Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Historic District

This large shipyard is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) in length along the shore and over a half-mile in width at its greatest distance across.

Its greatest significance was during the Second World War when it repaired large warships damaged in the Pacific theater.

A board of army engineers recommended a west coast naval station and drydocks on Puget Sound as early as 1867.

The Great White Fleet having completed its world cruise in 1908 returned to the US at the Navy Yard Puget Sound to refuel.at the coaling station.

In 1917, before the United States entered World War I, the Navy Department decided to build ships at the yard.

By the end of the war, the 6,500 workers at Bremerton had undertaken the construction of 42 vessels, including subchasers, submarines, Minesweeper, ocean tugs, and ammunition ships, in addition to 1,700 small boats.

The West Virginia was hit by six or seven torpedoes, taking a longer time to repair, rejoining the fleet in July 1944.

[2] When the aircraft carrier Saratoga was torpedoed in January 1942 by a Japanese submarine, she was sent to Bremerton for repairs and modernization.

[2] By the end of the war, the Navy Yard Puget Sound had repaired, overhauled, and modernized 344 fighting ships of all types.

Puget Sound Naval Shipyard has remained active since World War II.

Since 1961, Puget Sound has been engaged in the repair of both conventional and nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, surface ships, and submarines.

Dry Dock No. 2, USAT Dix in dock, looking SE
Dry Dock No. 4. View from North showing USS Mississippi , first ship docked in completed Dry Dock No. 4
The U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS John Paul Jones , the guided missile destroyer USS Decatur and the destroyer USS Turner Joy laid up at the Naval Inactive Ship Maintenance Facility at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bemerton, Washington (USA), in 1990. In the background at left is the aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard .