Norfolk Navy Yard

Norfolk Navy Yard

Type		172 Shipyard
Historical Name of Location		Portsmouth, Virginia, United States
Coordinates		36.815278000, -76.297222000

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Ships Constructed at Norfolk Navy Yard

Ship Name	Yard No	Slip/Drydock No	Ordered	Laid Down	Launched	Commissioned
Hulbert				18 Nov 1918	28 Jun 1919	2 Aug 1940
Tucker				15 Aug 1934	26 Feb 1936	23 Jul 1936
Helm				25 Sep 1935	27 May 1937	16 Oct 1937
Alabama				1 Feb 1940	16 Feb 1942	16 Aug 1942
Kentucky			9 Sep 1940	7 May 1942	20 Jan 1950
Shangri-La			7 Aug 1942	15 Jan 1943	24 Feb 1944	15 Sep 1944

Norfolk Navy Yard Interactive Map

Photographs

Fitting-out basin, Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States, 1 Mar 1901

Machine shop, Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States, 2 Feb 1905

Norfolk Navy Yard Drydock No. 4, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States, 17 Nov 1917

Pump No. 1, Drydock No. 4, Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States, 16 Jun 1919

See all 120 photographs of Norfolk Navy Yard

Maps

Dock plan with crane locations at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States.

Norfolk Navy Yard Timeline

4 May 1929	USS Arizona entered Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, United States for modernization.
4 Jun 1934	America's fourth aircraft carrier, USS Ranger, was commissioned at Norfolk, Virginia, United States under the command of Captain Arthur L. Bristol. Although smaller than the USS Lexington and USS Saratoga, Ranger was the first US carrier to be designed and built as such from the keel up. Ranger, which cost $20,000,000 to build, incorporated many design features that led to the more functional vessels of World War II.
17 Aug 1934	USS Ranger departed Norfolk, Virginia on her shakedown cruise to South America.
4 Oct 1934	After visiting ports of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Montevideo, Uruguay, USS Ranger returned from her shakedown cruise to Norfolk, Virginia.
28 Mar 1935	USS Ranger departed Norfolk, Virginia bound for the Pacific.
16 Oct 1937	USS Helm was commissioned at Norfolk, Virginia, United States, Lt. Cmdr. Paul H. Talbot in command.
18 Apr 1939	USS Ranger arrived at Norfolk, Virginia.
1 Feb 1940	The keel of battleship Alabama was laid down at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, United States.
29 Jul 1940	US President Franklin Roosevelt, Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox, and House Naval Affairs Committee chairman Carl Vinson arrived at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, United States, via presidential yacht Potomac, for an inspection. After the navy yard, they also visited US Army's Langley Field and the Newport News Ship Building and Drydock Company.
8 Dec 1941	USS Ranger completed her final Atlantic Neutrality Patrol when she arrived at Norfolk, Virginia.
21 Dec 1941	USS Ranger departed Norfolk on a patrol to the South Atlantic.
16 Feb 1942	Battleship Alabama was launched at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, United States, sponsored by Henrietta McCormick Hill, the wife of US Senator J. Lister Hill.
22 Mar 1942	USS Ranger entered the Norfolk Navy Yard for repairs and an overhaul.
13 Apr 1942	USS Ranger departed Norfolk, Virginia bound for Newport, Rhode Island.
7 May 1942	The keel of Kentucky was laid down at Norfolk Navy Yard in Virginia, United States.
5 Aug 1942	USS Ranger and Augusta arrived at Norfolk, Virginia.
23 Aug 1942	USS Ranger and Augusta departed Norfolk, Virginia bound for Quonset Point, Rhode Island.
31 Aug 1942	USS Ranger arrived at Norfolk, Virginia.
3 Oct 1942	USS Ranger departed Norfolk, Virginia bound for Bermuda.
23 Nov 1942	USS Ranger arrived at Norfolk, Virginia.
16 Dec 1942	USS Ranger entered drydock at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia.
31 Dec 1942	Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier USS Bogue arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, United States.
6 Jan 1943	USS Ranger was floated out of drydock at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia.
8 Jan 1943	With a load of 72 USAAF P-40F fighters, USS Ranger departed Norfolk, Virginia bound for North Africa.
15 Jan 1943	The keel of carrier Shangri-La was laid down at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia, United States.
30 Jan 1943	USS Ranger arrived at Norfolk, Virginia.
1 Feb 1943	Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier USS Card arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, anchoring in Hampton Roads.
4 Feb 1943	Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier USS Card departed Norfolk, Virginia bound for New York, New York.
13 Feb 1943	With a load of 75 USAAF P-40L fighters, USS Ranger departed Norfolk, Virginia bound for North Africa.
16 Feb 1943	USS Ancon entered Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States to be converted to a combined headquarters and commications command ship.
24 Feb 1943	Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier USS Bogue departed Norfolk, Virginia bound for Argentia, Newfoundland.
26 Feb 1943	USS Ancon's designation was officially changed from AP-66 to AGC-4 while undergoing conversion work at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, United States.
5 Mar 1943	Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier USS Card arrived at Norfolk Operating Base, Norfolk, Virginia.
6 Mar 1943	USS Ranger arrived at Norfolk, Virginia.
9 Mar 1943	USS Ranger departed Norfolk, Virginia bound for Quonset Point, Rhode Island.
15 Apr 1943	USS Yorktown (Essex-class) was commissioned at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Norfolk, Virginia, United States, Capt. Joseph J. "Jocko" Clark in command.
21 Apr 1943	USS Ancon's conversion work from cargo-passenger ship to combined headquarters and communications ship was completed at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States.
11 May 1943	Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier USS Card departed Norfolk, Virginia bound for New York, New York.
20 Jun 1943	Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier USS Bogue arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, United States. Task Group 21.12 was dissolved and made eligible for European-African-Middle Eastern Area Engagement Star E207. This sortie was one of six Bogue sortie's singled out in a Presidntial Unit Citation.
5 Jul 1943	Auxiliary Aircraft Carrier USS Card arrived at Norfolk Operating Base, Norfolk, Virginia.
9 Jul 1943	While at Norfolk, Commander Joseph Dunn relieved Captain Short as commanding officer of USS Bogue.
12 Jul 1943	USS Bogue and her escorts departed Norfolk, Virginia on a Hunter-Killer mission along the convoy routes to Africa.
27 Jul 1943	Task Group 21.14 (TG 21.14) was formed at Norfolk, Virginia as an anti-submarine Hunter-Killer group centered around escort carrier USS Card with the TBF Avengers and F4F Wildcats of Composite Squadron VC-1 embarked and with escorts of Clemson-class destroyers USS Barry, Goff, and Borie. TG 21.14 departed Norfolk bound for the Central Atlantic that same day.
9 Aug 1943	USS Alabama arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, United States.
19 Aug 1943	USS Alabama completed a scheduled overhaul at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, United States.
20 Aug 1943	USS Alabama departed Norfolk, Virginia, United States.
23 Aug 1943	Escort carrier USS Bogue and her task group arrived at Norfolk, Virginia. This sortie was one of six Bogue sortie's singled out in a Presidntial Unit Citation. Upon arrival, Commander Dunn's orders came through finalizing his promotion to Captain. Composite Squadron VC-9 disembarked the ship to Naval Air Station Norfolk.
5 Sep 1943	Composite Squadron VC-19 came aboard escort carrier USS Bogue with their FM-1 Wildcats and TBF-1c Avengers. Bogue and her escorts put to sea on an offensive Hunter-Killer anti-submarine mission along the Atlantic convoy routes between North America and Africa.
10 Sep 1943	Escort carrier USS Card and her task group arrived at Norfolk, Virginia at the conclusion of their Atlantic anti-submarine voyage. Composite Squadron VC-1 disembarked Card and transferred to Norfolk Naval Air Station. Squadron VC-1, all ships of the task group, and all men therein were authorized to wear Battle Star A204 on their American Campaign Ribbon.
23 Sep 1943	Task Group 21.14 (TG 21.14) was reformed at Norfolk, Virginia as an anti-submarine Hunter-Killer group centered around escort carrier USS Card with the TBF Avengers and F4F Wildcats of Composite Squadron VC-9 embarked and with escorts of Clemson-class destroyers USS Barry, Goff, and Borie. TG 21.14 departed Norfolk bound for the Central Atlantic that same day.
20 Oct 1943	Escort carrier USS Bogue and her task group arrived at Norfolk, Virginia.
29 Oct 1943	After four days in drydock, escort carrier USS Bogue was floated out of Drydock No. 4 at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia. Bogue would spend the next several days dockside completing her overhaul.
9 Nov 1943	Escort carrier USS Card and her remaining task group arrived at Norfolk, Virginia at the conclusion of their Atlantic anti-submarine voyage. Composite Squadron VC-9 disembarked Card and transferred to Norfolk Naval Air Station.
10 Nov 1943	The day after arriving at Norfolk, Virginia, escort carrier USS Card received a delegation of dignitaries including seven flag officers: Admiral Royal Ingersoll (Commander in Chief Atlantic Fleet), Vice Admiral Patrick Bellinger (Commander for Air, Atlantic Fleet), Vice Admiral Alexander Sharp (Commander of Service Forces, Atlantic Fleet), Rear Admiral Walter Kilpatrick (Chief of Staff to Commander Atlantic Fleet), Rear Admiral David LeBretan (Commandant 5th Naval District), Rear Admiral Gerald Bogan (Commander Fleet Air, Norfolk), and Rear Admiral Calvin Durgin (Commander Fleet Air, Quonset). In a mere 40 minutes aboard the ship, the following award presentations were made: Captain Arnold Isbell (Commanding Officer USS Card and Commander Task Group 21.14) received the Navy Distinguished Service Medal; Lieutenant Commanders Herbert Hill (Commanding Officer USS Barry), Hinton Smith (Commanding Officer USS Goff), and Howard Avery (Commanding Officer Composite Squadron VC-9) received the Legion of Merit; Lieutenant Charles Hutchins (Commanding Officer USS Borie) received the Navy Cross; and a Presidential Unit Citation was awarded to USS Card, USS Barry, USS Borie, USS Goff, Composite Squadron VC-1, Composite Squadron VC-9, and all men who served in these elements during the Task Group 21.14 operations. LtCdr Avery would also receive the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Flying Cross for later actions while commanding VC-9 from USS Card. Further, Squadron VC-9, all ships of the task group, and all men therein during this sortie were authorized to wear Battle Star E211 on their European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon.
14 Nov 1943	Escort carrier USS Bogue and her escorts put to sea on an offensive Hunter-Killer anti-submarine mission along the Atlantic convoy routes between North America and Africa.
24 Nov 1943	Task Group 21.14 (TG 21.14) was reformed at Norfolk, Virginia as an anti-submarine Hunter-Killer group centered around escort carrier USS Card with the TBF-1C Avengers and FM-1 Wildcats of Composite Squadron VC-55 embarked and with escorts of destroyers USS Decatur, Leary, Babbitt, Schenk. TG 21.14 departed Norfolk bound for the Central Atlantic that same day.
29 Nov 1943	USS Hornet was commissioned into service at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia with Miles Browning in command.
29 Dec 1943	Escort carrier USS Bogue and her task group arrived at Norfolk, Virginia. 46 prisoners from U-172 were turned over to shore authorities. Composite Squadron VC-19 disembarked Bogue. This sortie was one of six Bogue sortie's singled out in a Presidntial Unit Citation.
2 Jan 1944	Escort carrier USS Card and her remaining task group arrived at Norfolk, Virginia at the conclusion of their Atlantic anti-submarine voyage. Composite Squadron VC-55 disembarked Card and transferred to Norfolk Naval Air Station. Task Group 21.14 was dissolved. Squadron VC-55, all ships of the task group, and all men therein during this sortie were authorized to wear Battle Star E214 on their European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon.
13 Jan 1944	Escort carrier USS Bogue and her escorts departed Norfolk, Virginia bound for New York.
24 Jan 1944	Task Group 21.14 (TG 21.14) was reformed at Norfolk, Virginia as an anti-submarine Hunter-Killer group centered around escort carrier USS Card with the TBF-1C Avengers and FM-2 Wildcats of Composite Squadron VC-55 embarked and with escorts of destroyers USS Livermore, Jacob Jones, and Hammann and destroyer escorts USS Robert E. Peary and Blair. TG 21.14 departed Norfolk bound for the Central Atlantic that same day.
14 Feb 1944	Escort carrier USS Bogue arrived at Norfolk, Virginia.
24 Feb 1944	Carrier Shangri-La was launched at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia, United States, sponsored by sponsored by Josephine Doolittle, wife of famed aviator James Doolittle.
26 Feb 1944	Composite Squadron VC-95 came aboard escort carrier USS Bogue with their FM-1 Wildcats and TBF-1c Avengers. Bogue and her escorts put to sea on an offensive Hunter-Killer anti-submarine mission along the Atlantic convoy routes between North America and Africa.
19 Apr 1944	Escort carrier USS Bogue and her task group arrived at Norfolk, Virginia. Composite Squadron VC-95 disembarked Bogue. This sortie was one of six Bogue sortie's singled out in a Presidntial Unit Citation.
23 Apr 1944	While at Norfolk, Captain Aurelius Bartlett "Abe" Vosseller relieved Captain Dunn as commanding officer of USS Bogue.
5 May 1944	Composite Squadron VC-69 came aboard escort carrier USS Bogue with their FM-2 Wildcats and TBF-1c Avengers. Bogue and her escorts put to sea on an offensive Hunter-Killer anti-submarine mission along the Atlantic convoy routes between North America and Africa.
8 May 1944	USS Ticonderoga was commissioned at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia, United States with Dixie Kiefer in command.
19 May 1944	USS Ranger arrived at Norfolk, Virginia for extended repairs and upgrades to make Ranger into a night-fighter training carrier, including strengthening her flight deck and installing one catapult. This is also when Ranger received her Measure 33, Design 1A Dazzle paint scheme.
3 Jul 1944	Escort carrier USS Bogue and her task group arrived at Norfolk, Virginia. Composite Squadron VC-69 disembarked Bogue. This sortie was one of six Bogue sortie's singled out in a Presidntial Unit Citation.
11 Jul 1944	USS Ranger departed Norfolk, Virginia bound for the Panama Canal.
22 Jul 1944	USS Ticonderoga began her first overhaul at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States. Her flight deck was to be reconfigured to add 11 feet forward and 7 feet aft, and her anti-aircraft directors were to be repositioned.
25 Jul 1944	Composite Squadron VC-42 came aboard escort carrier USS Bogue with their FM-2 Wildcats and TBM-1c Avengers. Bogue and her escorts put to sea on an offensive Hunter-Killer anti-submarine mission along the Atlantic convoy routes in the North Atlantic.
23 Aug 1944	Escort carrier USS Card detached her escorts to proceed to New York and disembarked Composite Squadron VC-12 to fly to Norfolk Naval Air Station. Card arrived at Norfolk Naval Operating base, Norfolk, Virginia.
25 Aug 1944	USS Wake Island completed her repairs at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States.
24 Sep 1944	Escort carrier USS Bogue and her task group arrived at Norfolk, Virginia. Composite Squadron VC-42 disembarked Bogue. This sortie was one of six Bogue sortie's singled out in a Presidntial Unit Citation.
5 Oct 1944	While at Norfolk, Captain George Dufek relieved Captain Vosseller as commanding officer of USS Bogue.
21 Oct 1944	Composite Squadron VC-95 came aboard escort carrier USS Bogue with their FM-2 Wildcats, TBM-3 Avengers, and TBM-1D Avengers. Bogue and her escorts put to sea bound for Bermuda for anti-submarine exercises.
4 Nov 1944	Escort carrier USS Card detached her escorts to proceed to New York and disembarked Composite Squadron VC-8 to fly to Norfolk Naval Air Station. Card arrived at Norfolk Naval Operating base, Norfolk, Virginia.
30 Nov 1944	Anti-submarine Hunter-Killer Task Group 22.2 (TG 22.2) centered around escort carrier USS Card with the TBM Avengers and FM-2 Wildcats of Composite Squadron VC-12 embarked and screened by destroyer escorts USS Baker, Bronstein, Thomas, Breeman, Coffman, and Bostwick was reformed at Norfolk, Virginia. TG 22.2 departed for the Central Atlantic that same day.
15 Dec 1944	Escort carrier USS Bogue and her task group arrived at Norfolk, Virginia.
20 Dec 1944	USS Honolulu arrived at the Naval Operating Base at Norfolk, Virginia, United States.
21 Dec 1944	USS Shangri-La arrived at Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States, completing her shakedown cruise.
26 Dec 1944	Escort carrier USS Bogue and her task group departed Norfolk bound for Bermuda.
27 Dec 1944	USS Honolulu shifted to the Norfolk Navay Yard at Portsmouth, Virginia where overhaul repairs were begun.
3 Jan 1945	With all 5-inch, 40mm, and 20mm guns removed from the ship, USS Honolulu shifted to Drydock #3 at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia.
12 Mar 1945	Escort carriers USS Card and Bogue arrived at Norfolk, Virginia.
15 Mar 1945	Escort carrier USS Bogue departed Norfolk bound for Quonset Point, Rhode Island.
24 Mar 1945	Escort carrier USS Bogue arrived at Norfolk, Virginia.
11 Apr 1945	Composite Squadron VC-19 came aboard escort carrier USS Bogue as put to sea bound for the New London, Connecticut area for anti-submarine exercises.
21 May 1945	Escort carrier USS Bogue arrived at Norfolk, Virginia.
26 May 1945	Escort carrier USS Card arrived at Norfolk, Virginia for nearly four weeks of maintenance and upkeep.
15 Jun 1945	Escort carrier USS Bogue departed Norfolk bound for New York.
21 Jun 1945	Loaded with 25 TD2C-1 utility aircraft of Utility Squadron VJ-5 and all of the squadron’s peripheral equipment plus 127 passengers, escort carrier USS Card departed Norfolk, Virginia bound for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
20 Aug 1945	Rear Admiral Walden Ainsworth assumed the duties as Commandant of the Fifth Naval District and Commander of the Naval Operating Base at Norfolk, Virginia, United States.
23 Aug 1945	After brief dockside trials, USS Honolulu shifted from the repair piers to Drydock #3 at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia.
17 Nov 1945	USS Ranger arrived Hampton Roads, Virginia to offload bombs, ammunition, and aviation gasoline prior to entering the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
18 Nov 1945	USS Ranger departed Hampton Roads, Virginia and resumed her course to the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
29 Nov 1945	Fox was decommissioned from service at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States.
15 Jan 1946	USS Ranger arrived at Norfolk, Virginia.
18 Jan 1946	USS Ranger departed Norfolk, Virginia bound for Pensacola, Florida.
1 Oct 1946	In Ranger’s last change of command, Commander Ray Davis relieved Captain Dussault as commanding officer of USS Ranger.
18 Oct 1946	Aircraft carrier USS Ranger was decommissioned at Norfolk, Virginia and was made ready for scrapping.
8 Nov 1946	USS Bennington was decommissioned at Norfolk, Virginia, United States.
20 Jan 1950	Kentucky was launched at Norfolk Navy Yard in Virginia, United States.
18 Oct 1951	USS Missouri entered Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, United States for a scheduled overhaul.
30 Mar 1952	USS Missouri completed her scheduled overhaul at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, United States.
4 Aug 1952	USS Missouri entered Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, United States for refitting.
11 Jun 1954	USS Wisconsin began a scheduled overhaul at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, United States.
30 Jun 1954	USS Conecuh began an overhaul at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, United States.
12 Jul 1954	USS Wisconsin completed her scheduled overhaul at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, United States.
4 Mar 1955	USS Conecuh completed her overhaul at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, United States.
3 Apr 1956	USS Conecuh was decommissioned from service at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, United States and was transferred to the National Defense Reserve Fleet (James River Group, located at Lee Hall, Virginia near Newport News).
6 Feb 1960	USS Cassin Young arrived at Norfolk Navy Yard, Virginia, United States for inactivation.
31 Mar 1973	At the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia, the Knox-class frigate USS Ainsworth, named for the late Vice-Admiral Walden Ainsworth, was commissioned.

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Modern Day Location

WW2-Era Place Name	Portsmouth, Virginia, United States
Lat/Long	36.8153, -76.2972

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Norfolk Navy Yard