakota-class battleship]]. The hull was eventually scrapped in 1923 with only 11% of the ship completed.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

The post-war lull brought about new opportunities for the yard, as it converted or upgraded ships such as {{SS|Minnekahda|1917}}, and overhauled locomotives for the [[New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad]]. The yard produced brass fittings for banjo clocks, in an attempt by Charles Schwab to keep the talented workers employed. Eventually, this lull ended in 1925 with the order of a ferry for the City of [[Boston]]. Around this time, the yard received orders for {{USS|Northampton|CA-26}} and {{USS|Portland|CA-33}}, both the lead ships of their respective classes. At the end of 1925, the yard had built 400 ships, 111 of which were military contracts, while the other 289 were for civilian organizations. Furthermore, the yard built the liners {{SS|Monterey}}, {{SS|Mariposa|1931|6}} and {{SS|Lurline|1932|6}} for the [[Oceanic Steamship Company]].<ref name=RinesSarcone />

The [[Great Depression]] brought little work to the yard, with the exception of the completion of {{USS|Quincy|CA-39}} and {{USS|Vincennes|CA-44}}. {{USS|Wasp|CV-7}} was built from 1936 to 1940, in addition to a handful of destroyers. Employment in the yard dropped drastically during this time, from 4,900 in 1931 to 812 two years later.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

====World War II====
[[File:USS Massachusetts (BB-59) leaving Fore River Shipyard 1942.jpg|thumb|alt=The battleship Massachusetts passed through an opened drawbridge|USS ''Massachusetts'' leaving the [[Weymouth Fore River]], passing between the opened [[Fore River Bridge]] into [[Quincy Bay]]]]

The [[Naval Act of 1938]] brought increased shipbuilding to the yard, as it mandated a 20% increase in the strength of the nation's Navy.<ref name=Rogers>{{cite web|last=Rogers|first=J. David|title=Development of the World's Fastest Battleships|url=http://web.mst.edu/~rogersda/american&military_history/World%27s%20Fastest%20Battleships.pdf|publisher=[[Missouri University of Science and Technology]]|access-date=8 August 2012}}</ref> This brought an expansion of business to the yard, with 17,000 employees working in December 1941 and 32,000 in 1943, including 1,200 women. Payroll reached ${{Format price|110000000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|110000000|1943|r=2}}}} in today's dollars){{Inflation-fn|US}} around this time, and contracts amounted to around ${{Format price|700000000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|700000000|1943|r=2}}}} in today's dollars).{{Inflation-fn|US}}<ref name=RinesSarcone />

The speed of construction at the yard increased, as the keel of {{USS|Vincennes|CL-64}} was laid immediately after {{USS|Massachusetts|BB-59}} was launched. The speed of the construction ran in line with the building of more ships. {{USS|San Juan|CL-54}} was cut up and relocated three times in order to accommodate the construction of other ships. Much like [[World War I]], the yard expanded, and built the [[Bethlehem Hingham Shipyard]] in order to accommodate the increased construction demands. Sixteen ways were constructed on over {{convert|96|acre|ha sqmi|lk=on}}, and 227 ships were produced with 23,500 workers.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

The yard produced {{USS|Hancock|CV-19}} in fourteen and a half months, and {{USS|Pasadena|CL-65}} in a record of sixteen and a half months. The yard built ninety-two vessels of eleven classes during the war, and earned the [[Army-Navy "E" Award]] for excellence of construction of vessels, which was awarded on 15 May 1942, with four stars being added during the course of the war. Additionally, the yard produced {{USS|Lexington|CV-16}}, which was renamed from USS Cabot after the sinking of {{USS|Lexington|CV-2}} when yard workers petitioned for a renaming of the ship.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

[[File:Kilroy Was Here - Washington DC WWII Memorial.jpg|thumb|alt=An engraving of Kilroy on granite, with eyes peering over a bar, and a large nose featured prominently|Engraving of [[Kilroy was here|Kilroy]] on the [[National World War II Memorial]] in [[Washington, D.C.]]]]

During the war, the yard was possibly the origin of the popular expression "[[Kilroy was here]]."<ref name="osgood-kilroy">{{cite book|last=Osgood|first=Charles|title=Kilroy Was Here: The Best American Humor From World War II|publisher=Hyperion|location=New York|year=2001|pages=[https://archive.org/details/kilroywashere00char_0/page/19 19]|isbn=978-0-7868-6661-8|oclc=45532422|url=https://archive.org/details/kilroywashere00char_0|url-access=registration|access-date=29 July 2009}}</ref> Although it was not known originally where the phrase came from, the [[American Public Transportation Association|American Transit Association]] ran a contest trying to find the origin of the phrase in 1946. Welding inspector [[James J. Kilroy]] ended up sending his account in, and was deemed the winner. In an attempt to make sure that riveters would be prevented from defrauding the shipyard of their accurate workload, he scrawled the phrase in chalk on the ships that he was inspecting. Ships that the phrase was printed on included {{USS|Massachusetts|BB-59|6}}, USS ''Lexington'', {{USS|Baltimore|CA-68}} and various troop carriers.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

While the shipyard was at its peak of operations during the war, it was not uncommon for German U boats to stalk ships leaving the yard and engage them once offshore.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.patriotledger.com/article/20081111/NEWS/311119612|title=Recalling Nazi spies off the New England coast, and a mystery on a Scituate beach|first=JIM|last=ROSE}}</ref>

===Post-war===
[[File:USS Northampton (CLC-1) underway c1959.jpg|thumb|alt=The cruiser ''Northampton'' sails in calm seas|{{USS|Northampton|CLC-1}} in 1959.]]

The end to wartime contracts left the shipyard with excess space, so it closed the [[Bethlehem Hingham Shipyard|Hingham yard]] and diversified its activities. The yard constructed a {{convert|28|ft|m|adj=on}} blast furnace, a wind tunnel, draglines, and steel for an aqueduct of the [[Boston's Metropolitan District Commission]], a transformer for [[NSTAR (company)|Boston Edison]], among other things. The yard was faced with inflation, increasing material costs, and demands for higher wages.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

The yard did continue to turn out war orders for the ships {{USS|Des Moines|CA-134}} and {{USS|Salem|CA-139}}, the latter being the first ship in the Navy with [[air conditioning]]. The yard overhauled {{USS|Ancon|AGC-4}}, {{SS|Panama|1939|6}}, and {{SS|Cristobal}} of the [[Panama Railway Company]]. The yard ceased work until 1950 at the end of these conversions, with employment dipping to 3,800 employees. The line later took up building merchant ships for the [[American Export Lines]], including the [[Type P3 ship]] ocean liners {{SS|Independence}} and {{SS|Constitution}}, with the most powerful turbines placed in a merchant ships at that time. The yard converted {{USS|Northampton|CLC-1}} and later {{USS|Albany|CA-123}} into guided-missile cruisers, and delivered them to the Navy in 1953 and 1958, respectively.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

During this time, work continued to decline for the yard, although the yard found work in contracts from the [[United States Maritime Commission]] for three [[Type C4-class ship|C4 tanker]] in 1951, and two more in 1952. Now, tankers became the yard's main work, with the [[Gulf Oil Corporation]] placing orders for two {{convert|28000|ST}} tankers, [[Socony]] ordering one {{convert|29250|ST}} tanker, and Orion contracting three more of the same tonnage. The Navy also ordered {{USS|Neosho|AO-143}}, which weighed {{convert|13300|ST}} and was an improvement over previous designs. Around this time, the yard began the construction of {{SS|Marine Dow-Chem}}, the first ship which allowed for the shipment of chemicals over the ocean. Through refrigeration, this allowed for them to be transported safely and allowed for the carrying of eleven different chemicals at once. Furthermore, the yard built the [[C4-S-1 class]] freighter, a modification of the Type C4. Finally, the yard produced its largest destroyers yet, {{USS|Willis A. Lee|DL-4}} and {{USS|Wilkinson|DL-5}}.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

The yard's slow work after the war was a symptom of having a glut of extra ships that were available for the [[United States Merchant Marine]]. The passage of the [[Merchant Ship Sales Act of 1946]] meant that ships could be sold for as little as ${{Format price|120}} (equivalent to roughly ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|120|1946|r=2}}}} in today's dollars){{Inflation-fn|US}} per deadweight ton. The flip side of this glut of ships was that there was a prediction that in 1961, more ships would be need to be constructed. This was evidenced by the fact that in 1954, there were orders for five tankers, one fleet oiler, and five destroyers. The next year, the yard attempted to become part of the building of the [[Forrestal-class aircraft carrier]]s when Bethlehem objected to the awarding of the contracts to the [[Newport News Shipbuilding]] and the [[New York Naval Yard]]. Although the company pointed out that it had produced many carriers during World War II, Newport News pointed out that the company never requested an improvement of its shipbuilding facilities by the government during the war, which hampered its future bidding of aircraft carrier construction. That it had not built a single carrier since the end of the war also hurt its chances. The yard was later rewarded four frigates to build instead.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

[[File:USS Enterprise (CVAN-65), USS Long Beach (CGN-9) and USS Bainbridge (DLGN-25) underway in the Mediterranean Sea during Operation Sea Orbit, in 1964.jpg|thumb|alt=Three ships sale next to each other, including an aircraft carrier which has jets arranged as an arrow and the phrase E=MC2 written with sailors on deck|USS ''Bainbridge'' (top) and USS ''Long Beach'', alongside {{USS|Enterprise|CVAN-65}} as part of [[Operation Sea Orbit]]]]

The yard began a new era when it was awarded construction of {{USS|Long Beach|CGN-9}}, a nuclear guided-missile cruiser. Such was the amount of work involved in the building of the ''Long Beach'' that the yard had to decline building {{Ship|NS|Savannah}}, the world's first nuclear-powered merchant ship. The yard entered into an expansion period during these years, replacing six pre-[[World War I]] sliding ways, which could now accommodate between three and six ships. Ships were built for the Greek shipping company [[Stavros Niarchos]] including a tanker with a capacity of {{convert|16.5|e6USgal|abbr=off}} of crude oil, named {{SS|World Glory}} and {{SS|World Beauty}}. The yard produced the nation's largest tanker, {{SS|Princess Sophie}}, which was christened by [[Frederica of Hanover]], Queen of [[Greece]].<ref name=RinesSarcone /> Fore River also branched out into [[radar tower]] construction in this time, constructing [[Texas Tower 2]] in 1955 and [[Texas Tower 3]]  in 1956.<ref name=TT>{{cite web|title=The Construction|url=http://www.thetexastowers.com/06-TheConstruction/index.html|access-date=3 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110802174148/http://www.thetexastowers.com/06-TheConstruction/index.html|archive-date=2 August 2011}}</ref>

The 1960s began with a five-month strike by workers over either wages and benefits (according to local newspapers), or unilateral work rules (according to the [[Industrial Union of Marine and Ship-building Workers]]). In the midst of the strike, the Navy towed {{USS|Springfield|CL-66}}, which was under conversion at the time, to the nearby [[Boston Navy Yard]] for completion, an action which prompted both laborers and management to negotiate a three-year contract and helped to nullify unpopular work rules. Later that year, the ''Long Beach'' was launched, which was a major achievement for the yard.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

[[File:SS Manhattan (1962).jpg|thumb|SS ''Manhattan'' in 1969]]

1962 brought about the construction of {{SS|Manhattan|1962|6}}, which was the largest commercial vessel built in the United States at the time, and became the first ship to transit the [[Northwest Passage]] to the [[Alaska North Slope]] oil fields. The ''Bainbridge'' was launched in that year, but not without accusations from the government that Bethlehem overcharged the Navy, as the costs increased from almost ${{Format price|70100000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|70100000|1959|r=2}}}} in today's dollars){{Inflation-fn|US}} in 1959 to a negotiated ${{Format price|87000000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|87000000|1962|r=2}}}} in today's dollars){{Inflation-fn|US}} three years later, down from an estimate of ${{Format price|90000000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|90000000|1962|r=2}}}} in today's dollars){{Inflation-fn|US}} before then, although there was a ${{Format price|5000000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|5000000|1962|r=2}}}} in today's dollars){{Inflation-fn|US}} discrepancy in the yard. After the end of the strike mentioned above, the yard was accused by the government of overcharging for the first nuclear frigate, {{USS|Bainbridge|CGN-25}} and the ''Long Beach''. The shipyard later made up for the losses of ${{Format price|139000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|139000|1961|r=2}}}} in today's dollars){{Inflation-fn|US}} by crediting on other contracts that were being offered.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

1963 brought an end of an era to the yard, as Bethlehem put the yard up for sale. Fifty years of Bethlehem ownership, which began when the yard was near financial ruin, came to an end as the yard was one of the most established yards in the world.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

===General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division===
[[File:Muscle Shoals AGM-19.jpg|thumb|alt=A large ship sits in drydock at the yard, with cranes in the background|Conversion of USS ''Muscle Shoals'' (formerly USNS ''Mission San Fernando'') into USNS ''Vanguard'']]

In 1964, the yard was purchased by [[General Dynamics Corporation]]. J. William Jones, President of the company, stated that the yard was purchased in order to provide its [[General Dynamics Electric Boat|Electric Boat division]] with increased flexibility. The yard was purchased for ${{Format price|5000000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|5000000|1964|r=2}}}} in today's dollars),{{Inflation-fn|US}} and Electric Boat managed the yard until its reorganization. Immediately, the yard was closed by Bethlehem Steel on 1 January 1964, and it was announced that thirteen hundred of the yard's employees would be retired or pensioned off immediately or within the next two years, leaving five hundred workers left. General Dynamics immediately invested ${{Format price|23000000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|23000000|1964|r=2}}}} in today's dollars){{Inflation-fn|US}} into various facilities in the yard, improving it in many ways.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

The yard was soon awarded the contract for the reconfiguration of the [[Apollo Instrumentation Ship]]s from [[tanker (ship)|oilers]]. {{USNS|Mission San Fernando|T-AO-122}} was converted into USNS ''Vanguard'' (T-AG-194), USNS ''Mission De Pala'' (T-AO-114) was converted to [[USNS Redstone|USNS ''Redstone'' (T-AGM-20)]], and {{USNS|Mission San Juan|T-AO-126}} was renamed USNS ''Mercury'' (T-AGM-21).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.navsource.net/archives/09/53/5321.htm|title=Range Instrumentation Ship Photo Index|website=NavSource}}</ref> Also in the 1960s, the yard modified {{USS|Greenling|SSN-614}} and {{USS|Gato|SSN-615}}, and built {{USS|Whale|SSN-638}} and {{USS|Sunfish|SSN-649}}. Work began on {{USNS|Kilauea|T-AE-26}} and {{USS|Butte|AE-27}}, both of which were ammunition ships, while construction began on the submarine tenders {{USS|L. Y. Spear|AS-36}} and {{USS|Dixon|AS-37}}. Around this time, the yard began construction of the [[Seabee (barge)|Seabee]] barges, for the [[Lykes Brothers Steamship Company]], which were the first modular construction ships built by General Dynamics at the yard, although they were sued by Lykes for late delivery off the ships.<ref name=RinesSarcone /><ref name=Hazegray1>{{cite web|title=Fore River Shipyard Production Record|url=http://www.hazegray.org/shipbuilding/quincy/fore3.htm|publisher=www.hazegray.org|access-date=19 January 2014}}</ref>

The addition of the [[Liquified natural gas]] tanker contracts in the early 1970s meant that the yard was due for another conversion. General Dynamics then invested ${{Format price|40000000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|40000000|1970|r=2}}}} in today's dollars){{Inflation-fn|US}} into more ways and wet basins in the yard, in order to be more competitive. The yard began construction of all of the [[Wichita-class replenishment oiler]]s, with the exception of {{USS|Roanoke|AOR-7}}. Cost overruns were an issue with these ships, although eventually the costs were negotiated. Furthermore, the yard built four of the [[Anchorage-class dock landing ship]]s, which were delivered between 1970 and 1972. These ships were involved in cost overruns as well, and in 1975 the [[Naval Sea Systems Command]] awarded the yard ${{Format price|21000000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|21000000|1975|r=2}}}} in today's dollars){{Inflation-fn|US}} for these overruns.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

The addition of modular construction to the yard meant that it could build ships by assembling pre-fabricated units, a technique that was used at the [[Victory Destroyer Plant]] during [[World War I]]. During the end of 1971, the yard was faced with declining contracts, which created rumors that the yard was close to closing. The yard was in discussion to gain a ${{Format price|350000000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|350000000|1971|r=2}}}} in today's dollars){{Inflation-fn|US}} contract for six supertankers, which would carry {{convert|65|e6USgal|abbr=off}} of crude oil each. These tankers were supposed to be constructed with a forty-three percent subsidy from the federal government, which was granted. Eventually though, funding fell through, and construction did not proceed on the ships. Despite this, the yard modified {{USNS|Hayes|T-AGOR-16}}, which was a ${{Format price|1790000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|1790000|1973|r=2}}}} in today's dollars){{Inflation-fn|US}} contract, where the ship received new equipment. This contract provided one hundred jobs for the yard.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

The first attempt at government intervention for the yard came with Congressman [[James A. Burke (Massachusetts politician)|James A. Burke]] aiming to stave off the imminent layoffs of two thousand workers. He attempted to get the yard awarded the contract for repairs to {{USS|Puget Sound|AD-38}}. In a telegram to then-[[United States Secretary of Defense|Secretary of Defense]] [[Elliot Richardson]], he said that the closure of the [[Boston Navy Yard]] created a labor surplus. Unfortunately for the yard, the contract never panned out.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

[[File:USS Kalamazoo (AOR-6) under construction at the Fore River Shipyard, circa in 1971.jpg|thumb|{{USS|Kalamazoo|AOR-6|6}} under construction, in 1971.]]

Delivery of {{USS|Kalamazoo|AOR-6}} in 1973 meant that the only work at the yard consisted of the modification of the Hayes and construction of cylinders for submarines at [[Newport News Shipbuilding]] and Electric Boat, which helped to maintain work for about two hundred and eighty machine shop workers. Economic salvation came to the yard during the construction of [[LNG-41]], which was calculated to bring 5,500 to 6,000 workers employment. Projected to begin in July 1973, the work was delayed until December due to delays in yard improvements. In the meantime, the [[Irving Sealion]] was repaired at the yard. The [[Esso Halifax]], which struck an iceberg on the way to [[Resolute Bay]] in [[Nova Scotia]] was repaired in the yard during this time.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

The laying down of the LNG-41 occurred during the repair of {{USS|West Milton|ARD-7}}, which was used to repair submarines at [[Naval Submarine Base New London]]. Congressman Burke was instrumental in securing this work, which kept the yard busy in 1974. That same year, a seventeen-week strike broke out, which created a situation where all work stopped and tanker work came to a halt. Eventually, the strike was resolved, but not before jeopardizing the future of the yard. After the settlement of the strike, {{USS|Raleigh|LPD-1}} was repaired at the yard in 1975, as General Dynamics had the lowest bid. In 1975, the yard had eight LNG contracts, which totaled ${{Format price|650000000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|650000000|1975|r=2}}}} in today's dollars).{{Inflation-fn|US}}<ref name=RinesSarcone /> It was around this time that the [[Goliath (Mangalia)|Goliath crane]] was constructed, which was a {{convert|1200|ST}} crane built for the construction of tankers. Until it was removed in 2008, it was the largest gantry crane in [[North America]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Jette |first=Julie |date=5 January 2008 |title=Farewell, GOLIATH: The skyline is about to change |newspaper=[[The Patriot Ledger]] |pages=1 |url=http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1295927615 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080624164748/http://www.patriotledger.com/archive/x1295927615 |archive-date=June 24, 2008 }}</ref>

The final construction project for the yard came in the form of construction of five [[2nd Lieutenant John P. Bobo Class]] of [[Maritime Prepositioning ship]]s. These ships could house equipment and supplies to house 4,000 Marines for thirty days, as well as everything they would need for combat. The ships were also designed to not need port facilities, as everything could be offloaded offshore. The ships were built by General Dynamics and initially were operated by [[General Dynamics' American Overseas Marine]] under a 25-year charter. The end of the construction of these ships in May 1986 meant that there was no longer any need for the yard, as attempts to secure container ships for [[United States Lines]] and survey ships for the Navy fell through. In 1986, the yard closed, with remaining employees either retiring or being laid off. In 1987, General Dynamics Quincy Shipbuilding Division ceased operation.<ref name=Hazegray2>{{cite web|title=The MPS Program at Quincy Shipbuilding|url=http://www.hazegray.org/shipbuilding/quincy/mps/|publisher=Hazegray.org|access-date=13 January 2014}}</ref> The closure of the yard came after an unsuccessful attempt by employees to purchase the yard.<ref name=Langner>{{cite news|last=Langner|first=Paul|title=Ship's Christening Signals Shipyard's Death|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=18 May 1986|pages=Metro Page 29}}</ref> On 1 June 1986, Fore River Shipyard closed for good.<ref name=LAT>{{cite news|title=Workers Brace for Closing of Quincy Shipyard|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-05-27-fi-7531-story.html|access-date=18 July 2014|agency=[[Associated Press]]|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=27 May 1986}}</ref>

===Redevelopment===
[[File:From the bridge (4683482804).jpg|thumb|alt=Looking down the front of a ship towards the yard, with artillery guns in the foreground and the buildings of the yard in the background|On the bridge of USS ''Salem'', looking over the former yard in 2010]]
[[File:Goliath fore river 20080105.JPG|thumb|alt=A large crane sits over an empty shipyard|Goliath crane, January 2008]]
[[File:Massachusetts Water Resources Authority pelletizing plant.JPG|thumb|alt=Five silos sit on a dock across the water, along with an old warehouse|The [[Massachusetts Water Resources Authority]] pelletizing plant]]

Closure of the division initially led to dormancy at the yard. Some equipment was sold off while other parts of the yard were used for staging areas of the [[Boston Harbor]] cleanup project. Various plans were then offered at the time for use of the shipyard.<ref name=Radin>{{cite news|last=Radin|first=Charles A.|title=Water Board Seeking Part of Quincy Yard|newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]]|date=30 December 1996|pages=Metro Page 1}}</ref>

During this period, a ship scrapping operation, operating under the name '''Fore River Shipyard and Iron Works''' existed at one end of the yard.<ref name=Hazegray2 /> An initial purchase of five former [[Forrest Sherman-class destroyer|''Forrest Sherman''-class destroyer]]s was made, which included the {{USS|Forrest Sherman|DD-931}}, {{USS|Davis|DD-937}}, {{USS|Manley|DD-940}}, {{USS|Du Pont|DD-941}}, {{USS|Bigelow|DD-942}} and {{USS|Blandy|DD-943}}. Of these, ''Du Pont'' was the only one that was successfully scrapped, as the company concluded that the costs of scrapping the other ships would exceed their scrap value. The company later sought bankruptcy protection in 1994, and the remaining ships were sold to other scrap dealers by the [[Massachusetts Bankruptcy Court]].<ref name=Kennedy>{{cite news|last1=Kennedy|first1=John H.|title=Quincy shipyard firm seeks Chap. 11|publisher=The Boston Globe|date=21 January 1994}}</ref>

In 1992, a group of volunteers came up with the idea of purchasing a ship built at the shipyard and relocating it to a new museum that would celebrate the history of the yard. In 1993, the [[United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum]] was established by the [[Massachusetts General Court]] with the aim to, "acquire, refurbish and maintain United States naval ships and the adjacent physical complex in order that it will [serve] as a major attraction for local citizens and tourists."<ref name=1993act>{{cite web|title=State Library of Massachusetts Archives, 1993|url=http://archives.lib.state.ma.us:8080/dspace/bitstream/2452/31794/1/1992acts0339.txt|publisher=[[State Library of Massachusetts]] Archives|access-date=19 January 2014}}</ref> Initially, plans called for the purchase of {{USS|Lexington|CV-16}}, but the museum ended up getting {{USS|Salem|CA-139}}, the last all-gun heavy [[cruiser]] ever built, returned to the Quincy yard after negotiations with the [[Naval Sea Systems Command]].<ref name=Reid>{{cite news|last=Reid|first=Alexander|title=Surplus Warship Scheduled to Arrive in City in August|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=17 July 1994|pages=South Weekly Section Page 1}}</ref> On 30 October 1994 ''Salem'' returned to Quincy to be permanently docked where she was built nearly five decades before.<ref name=Rescued>{{cite news|title=Rescued from Navy Mothballs, USS Salem is Returning Home|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=29 October 1994|pages=Metro Page 17}}</ref><ref name=Navy>{{cite web|title=USS Salem (CA-139), 1949&ndash;1994|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-s/ca139.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140113215009/http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-s/ca139.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 13, 2014|publisher=[[United States Navy]]|access-date=13 January 2014}}</ref> In May 2014, however, it was announced that the ''Salem'' would be moved to East Boston after the pier the ship was berthed and closed the previous September due to safety reasons.<ref>{{cite web|last=Jackson|first=Scott|title=USS Salem Bound For East Boston|url=http://thequincysun.com/2014/05/08/uss-salem-bound-for-east-boston/|publisher=The Quincy Sun|access-date=May 10, 2014|date=May 8, 2014|archive-date=May 13, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140513011211/http://thequincysun.com/2014/05/08/uss-salem-bound-for-east-boston/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=Ronan>{{cite news|last1=Ronan|first1=Patrick|title=USS Salem to reopen in Quincy before move to Boston|url=http://quincy.wickedlocal.com/article/20150323/NEWS/150328598|access-date=20 January 2016|work=Wicked Local Quincy|date=23 March 2015}}</ref> The move never took place, and the ship remains open as a museum at Fore River.

In 1995, [[Sotirious Emmanouil]] purchased the former yard and promised to restore shipbuilding to the yard, through his company [[Massachusetts Heavy Industries]]. The company cleaned up much of the yard and built a handful of buildings after securing a ${{Format price|55000000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|55000000|1995|r=2}}}} in today's dollars){{Inflation-fn|US}} loan, but was unable to secure any contracts and became mired in disputes. The company eventually defaulted on its loans and the property was seized by the [[United States Maritime Administration]] in 2000, with its assets being auctioned off a few years later.<ref name=Preer>{{cite news|last=Preer|first=Robert|title=From shipyard to village|url=http://www.boston.com/realestate/news/articles/2006/05/21/from_shipyard_to_village/|access-date=13 January 2014|newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]]|date=21 May 2006}}</ref>

Daniel J Quirk, a local auto dealer, bought the property in 2004 for use as a motor vehicle storage and distribution facility. Before the [[Great Recession]] hit, he publicized plans to redevelop the yard into condominiums and a living history exhibit, and cited [[Marina Bay (Quincy, Massachusetts)|Marina Bay]], which is located at the old [[Victory Destroyer Plant]] and the [[Charlestown Navy Yard]] as examples of what he wanted to turn the yard into. In 2006, as he was trying to sell the [[Goliath (Mangalia)|Goliath crane]], he acknowledged that if he was unable to sell it, he would probably have it scrapped due to it becoming dangerous due to ongoing deterioration of the structure.<ref name=Preer />

On 14 August 2008, ironworker Robert Harvey was killed when a portion of the Goliath crane collapsed during dismantlement.<ref name=Abel>{{cite web|last=Abel|first=David|title=Crane collapse kills ironworker|url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/08/15/crane_collapse_kills_ironworker/|publisher=The Boston Globe|access-date=19 January 2014|author2=Sweeney, Emily|date=15 August 2008}}</ref> Work on the crane's removal was halted for two months while local and federal officials investigated the accident, but the work later resumed and was completed in early 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.patriotledger.com/x1994750396/Removal-of-shipyard-crane-in-Quincy-expected-to-be-finished-by-Christmas |title=Removal of shipyard crane in Quincy expected to be finished by Christmas |publisher=The Patriot Ledger |date=7 November 2008 |access-date=11 November 2008}}</ref> As a result of their investigation, on 13 January 2009 the U.S. [[Occupational Safety and Health Administration]] imposed fines totalling ${{Format price|68000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|68000|2008|r=2}}}} in today's dollars).{{Inflation-fn|US}}<ref name=Fitzgerald1>{{cite web|last=Fitzgerald|first=Ted|title=U.S. Labor Department's OSHA issues citations in connection with fatality during dismantling of Goliath gantry crane at former Quincy, Mass., shipyard|url=http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=17300|publisher=[[Occupational Safety & Health Administration]]|access-date=13 January 2009|date=15 January 2009}}</ref> A barge carrying the crane was christened USS ''Harvey'' in honor of the fallen worker and left the shipyard on 7 March 2009 en route to Romania.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wickedlocal.com/braintree/news/x1959830142/Departing-Goliath-crane-renamed-USS-Harvey |author=Aicardi, Robert |title=Departing Goliath crane renamed USS Harvey |publisher=Braintree Forum |date=27 February 2009 |access-date=9 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224112248/http://www.wickedlocal.com/braintree/news/x1959830142/Departing-Goliath-crane-renamed-USS-Harvey |archive-date=December 24, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.patriotledger.com/x1676793715/Landmark-Goliath-crane-leaves-today |author=Lotan, Gal Tziperman  |date=7 March 2009 |title=Landmark Goliath crane ships out for new home in Romania |publisher=The Patriot Ledger |access-date=9 March 2009}}</ref>

The August 2008 fatal incident was preceded by two other deaths involving demolition of the main [[gantry crane]] at the shipyard on 26 January 2005.<ref name=Ebbert>{{cite web|last=Ebbert|first=Stephanie|title=Two die in Braintree collapse|url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/01/27/two_die_in_braintree_collapse/|publisher=The Boston Globe|access-date=19 January 2014|date=27 January 2005}}</ref> The earlier incident resulted in an [[Occupational Safety and Health Administration|OSHA]] ruling against Testa Corporation of [[Lynnfield, Massachusetts]], including a proposed ${{Format price|60400}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|60400|2005|r=2}}}} in today's dollars){{Inflation-fn|US}} fine.<ref name=Fitzgerald2>{{cite web|last=Fitzgerald|first=Ted|title=OSHA Cites Testa Corp. Following Fatal Craneway Collapse at Former Fore River Shipyard|url=http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=11478|publisher=[[Occupational Safety & Health Administration]]|access-date=19 January 2014|date=11 July 2005|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224183218/https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=NEWS_RELEASES&p_id=11478|archive-date=24 December 2013}}</ref> Following the 2005 collapse, violations involving improper cleanup and removal of [[asbestos]] found in debris left by the accident resulted in a ${{Format price|75000}} (equivalent to ${{Formatprice|{{Inflation|US|75000|2006|r=2}}}} in today's dollars){{Inflation-fn|US}} penalty imposed against Testa by the [[Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/service/enforcement/enforcement-actions-2006.html|title=2006 Enforcement Actions|publisher=Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection|access-date=20 May 2009}}</ref>

The former shipyard served as a port for commuter boats to [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]] run by Harbor Express for the [[Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority]] (MBTA). This service was discontinued in 2013 when a dock in Quincy was severely damaged. Currently, there are no plans to revive this service.<ref>{{cite web|last=Jackson|first=Scott|title=Council Calls For Restoration Of Commuter Ferry Service|url=http://thequincysun.com/2014/05/22/council-calls-for-restoration-of-commuter-ferry-service/|publisher=The Quincy Sun|access-date=May 22, 2014|archive-date=September 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140914075938/http://thequincysun.com/2014/05/22/council-calls-for-restoration-of-commuter-ferry-service/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The yard is also used by [[Jay Cashman]], Inc., for heavy construction and marine equipment services, by the [[Massachusetts Water Resources Authority]] as a sewage sludge heat-drying and pelletizing facility, and by [[Fore River Transportation Corporation]] for [[Short-line railroad|short line]] freight rail service to [[CSX Transportation|CSXT]] South Braintree. The yard was also used as the main construction area for the new [[Fore River Bridge]], which is located adjacent to the property.<ref name=Trufant>{{cite news|last1=Trufant|first1=Jessica|last2=Schiavone|first2=Christian|title=Mechanical problem to delay Fore River Bridge completion one year|url=http://www.patriotledger.com/article/20140804/News/140809109|access-date=2 October 2014|publisher=[[The Patriot Ledger]]|date=4 August 2014}}</ref>

Although shipbuilding operations ceased in 1986, the name of the yard continues to be used, and the location is still referred to as Fore River Shipyard.<ref name="frsrp-site">{{cite web|url=http://www.forerivershipyard.com|title=Fore River Shipyard|publisher=Fore River Shipyard Redevelopment Project|access-date=4 August 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100616071850/http://www.forerivershipyard.com/|archive-date=16 June 2010}}</ref>

====Appearance in film====
Several movies have used the Fore River Shipyard as a filming location. The climactic shootout from the 2006 film ''[[The Departed]]''<ref name=TPL>{{cite news|title=Former Fore River Shipyard gets a big role in "The Company Men"|url=http://www.patriotledger.com/article/20110127/News/301279811|access-date=14 September 2014|publisher=[[The Patriot Ledger]]|date=27 January 2011}}</ref> was shot there, as were scenes from 2009's ''[[The Company Men]]''.<ref name=LG>{{cite web|title=Ben Affleck filming 'The Company Men' in Roxbury|url=http://www.loadedgunboston.com/2009/04/ben-affleck-filming-company-men-in.html|publisher=Loaded Guns|access-date=4 October 2009|date=13 April 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423075920/http://www.loadedgunboston.com/2009/04/ben-affleck-filming-company-men-in.html|archive-date=23 April 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=TPL /> For the 2015 film ''[[The Finest Hours (2015 film)|The Finest Hours]]'', sets and a giant water tank were constructed at the yard.<ref name=Wright>{{cite news|last1=Wright|first1=Emily|title=Report: Casey Affleck to Join 'The Finest Hours' Cast|url=http://www.boston.com/entertainment/movies/2014/08/07/report-casey-affleck-join-the-finest-hours-cast/UKEzLuvhWPqGL1IYhczn9J/story.html|access-date=14 September 2014|publisher=[[The Boston Globe]]|date=7 August 2014}}</ref> The film also used the former {{USS|Salem|CA-139}}.<ref name=Ronan />

===Shipways===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!  style="text-align: left;" | Shipway
! Width !! Length !! Date !! Source
|-
! scope="row" rowspan=2| 1
| {{convert|28|ft|m}}
| {{convert|130|ft|m}}
| scope="row" rowspan=2| 1941
|rowspan=13|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/pnp/habshaer/ma/ma1100/ma1198/data/ma1198data.pdf|title=General Dynamics Corporation Shipyard: Addendum}}</ref>
|-
| {{convert|28|ft|m}}
| {{convert|130|ft|m}}
|-
! style="text-align: center;" | 2
| {{convert|40|ft|m}}
| {{convert|375|ft|m}}
| 1941
|-
! style="text-align: center;" | 3
| {{convert|40|ft|m}}
| {{convert|375|ft|m}}
| 1941
|-
! style="text-align: center;" | 4
| {{convert|95|ft|m}}
| {{convert|550|ft|m}}
| 1920
|-
! style="text-align: center;" | 5
| {{convert|90|ft|m}}
| {{convert|700|ft|m}}
| 1915-30
|-
! style="text-align: center;" | 6
| {{convert|76|ft|m}}
| {{convert|675|ft|m}}
| 1915-31
|-
! style="text-align: center;" | 7
| {{convert|84|ft|m}}
| {{convert|675|ft|m}}
| 1902-42
|-
! style="text-align: center;" | 8
| {{convert|84|ft|m}}
| {{convert|675|ft|m}}
| 1901-42
|-
! style="text-align: center;" | 9
| {{convert|82|ft|m}}
| {{convert|650|ft|m}}
| 1916-30
|-
! style="text-align: center;" | 10
| {{convert|110|ft|m}}
| {{convert|875|ft|m}}
| 1917-30
|-
! style="text-align: center;" | 11
| {{convert|150|ft|m}}
| {{convert|1000|ft|m}}
| 1941
|-
! style="text-align: center;" | 12
| {{convert|150|ft|m}}
| {{convert|1000|ft|m}}
| 1941
|}

==Ships constructed at Fore River==
[[File:USNS PFC Dewayne T. Williams (T-AK-3009) underway in the Strait of Hormuz on 17 April 2020 (200417-N-PI330-0057).JPG|thumb|{{USNS|PFC Dewayne T. Williams|T-AK-3009}}, in April 2020.]]
{{Main|List of ships built at the Fore River Shipyard}}
[[File:SS Independence 1951.jpg|thumb|[[SS Independence|SS ''Independence'']]]]
During the almost one hundred years that the yard was operational, it produced hundreds of ships, submarines, and personal sailing vessels. Among these orders were the civilian ships the ''Barnacle'' and the multiple-masted schooners the [[Thomas W. Lawson (ship)|''Thomas W. Lawson'']] and ''[[William L. Douglas (ship)|William L. Douglas]]''. The yard produced military contracts, including {{USS|Lawrence|DD-8}} and {{USS|Macdonough|DD-9}}. Submarines were constructed, including {{USS|Octopus|SS-9}} for the [[United States Navy]], and others for both the [[Imperial Japanese Navy]] and the [[Royal Navy]].<ref name=RinesSarcone />

As the yard was expanded over the years, it built [[battleship]]s such as {{USS|New Jersey|BB-16}}, {{USS|Nevada|BB-36}}, and the preserved {{USS|Massachusetts|BB-59}}, itself moored in [[Battleship Cove]]. Other naval ships include the preserved heavy cruiser {{USS|Salem|CA-139}} (as part of the [[United States Naval Shipbuilding Museum]] adjacent to the shipyard), {{USS|Northampton|CLC-1}}, and {{USS|Long Beach|CGN-9}}. The yard constructed multiple aircraft carriers, including the conversion of the battlecruiser ''USS Lexington CC-1''''s hull into {{USS|Lexington|CV-2}}, {{USS|Lexington|CV-16}}, {{USS|Bunker Hill|CV-17}}, and {{USS|Philippine Sea|CV-47}}.<ref name=RinesSarcone />

After the war, the yard found itself faced with changing realities, and increasingly relied on merchant marine ships, including {{SS|Marine Dow-Chem}}, the first chemical transport ship in the United States and {{SS|Manhattan|1962|6}}. The yard built passenger vessels, including [[SS Lurline (1932)|SS ''Lurline'']], {{SS|Independence}}, {{SS|Constitution}}.<ref name=RinesSarcone /> The last ships built at the yard were the [[2nd Lieutenant John P. Bobo Class]] of [[Maritime Prepositioning ship]]s. With the building of {{MV|Sgt. William R. Button|T-AK 3012}}, the yard closed for good.

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=upper-alpha}}

==Endnotes==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
{{refbegin | indent = yes }}
* Livermore, Seward W. "Battleship Diplomacy in South America: 1905–1925." ''The Journal of Modern History'' 16, no. 1 (1944): 31–44. {{JSTOR|1870986}}. {{issn|0022-2801}}. {{oclc|62219150}}.
* Scheina, Robert L. "Argentina." In Gardiner and Gray, ''Conway's'', 400–403.
* ———. "Brazil." In Gardiner and Gray, ''Conway's'', 403–407.
* ———. ''Latin America: A Naval History 1810–1987''. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1987. {{ISBN|0-87021-295-8}}. {{oclc|15696006}}.
{{refend}}

===Further reading===

* {{cite book| title=Clash of the Carriers |author=Tillman, Barrett |publisher=New American Library |year=2005 |isbn=978-0-451-21670-0}}
* {{cite book |title=Organizing the Shipyards: Union Strategy in Three Northeast Ports, 1933&ndash;1945 |author=Palmer, David |publisher=[[Cornell University Press]] |year=1998 |isbn=978-0-8014-2734-3 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/organizingshipya00palm }}
* {{cite book| title=Silent Victory, Volume 2 |author=Blair, Clay Jr. |publisher=J. B. Lippincott Company |year=1975 |isbn=978-1-55750-217-9}}
* {{cite book| title=The Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet, Two-Ocean Fleet Edition |author=Fahey, James C. |author-link=James Charles Fahey |publisher=Ships and Aircraft |year=1941 |isbn=978-0-87021-646-6}}
* {{cite book| title=U.S. Warships of World War II |author=Silverstone, Paul H. |publisher=Doubleday and Company |year=1968 |isbn=978-0-87021-773-9}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Fore River Shipyard}}
*[http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/quincy.htm GlobalSecurity.org website] Page focusing on facts surrounding Fore River Ship and Engine Company/General Dynamics Shipbuilding Division in Quincy, MA
*[[Historic American Engineering Record]] documentation, filed under 97 East Howard Street, Quincy, Norfolk County, MA:
**{{HAER |survey=MA-26 |id=ma1198 |title=General Dynamics Corporation Shipyard |photos=6 |data=25 |cap=2 |link=no}}
**{{HAER |survey=MA-26-A |id=ma1531 |title=General Dynamics Corporation Shipyard, Joiner & Sheet Metal Shops |photos=16 |data=7 |cap=2 |link=no}}
**{{HAER |survey=MA-26-B |id=ma1532 |title=General Dynamics Corporation Shipyard, Apprentice School |photos=11 |data=7 |cap=2 |link=no}}
**{{HAER |survey=MA-26-C |id=ma1533 |title=General Dynamics Corporation Shipyard, Outfitting Pier No. 2 |photos=7 |data=6 |cap=12 |link=no}}
**{{HAER |survey=MA-26-D |id=ma1534 |title=General Dynamics Corporation Shipyard, Outfitting Pier No. 3 |photos=4 |data=6 |cap=2 |link=no}}
**{{HAER |survey=MA-26-E |id=ma1535 |title=General Dynamics Corporation Shipyard, XYZ Crane & Towers |photos=11 |data=6 |cap=2 |link=no}}
**{{HAER |survey=MA-26-F |id=ma1536 |title=General Dynamics Corporation Shipyard, Dravo Cranes |photos=12 |data=6 |cap=2 |link=no}}
**{{HAER |survey=MA-26-G |id=ma1537 |title=General Dynamics Corporation Shipyard, McMyler Crane |photos=16 |data=7 |cap=3 |link=no}}
**{{HAER |survey=MA-26-H |id=ma1570 |title=General Dynamics Corporation Shipyard, Wellman-Seaver Crane |photos=10 |data=7 |cap=2 |link=no}}
**{{HAER |survey=MA-26-I |id=ma1593 |title=General Dynamics Corporation Shipyard, American Revolver Crane |photos=6 |data=6 |cap=2 |link=no}}
*[https://www.loc.gov/pictures/search/?q=Fore%20River%20Shipyard Images of the yard]
*[https://archive.today/20131227235209/http://thomascranelibrary.org/shipbuildingheritage/warrenparker/parkerfiles/shipsbuiltatforeriver.html Images of ships built at the yard]
*[https://archive.today/20131227235234/http://thomascranelibrary.org/shipbuildingheritage/warrenparker/parkerfiles/forerivershipyard.html Pictures of the yard, circa early 1900s]
{{Quincy, Massachusetts}}
{{coord|42|14|19.75|N|70|58|20.60|W|display=title}}

[[Category:Fore River Shipyard| ]]
[[Category:Bethlehem shipyards]]
[[Category:Defunct shipbuilding companies of the United States]]
[[Category:Historic American Engineering Record in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Shipyards of Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies established in 1901]]
[[Category:Manufacturing companies disestablished in 1986]]
[[Category:1901 establishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:1986 disestablishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Quincy, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Braintree, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:General Dynamics]]
[[Category:Defunct manufacturing companies based in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Shipyards building World War II warships]]
[[Category:Former submarine builders]]