Bethlehem Shipbuilding San Pedro
Corporate brand
UnclaimedBethlehem Shipbuilding San Pedro was a major shipyard on Terminal Island that produced United States Navy destroyers during World War II and later built tugboats.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Bethlehem Shipbuilding San Pedro was a large American shipyard on Terminal Island in the Port of Los Angeles area. The yard began operations in 1918 as Southwestern Shipbuilding, established by Western Pipe & Steel during the shipbuilding expansion associated with World War I. Southwestern was one of three substantial steel shipyards active in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach during that period and accounted for approximately 28 percent of the tonnage produced there for the United States Shipping Board. A significant part of its wartime work involved Design 1019 vessels constructed under contracts associated with the Emergency Fleet Corporation. Western Pipe & Steel sold the San Pedro yard to Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation in 1925. Under Bethlehem ownership, the facility became part of the broader Bethlehem shipbuilding network and developed into an important naval construction site. Its most consequential period came during World War II, when the United States expanded its fleet under the Two-Ocean Navy Act of July 1940 and related national shipbuilding programs. Bethlehem Shipbuilding San Pedro constructed destroyers for the United States Navy from 1942 through 1945. The yard produced vessels from several major destroyer families, including Benson-, Fletcher-, Allen M. Sumner-, Robert H. Smith-, and Gearing-class designs. It also constructed harbor tugs for the Navy. At its wartime peak, approximately 6,000 people worked at the facility. The yard's wartime output included 26 destroyers, although the individual vessels represented multiple configurations and classes. Among the ships associated with the facility were USS Kendrick, USS McLanahan, USS Boyd, USS Cowell, USS Hopewell, USS Porterfield, USS Callaghan, USS Preston, USS Lowry, USS Hugh W. Hadley, USS James C. Owens, USS Bristol, USS Lindsey, USS Aaron Ward, and several Gearing-class destroyers. The yard also built four harbor tugs, including USS Acoma and vessels later designated YT Arawak, YT Canarsee, and YT Moratok. Shipbuilding at the San Pedro facility ended after World War II in 1946 as wartime demand contracted. The property nevertheless remained part of the changing industrial landscape of the port. In 1983 it was sold to Southwest Marine. Southwest Marine later operated four shipyards and sold them to the Carlyle Group in 1997. Carlyle renamed the San Pedro operation US Marine Repair. In 2002, US Marine Repair sold its six yards to United Defense Industries. BAE Systems acquired the operation in 2005, but the San Pedro yard was not used thereafter. The former shipyard site is now part of the Port of Los Angeles. The brand is therefore best understood as a historical shipbuilding enterprise and facility rather than an active contemporary consumer brand.
History
Bethlehem Shipbuilding San Pedro originated in the World War I-era expansion of American shipbuilding. Western Pipe & Steel opened the Terminal Island facility in 1918 under the name Southwestern Shipbuilding. The yard was one of three important steel shipyards serving the adjoining ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and it produced a substantial share of the region's United States Shipping Board tonnage. Its early work included Design 1019 vessels constructed through contracts connected with the Emergency Fleet Corporation. In 1925 Western Pipe & Steel sold the yard to Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation. The transfer brought the San Pedro facility into Bethlehem's national shipbuilding organization. Its historical importance increased sharply during World War II. The Two-Ocean Navy Act of July 1940 helped initiate a major expansion of American naval construction, and the San Pedro yard became a producer of destroyers for the United States Navy. Between 1942 and 1945 it built 26 destroyers across several classes, including Benson, Fletcher, Allen M. Sumner, Robert H. Smith, and Gearing designs. It also built four Navy harbor tugs. Approximately 6,000 workers were employed at the site at its wartime peak, making the facility a significant industrial employer in the Los Angeles harbor region. The destroyer program included ships such as Kendrick, McLanahan, Boyd, Cowell, Hopewell, Porterfield, Callaghan, Preston, Lowry, Hugh W. Hadley, James C. Owens, Bristol, Lindsey, Aaron Ward, Fred T. Berry, and related vessels. The mixture of fleet destroyers and destroyer minelayers reflected the Navy's need for different forms of escort, screening, and fleet support during the conflict. Production stopped in 1946 after the war. The property later passed through several marine-repair and industrial ownership structures rather than returning to its former shipbuilding role. Southwest Marine acquired the yard in 1983. In 1997, Southwest Marine sold its shipyards to the Carlyle Group, which renamed the San Pedro operation US Marine Repair. United Defense Industries acquired the yards in 2002, and BAE Systems acquired them in 2005. The San Pedro facility was not used by BAE Systems and is now incorporated into the Port of Los Angeles. Its legacy is consequently associated with the development of Southern California's harbor industry, emergency World War I shipbuilding, and large-scale World War II naval production.
- 2005
BAE Systems acquisition and subsequent non-use
[1]BAE Systems acquired the operation, but the San Pedro yard was not used and later became part of the Port of Los Angeles.
- 2002
US Marine Repair yards sold to United Defense Industries
[1]United Defense Industries acquired the six yards operated by US Marine Repair.
- 1997
Southwest Marine yards sold to Carlyle Group
[1]Southwest Marine sold its four shipyards to the Carlyle Group, which renamed the San Pedro operation US Marine Repair.
- 1983
Acquisition by Southwest Marine
[1]The former shipyard was sold to Southwest Marine.
- 1946
Shipbuilding ends
[1]Shipbuilding operations ended at the San Pedro facility after World War II.
- 1945
Final wartime destroyer production
[1]The yard's documented destroyer construction period concluded after producing 26 destroyers from 1942 through 1945.
- 1942
Destroyer production begins
[1]Bethlehem Shipbuilding San Pedro began constructing United States Navy destroyers.
- 1940
Two-Ocean Navy Act expands naval shipbuilding
[1]The July 1940 act formed part of the United States naval expansion that led to increased wartime production at the San Pedro yard.
- 1925
Yard sold to Bethlehem Shipbuilding
[1]Western Pipe & Steel transferred ownership of the San Pedro yard to Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation.
- 1918
Southwestern Shipbuilding opens
[1]Western Pipe & Steel opened the Terminal Island shipyard in San Pedro as Southwestern Shipbuilding during the World War I shipbuilding boom.
Products and positioning
A major American industrial shipyard specializing in steel vessel construction, with its strongest historical identity tied to large-scale United States Navy destroyer production during World War II.
Commercial and emergency cargo vessels
World War I Design 1019 ships
During its Southwestern Shipbuilding period, the yard constructed Design 1019 vessels under contracts associated with the United States Shipping Board's Emergency Fleet Corporation. These ships formed part of the emergency merchant-shipbuilding effort created during World War I. The available reference identifies the design family and the yard's role but does not provide a complete vessel-by-vessel list.
Naval vessels · 1942
United States Navy destroyers
Bethlehem Shipbuilding San Pedro built 26 United States Navy destroyers between 1942 and 1945. The production covered Benson-, Fletcher-, Allen M. Sumner-, and Gearing-class destroyers, as well as Robert H. Smith-class destroyer minelayers. Named examples include USS Kendrick, USS McLanahan, USS Boyd, USS Cowell, USS Hopewell, USS Porterfield, USS Callaghan, USS Preston, USS Lowry, USS Hugh W. Hadley, USS James C. Owens, USS Bristol, USS Lindsey, and USS Aaron Ward.
Harbor support vessels
Navy harbor tugs
The yard also built four harbor tugs for the United States Navy. The documented examples include USS Acoma, YT Arawak, YT Canarsee, and YT Moratok. Several later left Navy service through sales or removal from the fleet.
Brand decisions
1946
Postwar cessation of shipbuildingStrategyBackground
The end of World War II reduced the extraordinary demand that had supported the yard's naval production.
Action taken
Shipbuilding operations at the San Pedro facility ended.
Aftermath
The property later passed through marine-repair ownership and ultimately became part of the Port of Los Angeles.
1940
Expansion for wartime naval productionStrategyBackground
The Two-Ocean Navy Act and the wider United States naval buildup created demand for additional shipbuilding capacity.
Action taken
Bethlehem Shipbuilding San Pedro was incorporated into the wartime destroyer-building effort.
Aftermath
The yard built 26 destroyers from 1942 through 1945 and employed approximately 6,000 people at its wartime peak.
1925
Transfer from Western Pipe & Steel to Bethlehem ShipbuildingM&ABackground
The San Pedro facility had operated as Southwestern Shipbuilding under Western Pipe & Steel since 1918.
Action taken
Western Pipe & Steel sold the shipyard to Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation.
Aftermath
The yard became part of Bethlehem's shipbuilding network and later undertook major United States Navy construction during World War II.
Sources1 sources
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