DARBY CORPORATION

Kansas City KS

Most recent update: August 30, 2021.

In 1938, Harry Darby Jr. purchased the failing Kaw Steel Construction Company from his father and organized the Darby Corporation, which would grow to become one of the largest steel plate manufacturers in the nation.  During World War II, Darby operated the biggest shipyard in the region, at the junction of the Kaw and the Missouri rivers, in Kansas City KS.  At one stage during the war, LCMs were being launched into the Kaw River at the rate of one a day.  The company eventually built 62 LCTs and over 1,300 LCMs, which were sent downriver to New Orleans for shipment overseas.  Darby was also a major wartime producer of locomotives and 1,000-pound bombs.  After the war, Harry Darby became a U.S. Senator from Kansas and the Darby Corporation continued to produce steel products, including railroad equipment and water towers.  It closed in 1989.  If anyone can provide any more information about either the yard or the ships it built, please e-mail it to me at timcolton@aol.com .
Hull # O.N. Navy Type Pennant # Customer Type Tons Feet Delivery Disposition
    LCT(5) 288 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Sep-42  
    LCT(5) 289 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Sep-42 To Britain
    LCT(5) 290 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Sep-42  
    LCT(5) 291 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Sep-42 To Britain
    LCT(5) 292 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Sep-42 To Britain
    LCT(5) 293 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Sep-42 Sunk 1943
    LCT(5) 294 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Sep-42 Sunk 1944
    LCT(5) 295 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Sep-42 To Britain
    LCT(5) 296 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Sep-42 To Britain
    LCT(5) 297 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Sep-42 To Britain
    LCT(5) 298 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Oct-42  
    LCT(5) 299 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Oct-42 Sunk 1943 
    LCT(5) 300 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Oct-42  
    LCT(5) 301 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Oct-42 To Britain
    LCT(5) 302 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Oct-42 To Britain
    LCT(5) 303 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Oct-42 To Britain
    LCT(5) 304 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Oct-42 To Britain
    LCT(5) 305 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Oct-42 To Britain, sunk 1944
    LCT(5) 306 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Oct-42 To Britain
    LCT(5) 307 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 133 114 Oct-42 To Britain
    LCM   US Navy Landing Craft, Medium 26 50 1942-44 More than 1300 in total
    LCT(6) 851 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Dec-43 Later YFU 60
    LCT(6) 852 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Jan-44  
    LCT(6) 853 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Jan-44  
    LCT(6) 854 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Jan-44 Later YDT 9
    LCT(6) 855 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Jan-44 To Peru 1959 
    LCT(6) 856 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Jan-44  
    LCT(6) 857 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Feb-44  
    LCT(6) 858 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Feb-44  
    LCT(6) 859 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Feb-44  
    LCT(6) 860 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Feb-44  
    LCT(6) 861 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Feb-44 To Thailand 1946 
    LCT(6) 862 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Feb-44  
    LCT(6) 863 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Feb-44  
    LCT(6) 864 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Mar-44  
    LCT(6) 865 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Mar-44  
    LCT(6) 866 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Mar-44  
    LCT(6) 867 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Mar-44  
    LCT(6) 868 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Mar-44  
    LCT(6) 869 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Mar-44 Later YFU 18
    LCT(6) 870 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Apr-44  
    LCT(6) 871 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Apr-44  
    LCT(6) 872 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Apr-44  
    LCT(6) 873 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Apr-44  
    LCT(6) 874 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Apr-44 Target at Bikini
    LCT(6) 875 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Apr-44  
    LCT(6) 876 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 May-44  
    LCT(6) 877 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 May-44 Later YFU 19
    LCT(6) 878 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 May-44  
    LCT(6) 879 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 May-44  
    LCT(6) 880 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 May-44  
    LCT(6) 881 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 May-44  
    LCT(6) 882 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 May-44  
    LCT(6) 883 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Jun-44  
    LCT(6) 884 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Jun-44  
    LCT(6) 885 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Jun-44  
    LCT(6) 886 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Jun-44  
    LCT(6) 887 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Jun-44 Later AMCU 3
    LCT(6) 888 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Jun-44 Later AMCU 4
    LCT(6) 889 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Jul-44 Later AMCU 5
    LCT(6) 890 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Jul-44 Later AMCU 6
    LCT(6) 891 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Jul-44  
    LCT(6) 892 US Navy Landing Craft, Tank 143 120 Jul-44 To China 1946