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    Mare Island Solano County | California United States
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USN May 31, 1942

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USN c1943

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USN Oct 18, 1944

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USN July 10, 1945
Location
Mare Island is approximately 3.5 miles long and one mile wide in San Pablo Bay at the northern end of San Francisco Bay in Solano County in California in the United States of America (USA). Mare Island is actually a peninsula not an island separated by water on all sides. Borders the Napa River and beyond Vallejo to the east. To the southwest approximately 30 miles away is San Francisco.

Mare Naval Yard
During 1854, the U.S. Navy (USN) established Naval Magazine, NSY Mare Island. The shipyard’s primary missions was to maintain, overhaul and refuel warships. Also known as "Mare Island Navy Yard".

World War I
In 1918, Mare Island Navy Yard set a record that has never broken, building destroyer USS Ward No. 139 in only 17½ days, a shipbuilding record that has never been broken.

World War II
In total, Mare Island Navy Yard built 17 submarines, 4 subtenders, 31 destroyer escorts, 33 small craft, and more than 300 landing craft. During the Pacific War, Mare Island was an important location for overhauls and repairs for U.S. Navy warships and vessels. On September 24, 1942 displayed at Mare Island was captured HA-19 Type A Midget Submarine (Midget C) and inspected by U.S. President F. D. Roosevelt when he toured Mare Naval Yard.

Closure
In 1993, the Department of Defense (DoD) Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) Commission recommended the closure of Mare Island NSY in the "third round" (BRAC 3) of military closures. The operational closure of Mare Island NSY was completed in April 1996.

USS Lewis DE-535
Sunk March 1966 off Mare Island

References
Franklin D. Roosevelt - Day by Day - September 24th 1942
"12:01–2:00pm Arrive at Crocket, CA for Inspection Tour of Mare Island Navy Yard"
Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum - FDR at Mare Island

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Last Updated
February 19, 2024

 

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