Charleston Navy Yard was located on the west bank of the Cooper River in North Chareston, South Carolina. Commencing with a drydock in 1909, the yard remained active through World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.
   The yard produced one flush-deck destroyer, Tillman, then after pause, 21 more destroyers, ramping up production gradually in the 1930s beginning with Sterett and Roe. The yard produced one Benson-class ship, Hilary P. Jones, then seven Gleaves-class destroyers, the last of which was a second Tillman. There followed three of the six Fletchers initially fitted with a seaplane catapult—Pringle, Stanly and Stevens (color photo below) and finally seven square-bridge ships of the class.
   Shortest keel-laying to launch was 77 days, achieved with Paul Hamilton and Twiggs (see image above right), Charleston’s last pair of destroyers laid down.
   After the cold war, the Navy turned over the facility to a local redevelopment authority, which in 1996 leased the yard to Detyens Shipyards, Inc. Operations continue today.

Stevens, one of Charleston Navy Yard’s three Fletcher-class destroyers initially fitted with a seaplane catapult. View this image in more detail.