Tampa Shipbuilding Company, Inc., Tampa FL

Tampa Shipbuilding & Engineering Company was founded in 1917 and builder, with 3 ways,  which had been in operation since 1917.  It was one of the merchant shipbuilders involved in the USMC's pre-war long-range shipbuilding program, and received over $7mm from the Navy for improvements.  Shortly after starting work on its initial USMC contract, however, it got into financial difficulties and was sold to George B. Howell.  The new company was called Tampa Shipbuilding Company, or TASCO.  At its peak, the yard employed 16,000 people and was the largest employer in Tampa.  TASCO closed at the end of the war.  It is said by many sources to be the predecessor company of Tampa Shipyards, (now Tampa Bay Shipbuilding), but its location is wrong: TASCO was on the east side of the Ybor Channel, at 19th Street, where Cargill is now, and Tampa Bay Shipbuilding is much further south, at Hookers Point.  If anyone can fill any gaps in this table or identify any other ships built by this shipyard, please e-mail me at tim@coltoncompany.com.

Hull # Name Owner Navy Type or MC Design Navy Pennant # or MC Hull # Tons Delivered Disposition
31 Lithopolis U.S. Shipping Board Cargo Ship   3,800 Feb-19  
32 Everglades U.S. Shipping Board Cargo Ship   3,800 Mar-19  
33 Sea Witch Maritime Commission C2 22   Jul-40 Sold private 1946, scrapped 1963
34 Shooting Star Maritime Commission C2 23   Nov-40 To USN 1940 as Lassen (AE 3), scrapped 1974
35 Surprise Maritime Commission C2 24   May-41 To USN 1941 as Kilauea (AE 4), renamed Mount Baker, scrapped 1974
36 Sweepstakes Maritime Commission C2 25   Aug-41 To USN 1941 as Procyon (AK 19, later AKA 2), scrapped 1973
37 Rainbow Maritime Commission C2 124   Apr-41 To USN 1941 as Rainier (AE 5), scrapped 1971
38 Comet Maritime Commission C2 125   Jan-42 To USN 1942 as Shasta (AE 6), scrapped 1970
39 Raven Maritime Commission C2 126   Feb-42 To USN 1942 as Bellatrix (AK 20, later AKA 3), to Peru 1963 as Independencia, scrapped 1991
40 Meteor Maritime Commission C2 127   Mar-42 To USN 1942 as Electra (AK 21, later AKA 4), scrapped 1974
94 Mauna Loa Maritime Commission C2   Oct-43 To USN 1943 as Mauna Loa (AE 8), to NDRF 1984
Mazama Maritime Commission C2   Nov-43 To USN 1943 as Mazama (AE 9), scrapped 1973
Piedmont US Navy AD 17   5-Jan-44 To Turkey 1987, no longer active
Sierra US Navy AD 18   20-Mar-44 Scrapped 1995
Yosemite US Navy AD 19   26-Mar-44 Sunk as target 2003
  Admirable US Navy AM 136   20-Apr-43 To USSR as T 521, scrapped 1954
  Adopt US Navy AM 137   31-May-43 To USSR as T 552, demolished 1958
  Advocate US Navy AM 138   25-Jun-43 To USSR as T 111, scuttled 1956
  Agent US Navy AM 139   10-Jul-43 To USSR as T 112, scuttled 1956
  Alarm US Navy AM 140   5-Aug-43 To USSR as T 113, scuttled 1956
  Alchemy US Navy AM 141   11-Aug-43 To USSR as T 114, torpedoed and lost 1944
  Apex US Navy AM 142   17-Aug-43 To USSR as T 115, reported lost in WWII
  Arcade US Navy AM 143   26-Aug-43 To USSR as T 116, reported lost in WWII
  Arch US Navy AM 144   6-Sep-43 To USSR as T 117, reported lost in WWII
  Armada US Navy AM 145   16-Sep-43 To USSR as T 118, torpedoed and lost 1944
  Aspire US Navy AM 146   29-Sep-43 To USSR as T 119, scuttled 1956
  Assail US Navy AM 147   5-Oct-43 To USSR as T 120, torpedoed and lost 1944
  Astute US Navy AM 148   17-Jan-44 To USSR as T 523, scrapped 1954
  Augury US Navy AM 149   17-Mar-44 To USSR as T 524, scrapped 1954
  Barrier US Navy AM 150   10-May-44 To USSR as T 525, scrapped 1954
  Bombard US Navy AM 151   31-May-44 To USSR as T 526, scrapped 1954
  Crag US Navy AM 214   1-Aug-44 To Mexico 1962 as General Pedro Maria Anaya (A 8), active
  Cruise US Navy AM 215   21-Sep-44 Scrapped 1973
  Deft US Navy AM 216   16-Apr-44 To China 1946, scrapped 1959
  Delegate US Navy AM 217   30-Apr-44 To China 1946 as Yung Ho, to Taiwan 1949, scrapped 1963
  Density US Navy AM 218   15-Jun-44 Sold private 1955, scrapped 1986
  Design US Navy AM 219