"Serving the Fleet" Sign

Sign titled, "Serving the Fleet."

NPS Photo/MWoods

Quick Facts

Location:

Dry Dock 1

Description

Low-profile wayside that is 36.5 x 24.5 inches. It has a semi-cylindrical base with two rectangular pillars supporting the panel. The panel is framed in black metal. The sign is located off 1st Avenue, on cement directly in front of Dry Dock 1. 

Layout

At the top of the sign is a black banner with white text. The text includes the title, “Serving the Fleet,” aligned to the left. Aligned to the right in the banner are two columns of two lines of text. The first column of text is “Boston National Historical Park,” followed by “Charlestown Navy Yard.” The second column states “National Park Service,” followed by “U.S. Department of the Interior.” The rest of the panel has a gray background with black text and black and white images. The text and images are arranged in two rows and three columns. The top row takes up roughly two thirds of the sign’s height. A thick black line separates the two rows. The top row features a column of text with a space dividing the paragraphs. The second column features a bolded image title followed by an italicized image caption. The third column features a large square image that is slightly less than half the width of the sign. The bottom row’s first column features a large rectangular image that extends into the top row, right under the text, and covers where the thick black line would be. The second column features a bolded image title followed by an italicized image caption. The third column features two square images side-by-side.  

Title

Serving the Fleet 

Main Text

By 1940 this navy yard supported a powerful fleet of modern steel ships. Where once carpenters, joiners, and sail-makers responded to the morning shipyard bell, now a shrill steam whistle summoned welders, boilermakers, and electronics specialists to their work stations. Engines, railways, and cranes filled the navy yard. During World War II, the navy yard built 320 vessels, docked 2,000, outfitted 11,000 and overhauled or repaired 3,000.

Image Title (top row):

The yard in 1960.  

Image Caption:

Larger warships meant a bigger navy yard. Bounded by the Charles and Mystic rivers and the surrounding urban community, the yard expanded into the harbor with long piers, dry docks, and shipways. 

Image (top row):

An aerial view of the Charlestown Navy Yard. In the foreground, the Mystic River flows alongside the left side of the image and meets up with the Charles River to form inner Boston Harbor in the mid-ground of the image. The Navy Yard extends from the foreground to the mid-ground along the image’s right side with docks and piers extending into the water on the left. A crane sits alongside the first pier in the foreground. Other cranes sit on the docks and piers into the mid-ground. Cars are parked throughout the yard and various buildings sit throughout the yard. A few battleships are docked alongside the piers. The Charles River separates the Navy Yard from the Boston skyline in the background.  

Image (bottom row into top row)

A large portal crane carries a ship through the air. The portal crane sits on the left side of the image and rises from the bottom to the top of the image. There is a large gap separating the left and right legs. Some men stand outside of the left legs, while another stands between the legs and beneath the base. The crane’s body has a rounded back that juts out over the left side of the base. In the middle of the back is an open flap. The right side of the crane has a window and stairs leading from an open doorway alongside the side to the upper level. Two lights are positioned on either side of the doorway, while a man stands on a small landing in front of the door. On top of the crane’s body, stairs lead to three multi-level platforms. At the top of the stairs is a small, enclosed space to the right next to the crane. This space has an open door with a light above it on one side and has glass windows on the other visible sides. The silhouette of a man is visible. The crane rises behind this room into the sky towards the right, with cabling connecting it to the multi-level platforms. The crane holds a ship aloft to the right of the base. Cables along the left side of the boat connect it to a destroyer that sits behind the crane. Three men are on deck near the cables, and they stand alongside three large guns on deck. A gangway is visible between the crane’s legs and leads to the destroyer’s deck. Another crane rises behind the destroyer, along the image’s right side. A bridge is in the background, behind the destroyer and crane.  

Image Title (both left and right images in bottom row, third column)

Peak performance. 

Image Caption

In 1943, shipyard workers could build one “DE” (destroyer escort) in 4 months, and one “LST” (landing ship tank) in less than 4 weeks.  

Image (bottom row, third column, left)

Men paint numbers on a destroyer. In the foreground, scaffolding rises from the bottom left corner of the image. A piece of rope extends from just outside the left of the image towards the top of the image. Four men are on top of the scaffolding. The man on the left wears a light hardhat, light shirt, and light pants. He leans towards his left as he holds either a rope or metal pole in his left hand. The man next to him wears a white sailor hat, sunglasses, a light shirt, and dark pants. He also holds the rope but in both hands. The arm of a third man is visible behind him. A fourth man is to the right. He kneels on the scaffolding and wears a dark hat, dark shirt, and light overalls. He holds the rope in his left hand while his right arm holds a paintbrush and extends towards the destroyer. The dark destroyer fills the background from left to right. White numbers 31 are painted on the side. Part of a propeller is to the right of the numbers. Sky is visible in the image’s top left corner.  

Image (bottom row, third column, right)

Welders works on the side of a destroyer. Part of a destroyer’s hull fills the right side of the image. Two welders stand on the left and work on the destroyer. One man wears a welder’s mask, dark coat, and lighter pants. The man to his left wears a white hat, dark coat, and dark pants. Buildings are in the background behind them.