The Victory Yard was a temporary expansion of the General Dynamics Electric Boat facility in Groton, Connecticut

Groton, Connecticut

Groton is a town located on the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,907 at the 2000 census....

 to dramatically increase submarine construction during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.

Early Property Ownership

On 5 February 1942, the US Navy purchased the former Groton Iron Works

Groton Iron Works

Groton Iron Works was a company formed in 1917 to build cargo ships for the United States Shipping Board during World War I. The company owned two shipyards: one in Noank, Connecticut for wooden ships; and the other in Groton, Connecticut for steel ships. The focus of this article is the Groton,...

 property from Alfred Holter and Shell Oil Company

Shell Oil Company

Shell Oil Company is the United States-based subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, a multinational oil company of Anglo Dutch origins, which is amongst the largest oil companies in the world. Approximately 22,000 Shell employees are based in the U.S. The head office in the U.S. is in Houston, Texas...

 for $222,000 using condemnation proceedings. $9.5 million was spent to construct the Victory Yard, where General Dynamics Electric Boat began building submarines on 22 July 1942. On 3 November 1943 a Federal Court Committee awarded an additional $203,000 to the former owners.

Submarines Built At The Victory Yard

EB Hull #	Way	Name	Class	Keel Laid	Launched	Commissioned
66	2-V	USS Dace (SS-247) USS Dace (SS-247) , a Gato class submarine, was the first submarine of the United States Navy to be named for any of several small North American fresh-water fishes of the carp family....	Gato Gato class submarine The United States Navy Gato class submarine formed the core of the submarine service that was largely responsible for the destruction of the Japanese merchant marine and a large portion of the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II...	22 July 1942	25 April 1943	23 July 1943
68	3-V	USS Dorado (SS-248) USS Dorado (SS-248) USS Dorado , a Gato-class submarine, was the first submarine of the United States Navy to be named for the dorado, also known as the dolphinfish or mahi-mahi....	Gato Gato class submarine The United States Navy Gato class submarine formed the core of the submarine service that was largely responsible for the destruction of the Japanese merchant marine and a large portion of the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II...	27 August 1942	23 May 1943	28 August 1943
71	4-V	USS Flasher (SS-249) USS Flasher (SS-249) USS Flasher was a Gato-class submarine which served in the Pacific during World War II. She received three Presidential Unit Citations and six battle stars, and sank 21 ships for a total of 100,231 tons of Japanese shipping....	Gato Gato class submarine The United States Navy Gato class submarine formed the core of the submarine service that was largely responsible for the destruction of the Japanese merchant marine and a large portion of the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II...	30 September 1942	20 June 1943	25 September 1943
73	5-V	USS Flier (SS-250) USS Flier (SS-250) , a Gato-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the flier, a round sunfish widely known in the United States....	Gato Gato class submarine The United States Navy Gato class submarine formed the core of the submarine service that was largely responsible for the destruction of the Japanese merchant marine and a large portion of the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II...	30 October 1942	11 July 1943	18 October 1943
76	6-V	USS Flounder (SS-251) USS Flounder (SS-251) , a Gato class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the flounder, a valuable food fish, many varieties of which are found in great schools along the Atlantic coast north of Cape Cod....	Gato Gato class submarine The United States Navy Gato class submarine formed the core of the submarine service that was largely responsible for the destruction of the Japanese merchant marine and a large portion of the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II...	5 December 1942	22 August 1943	29 November 1943
78	7-V	USS Gabilan (SS-252) USS Gabilan (SS-252) , a Gato-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the gabilan, an eagle-ray fish of the Gulf of California....	Gato Gato class submarine The United States Navy Gato class submarine formed the core of the submarine service that was largely responsible for the destruction of the Japanese merchant marine and a large portion of the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II...	5 January 1943	19 September 1943	28 December 1943
79	8-V	USS Bream (SS-243) USS Bream (SS-243) USS Bream , a Gato-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the bream.Bream was laid down on 5 February 1943 by the Electric Boat Co., Groton, Conn.. She was launched on 17 October 1943 USS Bream (SS/SSK/AGSS-243), a Gato-class submarine, was the first ship of...	Gato Gato class submarine The United States Navy Gato class submarine formed the core of the submarine service that was largely responsible for the destruction of the Japanese merchant marine and a large portion of the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II...	5 February 1943	17 October 1943	24 January 1944
80	9-V	USS Cavalla (SS-244) USS Cavalla (SS-244) USS Cavalla , a Gato-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for a salt water fish, best known for sinking the Japanese aircraft carrier Shōkaku, a veteran of the Pearl Harbor attack....	Gato Gato class submarine The United States Navy Gato class submarine formed the core of the submarine service that was largely responsible for the destruction of the Japanese merchant marine and a large portion of the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II...	4 March 1943	14 November 1943	29 February 1944
81	10-V	USS Cobia (SS-245) USS Cobia (SS-245) USS Cobia is a , formerly of the United States Navy, named for the cobia, a food fish found in warm waters.Cobia was laid down on 17 March 1943 by Electric Boat Co., Groton, Conn. She was launched on 28 November 1943 , and commissioned on 29 March 1944, Lieutenant Commander Albert L...	Gato Gato class submarine The United States Navy Gato class submarine formed the core of the submarine service that was largely responsible for the destruction of the Japanese merchant marine and a large portion of the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II...	17 March 1943	28 November 1943	29 March 1944
82	1-V	USS Croaker (SS-246) USS Croaker (SS-246) USS Croaker , a Gato-class submarine, was the first ship of the United States Navy to be named for the croaker, any of various fishes which make throbbing or drumming noises....	Gato Gato class submarine The United States Navy Gato class submarine formed the core of the submarine service that was largely responsible for the destruction of the Japanese merchant marine and a large portion of the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II...	1 April 1943	19 December 1943	21 April 1944
89	2-V	USS Becuna (SS-319) USS Becuna (SS-319) USS Becuna , a Balao-class submarine, is a former ship of the United States Navy named for the becuna, a pike-like fish of Europe.-World War II:...	Balao Balao class submarine The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...	29 April 1943	30 January 1944	27 May 1944
91	3-V	USS Besugo (SS-321) USS Besugo (SS-321) USS Besugo , a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the besugo, a fish of the porgie family....	Balao Balao class submarine The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...	27 May 1943	27 February 1944	19 June 1944
93	4-V	USS Caiman (SS-323) USS Caiman (SS-323) USS Caiman , a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the caiman, a fresh water alligator inhabiting the Amazon River area....	Balao Balao class submarine The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...	24 June 1943	30 March 1944	17 July 1944
95	5-V	USS Blower (SS-325) USS Blower (SS-325) USS Blower , a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the blower, a fish of the Atlantic coast of the United States and the West Indies....	Balao Balao class submarine The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...	15 July 1943	23 April 1944	10 August 1944
98	6-V	USS Charr (SS-328) USS Charr (SS-328) USS Charr , a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the charr, a trout of the waters of northwestern North America....	Balao Balao class submarine The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...	26 August 1943	28 May 1944	23 September 1944
100	7-V	USS Brill (SS-330) USS Brill (SS-330) USS Brill , a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the brill, a European flat-fish.-USS Brill:...	Balao Balao class submarine The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...	23 September 1943	25 June 1944	26 October 1944
102	8-V	USS Bullhead (SS-332) USS Bullhead (SS-332) USS Bullhead , a Balao-class submarine, was the very last US Navy ship sunk by enemy action during World War II, probably on the same day that the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. She was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the bullhead...	Balao Balao class submarine The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...	21 October 1943	16 July 1944	4 December 1944
104	9-V	USS Cabezon (SS-334) USS Cabezon (SS-334) USS Cabezon was a Balao-class submarine of the United States Navy, named for the cabezon, a saltwater fish of sculpin family inhabiting the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans ....	Balao Balao class submarine The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...	18 November 1943	27 August 1944	30 December 1944
106	10-V	USS Capitaine (SS-336) USS Capitaine (SS-336) USS Capitaine , a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the capitaine, a brilliantly colored fish inhabiting waters of the Atlantic Ocean from North Carolina to Panama....	Balao Balao class submarine The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...	2 December 1943	1 October 1944	26 January 1945
108	1-V	USS Carp (SS-338) USS Carp (SS-338) USS Carp , a Balao-class submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the carp, a fresh water fish inhabiting the waters of Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America....	Balao Balao class submarine The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...	23 December 1943	12 November 1944	28 February 1945
110	2-V	USS Entemedor (SS-340) USS Entemedor (SS-340) USS Entemedor , a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the entemedor, a fish of the electric ray family found in shallow waters from Baja California to Panama....	Balao Balao class submarine The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...	3 February 1944	17 December 1944	6 April 1945
112	3-V	USS Chopper (SS-342) USS Chopper (SS-342) USS Chopper , a Balao-class submarine, was the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for the chopper, a fish common in the rivers of the Mississippi Valley. Her keel was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut. She was launched on 4 February 1945 sponsored by Mrs. G. S...	Balao Balao class submarine The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...	2 March 1944	4 February 1945	25 May 1945
114	4-V	USS Cobbler (SS-344) USS Cobbler (SS-344) USS Cobbler , a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the cobbler, the killifish of New South Wales....	Balao Balao class submarine The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...	3 April 1944	1 April 1945	8 August 1945
116	5-V	USS Corporal (SS-346) USS Corporal (SS-346) USS Corporal , a Balao-class submarine, was a ship of the United States Navy named for the corporal, an alternate name for the fallfish, found in streams of the eastern United States....	Balao Balao class submarine The Balao class was a successful design of United States Navy submarine used during World War II, and with 122 units built, the largest class of submarines in the United States Navy. An improvement on the earlier Gato class, the boats had slight internal differences...	27 April 1944	10 June 1945	9 November 1945

Subsequent Property Uses

On 13 January 1945, General Dynamics Electric Boat announced that $3,000,000 will be spent to convert the Victory Yard to manufacture 105mm shells.

On 18 December 1946, Pfizer Inc

Pfizer

Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...

 purchased the property from the War Assets Administration

War Assets Administration

The War Assets Administration was established in the Office for Emergency Management, effective March 25, 1946, by EO 9689, January 31, 1946. American factorieshad produced massive amounts of weaponry during the World War II...

. Purchase price was $911,999.