Bay Shipbuilding Company, Sturgeon Bay WI

(formerly Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding, Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding and Christy Corp.)

Leathem D. Smith Shipbuilding was a pre-war shipbuilder, specializing in Great Lakes vessels, in continuous operation since 1918.  After the death of Leathem Smith in 1948, the yard was sold to its management and renamed Christy Corp.  Manitowoc Corporation closed its yard in Manitowoc in 1967 and acquired Christy and the adjacent yard, Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding, creating Bay Shipbuilding Company.  The yard is now the last active builder of large ships on the U.S. Great Lakes, although it hasn't actually built a large ship, as opposed to a large barge, since the 1980s.

Visit the shipyard at www.manitowocmarine.com/Facilities/BayShipbuilding.asp and see it from the air on Google here.

Hull # Original Name Customer Type Navy Type Pennant # Feet Delivery Disposition
Built by Sturgeon Bay Shipbuilding
Commodore         1919 Later "Waukegan"
Lieutenant         1919 Later "Sheboygan"
5 Gilbert Dredge       1924  
109 Holland US Army Tug       1940  
113 Bullfrog Tug       Jan-41  
116 Greer US Army Tender       1942  
117 Moore US Army Tender       1942  
US Army Dist. Box Boat L 92 64 Nov-41  
US Army Dist. Box Boat L 93 64 Nov-41  
US Army Dist. Box Boat L 94 64 Nov-41  
US Army Dist. Box Boat L 95 64 Nov-41  
US Army Dist. Box Boat L 96 64 3/42-4/42  
US Army Dist. Box Boat L 97 64 3/42-4/42  
US Army Dist. Box Boat L 98 64 3/42-4/42  
US Army Dist. Box Boat L 99 64 3/42-4/42  
130 Owen M. Frederick Tug       Jan-41  
132 Chas. W. Snider Tug       Jan-41  
133 US Army Retrieving Vessel H 2 158 Jan-43 Later "Morrow"
134 US Army Retrieving Vessel H 3 158 Dec-42 Later "Van Nostrand" and "Ensenada II"
135 US Army Retrieving Vessel H 4 158 Jan-43 Later "Miller" and "Babun"
136 US Army Retrieving Vessel H 5 158 May-43 Later "Beck"
137 US Army Retrieving Vessel H 6 158 May-43 Later "Colgan"
138 US Army Retrieving Vessel H 7 158 May-43 Later "Chandler"
139 US Army Retrieving Vessel H 8 158 May-43 Later "Bane"
140 US Army Retrieving Vessel H 9 158 Jun-43 Later "Bower"
141 US Army Coastal Freighter F 5 99 Jun-43  
142 US Army Coastal Freighter F 6 99 Jun-43 To the Philippines as "Governor Forbes"
143 US Army Coastal Freighter F 7 99 Jul-43  
144 US Army Coastal Freighter F 8 99 Aug-43