Basalt Rock Company, Napa CA

The Basalt Rock Company, Inc., was formed in 1920 to operate a rock quarry in Napa.  It started to build its own barges in 1938 and was, therefore, ready to participate in the war effort when the time came.  It also built 115 YCs and other Navy barges and this seems likely, since the first ship in the table below was not delivered until the summer of 1942.  The yard was on the Napa River, just downstream from the town, where the Napa Pipe Corporation was until recently.  And yes, this being the Napa Valley, they launched the ships sideways.  If anyone can provide any information about either the yard or the vessels it built, please e-mail it to me at timcolton@aol.com.

Hull # Name Customer Type Navy Type Pennant # Tons Delivery Disposition
US Navy Lighter YC 380 120 1940 Later YFN 380
CC Co. 14   Barge     666 1941  
C Co. 23   Barge     666 1941 Now fishing vessel  Labrador
Lupe   Tug     197 1942 Struck 1997
US Navy Lighter YC 824 120 1942 Scrapped 1974
US Navy Lighter YC 982 120 1944  
Crownblock US Navy Coastal Tanker YO 48 950 28-Aug-42 Sunk as target 1977
Whipstock US Navy Coastal Tanker YO 49 950 23-Sep-42 Scrapped 1975
Caledonian Salvor US Navy Rescue Ship BARS 1 1,441 22-Aug-42 To Britain 1942, to Australia 1943, returned 1946, sold 1947 as Sudbury II, later Lady Pacific, burnt and lost 1982
Cambrian Salvor US Navy Rescue Ship BARS 2 1,441 7-Sep-42 To Britain 1943, to Australia 1943, returned 1946, sold 1947 as Caribische Zee, later Collinsea, Francois C, Ras Deira, scrapped 1981
Atlantic Salvor US Navy Rescue Ship BARS 3 1,441 24-Oct-42 Intended for Britain but retained as USS Clamp (ARS 33)
Pacific Salvor US Navy Rescue Ship BARS 4 1,441 24-Oct-42 Intended for Britain but retained as USS Gear (ARS 34), scrapped 1982
43 Diver US Navy Rescue Ship ARS 5 1,441 23-Oct-43 Sold 1949 as Rescue, later Rescue M, Grand Day, Rescue M, scrapped 1986
44 Escape US Navy Rescue Ship ARS 6 1,441 20-Nov-43 To USCG 1946 as Escape (WAT 6, later WMEC 6), to NDRF 2001
45 Grapple US Navy Rescue Ship ARS 7 1,441 16-Dec-43 To Taiwan 1977 as Da Hu (ARS 327, later 552), active
46 Preserver US Navy Rescue Ship ARS 8 1,441 11-Jan-44 Scrapped 2005
47 Shackle US Navy Rescue Ship ARS 9 1,441 5-Feb-44 To USCG 1946 as Acushnet (WAT 167, later WMEC 167), active
US Navy Coastal Freighter YF 295   1943  
US Navy Coastal Freighter YF 339 600 1944 To USCG 1947 as White Bush (WAGL 542, later WLM 542), to USN as IX 542, sunk as target 2004
US Navy Coastal Freighter YF 341 600 6-Jun-44 To USCG 1947 as White Holly (WAGL 543, later WLM 543), donated as seamen's training ship 1998
Cable US Navy Rescue Ship ARS 19 1,441 6-Mar-44 Sunk as target 1978
Chain US Navy Rescue Ship ARS 20 1,441 31-Mar-44 Reclassified as AGOR 17 1958, scrapped 1979
Curb US Navy Rescue Ship ARS 21 1,441 12-May-44 Reefed off Key West FL 1983
Current US Navy Rescue Ship ARS 22 1,441 14-Jun-44 Later Grand Day, scrapped 1981
Deliver US Navy Rescue Ship ARS 23 1,441 18-Jul-44 To South Korea 1979 as Gumi (ARS 26), active
Grasp US Navy Rescue Ship ARS 24 1,441 22-Aug-44 To South Korea 1978 as Chang Won (ARS 25), active
Safeguard US Navy Rescue Ship ARS 25 1,441 30-Sep-44 To Turkey 1979 as Isin (A 589), active
Seize US Navy Rescue Ship ARS 26 1,441 3-Nov-44 To USCG 1946 as Yocona (WAT 168, later WMEC 168), sunk as target 2006
Snatch US Navy Rescue Ship ARS 27 1,441