We at Aces High are going to look at something a little different this week. In the past we have looked at airfields that were built during World War 2 as a way of seeing the war effort at home. Now we are going to look at some of the 452 destroyers that were built during that time, most built between 1941-1943. Why? Because our combat flight simulator is number one only because of our dedication to this war.
Interestingly, many of the ships built during the war were built, in part, using women laborers. Most able-bodied men were off fighting, so that left the women to do much of the construction. This writer’s mother worked as a riveter in a shipyard in the Northwest, just one of thousands of women who stepped up during the war effort.
With that in mind, Aces High would like to salute a small sampling of destroyers built during those years.
- SS Arron Ward DD0483
- USS Aaron Ward DM-34
- USS Abbot DD-629
- USS Abner Read DD-526
- USS Adams DM-27
- USS Albert W. Grant DD-649
- USS Alden DD-211
- USS Allen DD-66
- USS Ammen DD-527
- USS Andersen DD-411
- USS Anthony DD-515
- USS Aulick DD-569
- USS Ault DD-698
- USS Aylwin DD-355
Yes, that was just the A’s; as we stated earlier, there were 452 destroyers alone built during that time, Now consider how many aircraft carriers, PT Boats, and other ships were built.
Where were they built? As you might have guessed, most were built in coastal cities in the United States. San Diego, Seattle, San Francisco, and of course the main harbors on the East Coast. There were even some boatbuilding businesses on the Great Lakes. And what has happened to these shipbuilding facilities? A variety of things, actually!
Some have been abandoned or torn down for commercialization. Some were retrofitted for industrial uses. Some are still active as military shipping facilities. Like the airfields we mentioned earlier, most facilities are still in place providing a useful purpose for our society today, so they, too, were investments that keep on reaping rewards for our country.
Aces High is your one-stop location for all things having to do with World War II. What else would you expect from the best flight sim game on the market? So strap on your helmet and fly the skies with Aces High.
