USS Grasp (ARS-24) built by Basalt Rock Company in 1944

Basalt Rock Company was a multifaceted industrial operation that was founded in 1920. The company started as a rock quarrying operation located a few miles south of Napa, California near Rocktram adjacent to the Napa River. It later branched out into the ship building business in 1941 when it started building ships for the U.S. Navy for use during World War II.[1][2][3] Following the war, the plant built 30 miles of pipe for the City of Napa's pipeline from Lake Hennessey.

In 1950, the company took title of a cement plant formerly owned by Standard Portland Cement Company in what is now American Canyon, California. The cement plant remained in operation until 1978.[4] As of 2001, the city was evaluating the plant for future use.[5]

Successor companies of earlier corporate sales

The company's steel making plant was purchased by Kaiser Steel in 1955. The plant changed hands again in 1988 when it was purchased by Oregon Steel Mills and remained in operation as Napa Pipe until 2004. Developers proposed turning the site into a housing development, but faced strong opposition and controversy over the project.[6][7][8]

The rock and sand portion of the company was purchased by Dillingham Construction in the early 1970s. It was acquired by Syar Industries in 1986,[9] and as of 2018 remains in operation as Syar's Napa Quarry.[10] In 2013 Syar announced that it was applying for permits to double the output of the quarry from 1 million to 2 million tons of aggregate.[11]

Ships built

Basalt Rock Company ships built for World War 2:[12]

Hull #Ship IDNameCustomerTypeTonsLength ftDeliveredNotes
579393Basalt Rock Co.Barge1203601938Later Basalt No. 1
YC 697US NavyLighter170110Jan-41
YC 698US NavyLighter170110Jan-41
YC 699US NavyLighter170110Feb-41
YC 705US NavyLighter170110Feb-41
YC 706US NavyLighter170110Feb-41
YC 711US NavyLighter170110Mar-41
YC 712US NavyLighter170110Mar-41
YC 713US NavyLighter170110Mar-41
PAB 1CPNABFreight Barge400150Apr-41Later YC 1026, lost 1948
PAB 2CPNABFreight Barge400150Apr-41Later YC 1027
PAB 3CPNABFreight Barge400150May-41
PAB 4CPNABFreight Barge400150May-41
PAB 5CPNABFreight Barge400150May-41Later YC 1028
PAB 6CPNABFreight Barge400150Jun-41
PAB 7CPNABFreight Barge400150Jun-41Later YC 1029
PAB 8CPNABFreight Barge400150Jun-41
22Crownblock (YO 48)US NavyYard Oiler95023528-Aug-42Sunk as target 1977
23Whipstock (YO 49)US NavyYard Oiler95023523-Sep-42Scrapped 1975
266745PAB 9CPNABFreight Barge400150Jul-41Later YC 1030, Graham #12
PAB 10CPNABFreight Barge400150Jul-41Later YC 1031
PAB 11CPNABFreight Barge400150Jul-41Later YC 1032
257154PAB 12CPNABFreight Barge400150Aug-41Later Sause Bros. 12
28284504YF 295US NavyFreighter197126Oct-41Later Lupe, f/v Labrador, active
29YC 735US NavyLighter170110Dec-41
30YC 736US NavyLighter170110Dec-41
31YC 737US NavyLighter170110Dec-41
32YC 755US NavyLighter170110Dec-41Active in Pago Pago
33YC 756US NavyLighter170110Dec-41
34YC 757US NavyLighter170110Dec-41
35175468PAB 13CPNABFreight Barge666144Sep-41Later CC Co. 23
36175467PAB 14CPNABFreight Barge666144Sep-41Later CC Co. 14
37PAB 15CPNABFreight Barge450124Oct-41
38PAB 16CPNABFreight Barge450124Oct-41
Caledonian Salvor (BARS 1)US NavyRescue Ship1,89721322-Aug-42To Britain 1942, to Australia 1943, returned 1946, sold 1947 as Sudbury II, later Lady Pacific, burnt and lost 1982
Cambrian Salvor (BARS 2)US NavyRescue Ship1,8972137-Sep-42To Britain 1943, to Australia 1943, returned 1946, sold 1947 as Caribische Zee, later Collinsea, Francois C, Ras Deira, scrapped 1981
Atlantic Salvor (BARS 3)US NavyRescue Ship1,89721324-Oct-42Intended for Britain but retained as USS Clamp (ARS 33), to NDRF 1999
576547Pacific Salvor (BARS 4)US NavyRescue Ship1,89721324-Oct-42Intended for Britain but retained as USS Gear (ARS 34), scrapped 1982
43Diver (ARS 5)US NavyRescue Ship1,89721323-Oct-43Sold 1949 as Rescue, later Rescue M, Grand Day, Rescue M, scrapped 1986
44Escape (ARS 6)US NavyRescue Ship1,89721320-Nov-43To USCG 1946 as Escape (WAT 6/WMEC 6), scrapped 2009
45Grapple (ARS 7)US NavyRescue Ship1,89721316-Dec-43To Taiwan 1977 as Da Hu (ARS 327, later 552), active
46Preserver (ARS 8)US NavyRescue Ship1,89721311-Jan-44Scrapped 2005
47Shackle (ARS 9)US NavyRescue Ship1,8972135-Feb-44To USCG 1946 as Acushnet (WAT 167/WMEC 167), active
YC 811US NavyLighter145110Jun-42Destroyed 1946
YC 812US NavyLighter145110Jun-42
YC 822US NavyLighter170110Sep-42
YC 823US NavyLighter170110Sep-42
YC 824US NavyLighter170110Oct-42
YC 825US NavyLighter170110Oct-42
YC 826US NavyLighter170110Oct-42
YC 827US NavyLighter170110Nov-42Destroyed 1946
YC 828US NavyLighter170110Dec-42
254678Cable (ARS 19)US NavyRescue Ship1,4412136-Mar-44Sunk as target 1978
Chain (ARS 20)US NavyRescue Ship1,44121331-Mar-44Reclassified as AGOR 17 1958, scrapped 1979
254289Curb (ARS 21)US NavyRescue Ship1,44121312-May-44Reefed off Key West FL 1983
Current (ARS 22)US NavyRescue Ship1,44121314-Jun-44Scrapped 1975
Deliver (ARS 23)US NavyRescue Ship1,44121318-Jul-44To South Korea 1979 as Gumi (ARS 26), active
Grasp (ARS 24)US NavyRescue Ship1,44121322-Aug-44To South Korea 1978 as Chang Won (ARS 25), active
Safeguard (ARS 25)US NavyRescue Ship1,44121330-Sep-44To Turkey 1979 as Isin (A 589), active
Seize (ARS 26)US NavyRescue Ship1,4412133-Nov-44To USCG 1946 as Yocona (WAT 168/WMEC 168), sunk as target 2006
Snatch (ARS 27)US NavyRescue Ship1,44121311-Dec-44Reclassified as AGOR 18 1967, scrapped 1971
YF 339US NavyYard Freighter435133Apr-44To USCG 1947 as White Bush (WAGL 542/WLM 542), to USN as IX 542, sunk as target 2004
YF 340US NavyYard Freighter435133May-44Later an inter-island ferry
YF 341US NavyYard Freighter435133Jun-44To USCG 1947 as White Holly (WAGL 543/WLM 543), training ship 1998
YF 420US NavyYard Freighter435133Jul-44
252167YF 421US NavyYard Freighter435133Aug-44
YF 449US NavyYard Freighter300133Sep-44
YF 450US NavyYard Freighter300133Oct-44
YF 451US NavyYard Freighter300133Oct-44Later YFR 451, sold 1995
YF 452US NavyYard Freighter300133Nov-44
YF 453US NavyYard Freighter300133Dec-44
YF 454US NavyYard Freighter300133Jan-45
YC 978US NavyLighter170110Jun-44
YC 979US NavyLighter170110Jun-44
YC 980US NavyLighter170110Aug-44Active in Pago Pago
YC 981US NavyLighter750142Aug-44
566700YC 982US NavyLighter750142Sep-44
YC 983US NavyLighter170110Sep-44
YC 984US NavyLighter170110Nov-44
Bolster (ARS 38)US NavyRescue Ship1,4412131-May-45Scrapped 2011
Conserver (ARS 39)US NavyRescue Ship1,4412139-Jun-45Sunk as target 2004
Hoist (ARS 40)US NavyRescue Ship1,44121321-Jul-45To Taiwan 1998 as Ta Peng (ARS 549), to Toledo OH as museum 2003, scrapped 2007
Opportune (ARS 41)US NavyRescue Ship1,4412135-Oct-45Scrapped 2003
Reclaimer (ARS 42)US NavyRescue Ship1,44121320-Dec-45Scrapped 2011
Recovery (ARS 43)US NavyRescue Ship1,44121314-May-46To Taiwan 1998 as Da Juen (ARS 556), active

See also

References

  1. ↑ Courtney, Kevin (February 11, 2008). "One man's journey to save Napa-made warship". Napa Valley Register. Napa, CA: Lee Enterprises. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Basalt Rock Company, Napa CA". Archived from the original on October 10, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
  3. ↑ Courtney, Kevin (October 17, 2004). "Napa Pipe plant loads its final rail car". Napa Valley Register. Napa, CA: Lee Enterprises. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  4. ↑ Luippold, Linda (April 26, 2005). "Cast in cement: American Canyon's industrial past". American Canyon Eagle. Napa, CA: Lee Enterprises. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  5. ↑ Waterson, Michael (October 6, 2011). "American Canyon OKs study to save silos, ruins". American Canyon Eagle. Napa, CA: Lee Enterprises. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
  6. ↑ Jones, Jillian (July 14, 2010). "Major changes to Napa Pipe proposal". Napa Valley Register. Napa, CA: Lee Enterprises. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
  7. ↑ Noonan, James (September 25, 2011). "No hearings on Napa Pipe until at least 2012". Napa Valley Register. Napa, CA: Lee Enterprises, Inc. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
  8. ↑ "City submits additional Napa Pipe comments". Napa Valley Register. Napa, CA: Lee Enterprises. April 21, 2011. Retrieved October 6, 2011.
  9. ↑ "SYAR, Clarence M. 'Tony'". San Francisco Chronicle. Napa, CA. August 2, 2001. Retrieved September 24, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Locations". Syar Industries. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
  11. ↑ Peter Jensen (July 13, 2013). "Mining Napa's eastern hills". Napa Valley Register. Napa Valley Publishing.
  12. ↑ Basalt Rock Company ships built

38°15′52″N 122°16′14″W / 38.26433°N 122.270622°W / 38.26433; -122.270622

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