Standard Shipbuilding Co., Shooters Island NY

(formerly Townsend & Downey)


The Townsend & Downey shipyard on Shooters Island was a yacht builder in the early years of the last century, most notable for building "Meteor" for the Kaiser.  Downey sold the shipyard in 1917, to a group of Cuban financiers, and started a new yard in the Arlington section of Staten Island.  The Cubans expanded the Shooters Island yard from 25 to 50 acres, effectively occupying the entire island, which is just off the Richmond Terrace section of Staten Island.  At its peak, it had about 4,500 employees.  How did they get to work?  Was there a pontoon bridge from the mainland?  After the war, the island became a ship's graveyard: it has since been cleaned up but the view from the air on Google here still shows a forest of wrecks off the west side of an island that is now totally covered with trees.

Hull # USSB # Original Name Original Owner Type Tons Delivery Disposition
Built by Townsend & Downey
  Muriel Charles Smithers Yacht 72 1901  
  Thistle Robert E. Tod Yacht 235 1901  
  Elmina F. F. Brewster Yacht 72 1901  
  Sculpin II Frank L. Sheppard Yacht 16 1901  
  Meteor H. I. M. Emperor William II Yacht 228 1902  
  Tekla   Yacht 92 1902  
  Shenandoah Charles Fahnestock Yacht 207 1902  
  Meteor   Yacht 120 1902  
  Neola H. M. Pynchon Yacht 39 1902  
  Cornell Cornell Steamboat Company Tug 435 1902 Later Istrouma 1916, scrapped 1954
  Resolute   Yacht 128 1903  
  Atlantic   Yacht 303 1903 To USCG 1941 as WIX 271, sold 1948
  Azara   Yacht 96 1904  
  S.O. Company No. 94 S.O. Company of New York Tank Barge 4,167 1904  
  S.O. Company No. 95 S.O. Company of New York Tank Barge 4,167 1904  
  Crocus (WAGL 18) US Coast Guard Tender 210 26-Jul-05 Sold 1946
Built by Standard Shipbuilding
1   Jupiter/Democracy US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Nov-17 To USN as SP 2215, later Point Arena 1937, Irish Plane 1941, wrecked off Cork 1947
2 Req. Scandinavic/Muscatine US Shipping Board Reefer 6,103 May-18 To USN as SP 2226, later Floridian 1928, Elizabeth 1938, torpedoed and lost 1942
3 Req. War Unit/Passaic/Ice King US Shipping Board Reefer 6,103 Jun-18 To USN as SP 3160, later Georgian 1928,  Hilton 1936, scrapped 1950
4 Req. War Speed/Montclair US Shipping Board Reefer 6,076 Jun-18 To USN as SP 3497, scrapped 1936
5 Req. Englewood US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Aug-18 Scrapped 1935
6 Req. Galesburg US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Sep-18 Later Volkhovstroi 1930, scrapped 1960
7 Req. Morristown US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Oct-18 To USN as SP 3580, scrapped 1936
8 Req. War Pride/Hickman US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Nov-18 To USN as SP 3554, scrapped 1932
9 Req. Monmouth US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Dec-18 Scrapped 1936
10 Req. Dallas US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Jan-19 Later Deneprostroi 1930, scrapped 1965
11 Req. Belvidere US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Mar-19 Scrapped 1935
12 Req. Aledo US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Apr-19 Later Svirstroi 1929, bombed and lost 1941
13 Req. Shooters Island US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 May-19 Later Kenzan Maru 1938, torpedoed and lost 1943
14   Finch (AM 9) US Navy Minesweeper   10-Sep-18 Captured by Japan and scuttled 1942
15   Heron (AM 10) US Navy Minesweeper   30-Oct-18 Later AVP 2, struck 1946
16   Balsam US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Jun-19 Scrapped 1933
17   East Side US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Jul-19 Scrapped 1933
18   Glen Ridge US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Sep-19 Later fish factory ship Aleut 1929, scrapped 1970
19   Bannack US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Sep-19 Later Kopperston 1938, scrapped 1948
20   Rockaway Park US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Dec-19 Scrapped 1932
21   Palisades US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Dec-19 Scrapped 1933
22   Tenafly US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Jan-20 Scrapped 1932
23   Kerhonkson US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Mar-20 Later Ryuzan Maru 1938, torpedoed and lost 1943
24   Hinckley US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Apr-20 Scrapped 1933
25   Chappaqua US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 4,400 Jun-20 Scrapped 1933
26   Hibueras US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 1,445 Aug-20 Scrapped 1949
27   Nicarao US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 1,445 Sep-20 Torpedoed and lost 1942
28   San Teodoro US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 6,100 Feb-21 Scrapped 1935
29   San Tiburelo US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 6,100 Mar-21 Mined and lost 1940
30   San Ubaldo US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 6,100 Apr-21 Scrapped 1955
31   San Urgon US Shipping Board Cargo Ship 6,100 May-21 Scrapped 1935
32   John Purroy Mitchell City of New York Fireboat 334 Jul-21