This b&w 1954 film directed by Tom Mullahey and Doug Elleson celebrates the centennial anniversary of the Mare Island Naval Shipyard (MINSY), tracing its history through two world wars. The base, located in Vallejo, CA closed in 1996. (TRT 24:53).

Explosions in darkness. Silhouettes of bodies, tanks (0:09). Naval combat montage. The main mast of a sinking ship (0:57). Signal flags. A fleet of destroyers (1:23). The seal of the “Mare Island Navy Yard” (1:43). A bird’s-eye view of the shipyard; the Mare Island Strait and the city of Vallejo (1:48). A Greek style structure, with doric columns, a raking cornice and pediment; a lookout tower (2:02). Still photo of Commander David Farragut (2:13). An illustration of MINSY circa 1855 depicts steam boats and sailing vessels, an early drydock (2:17). Still photographs: The USS St. Mary’s, commissioned 1844. The USS Saginaw, a sidewheel sloop-of-war circa 1862 (2:22). A labeled photograph: The Capitol, commandant’s headquarters, sectional docks, Georgia St., a Catholic church, Virginia St. Wharf, the USS Independent (2:29). The USS Independence (1814) at port sans sails (2:34). Naval crews aboard a ship’s deck. A granite dry dock under construction. The first naval hospital, 1870 (2:48) The USS Cheyenne (1898), a converted tug. The first USS San Francisco (C-5) later (CM-2), a steel protected cruiser. The bows of the USS Raleigh (C-8) and the USS Cincinnati (C-7) (3:00). Interior: The early submarine USS Holland (SS-1) surfacing. John Philip Holland standing before a prototype submarine. (3:24). A young FDR. A German U-boat (3:44). The construction of destroyer USS Ward’s keel, before (“30 Days or Bust”) and completed. The same ship in disruptive camouflage (4:01). Destroyers in WWI naval combat during the 1916 Battle of Jutland. Edward VIII, then Prince of Wales and King George V shake hands with British Admiral of the Fleet David Richard Beatty and US Admiral William S. Sims aboard the USS New York (BB-34) (4:26). A German dreadnought(5:12). The New York City skyline as a fleet of ships return home from WWI (5:49). Admiral Sims waving, with family, and in closeup (6:17). Navy Secretary Josephus Daniels. Admirals Albert Gleaves, Hugh Rodman, and Henry Wilson. Commodore Farragut shakes hands (6:30). The USS California (BB-44). Sailing through the Panama canal, at sea (7:08). An aircraft carrier from high above. Planes launch. A 1920’s biplane stenciled “I-F-23” takes off from the USS Langley (CV-1). Its elevator and rudder (7:48). Delegates sign the London Naval Treaty. Cables pull a ship apart for scrap. The sinking of the USS Brooklyn (ACR-3) (8:28). The 1933 launch of the USS San Francisco (CA-38). Battle of Pearl Harbor (9:15). Welding. Signage for “U.S. Navy Yard Mare Island.” Workers including African Americans file past guards. (9:38). Damaged ships are repaired. A foundry. Pouring molten metal. Damaged parts are removed. The iris of a searchlight expands and a reflector is removed. A turret re-installed (10:19). Workers apply caulk and spray paint. Night work under flashing lights (11:45). Seamen carry ammunition aboard. USS LST-460 (12:10). A welding helmet flips up to reveal a blonde woman’s face. Lady painters, die-punchers, and grinders (12:37). A sign: “Notice: Please Wait Your Turn Including Ladies.” Christening a ship. A USO show (13:04). Shirley Temple. Jack Dempsey. Frank Knox, Secretary of the Navy (13:22). A steam whistle blows. Rolls of blueprints (13:40). Scenes of shipbuilding. Constructing wood patterns. Sheet metal. Welding frames together. The hatch of a submarine. Riveters hammer hot rivets. The submarine launches (14:01). Inside a huge machine shop. Boring mills and spinning lathes. A drill press. A massive propeller (15:29). A flashing signal lamp. A christening and launch (16:27). Rows of clerks and typists at desks. Women sewing American flags (16:58). Cannonfire. Airmen scramble. A Grumman F6F Hellcat fighter. (17:26). A view through a periscope. Launching torpedoes (18:38). VJ Day. Gen. Douglas MacArthur aboard the USS Missouri accepting the Japanese surrender of Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu and General Yoshijiro Umezu (18:53). Mothballed fleet at harbor, post-war (19:28). Mixing paint in a lab. Testing vulcanized rubber (20:08). The sheet metal shop. Molding alloy seats (20:32). Ships under repair in dry docks (21:11). Rebuilding a disassembled amphibious tank or landing vehicle tracked. Testing completed LVTs (21:59). Submarine prefabrication and construction. A crane lifts a 60-ton section (22:56). Quonset huts. The Naval Hospital (23:36). A centennial seal. USS LST-460 (24:04). Title overlay: “To Serve the Fleet” (24:34).

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com