House Minority Leader and future President Gerald R. Ford, with daughter Susan, age 12, and wife, Betty, attend the launching of Navy gunboat "USS Grand Rapids" at the Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. on April 4, 1970. The ship was named for Mr. Ford's hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. It was the 11th of 12 Asheville class aluminum gunboats built for the Navy by Tacoma Boatbuilding. At the dedication Representative Ford spoke of the importance of a strong national defense. Susan received the honor of christening the boat with a bottle of champagne. ALBUM 1. (TNT 4-5-70, A-1 article)

Ford, Gerald R.; Ford, Gerald R.--Family; Ford, Betty; Ford, Susan; Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Gunboats--United States; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Champagne spurts as a new boat is officially christened in ceremonies held on April 4, 1970. House Minority Leader and future President Gerald R. Ford (rear) looks on as his young daughter Susan, age 12, christens Navy gunboat "USS Grand Rapids" at Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. The ship was named for Mr. Ford's hometown of Grand Rapids, Michigan. ALBUM 1. (TNT 4-5-70, A-1 article)

Ford, Gerald R.; Visits of state--Tacoma; Ford, Susan; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Gunboats--United States; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Her face obscured by the standing microphone and a wooden beam, 12-year-old Susan Ford gamely smashes a bottle to christen a new Navy gunboat, the USS Grand Rapids. Susan's parents, House Minority Leader Gerald Ford and wife Betty, accompanied their daughter to the Tacoma Boatbuilding launching. The Grand Rapids is the 11th in the series of 12 gunboats built for the Navy by Tacoma Boatbuilding. ALBUM 1. (TNT 4-5-70, A-1- article)

Ford, Susan; Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Gunboats--United States; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

ca. 1972. Crane at Tacoma Boatbuilding preparing to lift 20,000 lb. weight. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding.

Hoisting machinery; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Launching party. Mary (Mrs. Arthur) Ferreira holds a bouquet of long stem red roses and cradles a bottle of champagne prior to the launching of the tuna seiner, "M/V Atlantis," on Saturday evening, August 12, 1972. She would have the honor of christening the new fishing boat. Standing alongside Mrs. Ferreira is her husband, the captain and participating owner of the "Atlantis," and another family member, possibly a daughter. The 237-foot boat tuna seiner was built by Tacoma Boatbuilding at a cost of $3,000,000. Color photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (TNT 8-14-72, p. 27 -article)

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Ferreira, Arthur--Family; Ferreira, Mary; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Boat launching. Participants in the official launching of the "Sea Royal" posed for a group portrait on November 11, 1972, with the large 225-foot tuna seiner looming behind them. The fishing boat, built for Vivian Ann Fisheries Corporation, was launched from Tacoma Boatbuilding facilities on the Hylebos Waterway. Denise Andrade, wearing a white fur hat and red coat, was the ship's sponsor. She is the daughter of Captain Manuel Andrade of San Diego, president of the owning firm. Color photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (TNT 11-7-72, p. 24 -article; TNT 11-11-72, B-6 -article)

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Andrade, Denise;

Copy of customer print. Aerial view of Tacoma Boatbuilding's plant alongside the Hylebos Waterway taken post-1969. The company's former location on the Sitcum Waterway had been destroyed by fire in 1968. They chose to build a new plant on Marine View Dr. on the Hylebos on 20 acres of land. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding.

Aerial views; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Hylebos Waterway (Tacoma); Logs;

Launching. If you think this fishing boat looks larger than normal, you are correct. This is the "Apollo;" at 258-feet long with a 44-foot beam, it was the world's largest tuna clipper in 1970. The $3,000,000 boat was under construction at Tacoma Boatbuilding for one year. Tacoma Boatbuilding had built 12 out of the 25 tuna boats built locally in the last eight years. The "Apollo" was launched on Saturday, October 24, 1970, at Tacoma Boatbuilding's Hylebos plant. She was the largest boat built by the firm and would remain in Tacoma until December of 1970 for final outfitting and acceptance trials. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. (TNT 10-23-70, p. 11- article; TNT 10-25-70, B-9) TPL-9528

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Launching. A beaming Mrs. Manuel Cintas, wife of one of the newly launched "Apollo" owners, poses with the traditional spray of beribboned red roses on October 24, 1970. She was the ship's sponsor and had the honor of christening the tuna clipper before the vessel slipped stern-first into the Hylebos Waterway. The "Apollo," built by Tacoma Boatbuilding, was the world's largest tuna boat in 1970. It took a year to construct the 258-foot vessel. The "Apollo" had a capacity of 2000 tons of frozen tuna, 600 tons more than her largest competitor. The "Charley the Tuna" cartoon sign on the viewing stand was there as an advertisement for Star-Kist, whose Puerto Rican cannery would accept the frozen tuna. The ship's owners were Ocean Blazers, Inc., of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (TNT 10-23-70, p. 11- article; TNT 10-25-70, B-9) TPL-9529

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Cintas, Manuel--Family; Roses--Tacoma;

Launching. The tuna seiner, "Denise Marie," was successfully launched at Tacoma Boatbuilding facilities on June 5, 1971. She was the second of four steel 225-foot seiners built by the firm; the first was named after the company founder, A.K. Strom. The "Denise Marie" would be ready for sea trials in July with delivery planned for July 30th to her San Diego owners. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (TNT 6-6-71, A-12) TPL-9532

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

A large crowd of shipbuilders, their families, and Navy officials numbering 300 and more attended the christening of the 100-ton prototype craft, the "SES-100A," on Saturday, July 24, 1971 at the Tacoma Boatbuilding facilities, 1840 Marine View Drive N.E. The surface effect ship (SES) could travel at twice the speed of then-current destroyers. Senator Warren G. Magnuson was the primary speaker at the event; he stated that the SES was "the first step in the evolution of multi-thousand-ton high speed ships of the future." Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding Co., Inc. (TNT 7-14-71, A-1-article; TNT 7-25-71, A-19)

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Ground-effect machines; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

United States Senator Warren Magnuson, second from left, during a launching ceremony at Tacoma Boat Building Co. Jermaine Magnuson, holding a bouquet of long stemmed roses, was the ship's sponsor. She reportedly needed three swings of the traditional champagne bottle before the ship could be properly christened. Standing with the Magnusons are matron of honor Mrs. Donald Garrison, flower girl Leslie Garrison and an unidentified man. The 100-ton surface effect ship, the SES-100A, was christened on July 24, 1971. The experimental craft was fabricated by Tacoma Boat Building under subcontract to Aerojet. The high speed vessel rode atop a cushion of air in excess of 80 knots. ALBUM 4. (TNT 7-24-71, p. 22, TNT 7-25-71, A-19; "Christening Ceremony Program")

Magnuson, Warren G., 1905-1989; Magnuson, Jermaine; Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Garrison, Donald--Family; Garrison, Leslie;

View of the Grand Rapids' stern taken on March 3, 1970. Tacoma Boatbuilding was nearing an end to the 12-boat contract with the Navy to build aluminum gunboats for the US Navy. The Grand Rapids would be launched on April 4, 1970, with then-House Minority Leader and future President Gerald R. Ford and family in attendance. The Grand Rapids, the second ship of that name in the Navy, was named for the city in Michigan, the hometown of Gerald Ford. She would be commissioned five months later in September, 1970, and decommissioned in 1977. (www.navsource.org/archives; Marine Digest, April 11, 1970) Photograph ordered by US Steel.

Gunboats--United States; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

This is the newly constructed office building at Tacoma Boatbuilding's new plant on the Hylebos Waterway. The company built a three million dollar facility on Marine View Dr. in 1969 to replace its Sitcum Waterway plant which was completely destroyed by fire in August of 1968. One of its near neighbors was Western Boat Building who had permanently moved to a seven-acre site on the Hylebos after its longtime plant on 11th St. was gutted by fire in October of 1965. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (Additional information provided by a reader)

Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; Office buildings--Tacoma--1960-1970;

House Minority Leader and future President Gerald R. Ford with daughter Susan, age 12, and wife Betty attend launching of Navy gunboat "USS Grand Rapids" at Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. The ship was named for Ford's hometown in Michigan. Susan christened the PG-98 with a bottle of champagne. Standing next to Susan is believed to be Mrs. Walter Norblad of Slayton, Oregon. She was the widow of the former Oregon congressman and Susan's godmother. ALBUM 1. (TNT 4-5-70, A-1article )

Ford, Gerald R.--Family; Ford, Gerald R.; Ford, Betty; Ford, Susan; Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Gunboats--United States; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Susan Ford, age 12, daughter of House Minority Leader and future President Gerald Ford, with flowers and bunting-wrapped champagne bottle with which she will christen the Navy gunboat "USS Grand Rapids" at Tacoma Boatbuilding Co. on April 4, 1970. She is wearing a bright red and white dotted dress under a white wool coat. Susan is the youngest of the Ford's four children and the only daughter. (Color image) ALBUM 1. (TNT 4-5-70, A-1)

Ford, Susan; Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Gunboats--United States; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Roses--Tacoma;

Post-launching. The "Grand Rapids" rests alongside Tacoma Boatbuilding's Marine View Dr. facilities after a successful launching on April 4, 1970. The gunboat was named for the hometown of House Minority Leader Gerald R. Ford; Mr. Ford and his family were in attendance at the launching ceremonies. The PG 98 would be commissioned on September 5, 1970. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding.

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Gunboats--United States; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Boat launching. View of Tacoma Boatbuilding plant on the Hylebos Waterway on November 11, 1972, when the fishing boat "Sea Royal" was launched. The "Sea Royal" was another of the large 225-foot class of tuna seiners produced by Tacoma Boatbuilding. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. TPL-9758

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

The "Sea Royal." The "Sea Royal," which was launched at Tacoma Boatbuilding facilities on the Hylebos Waterway, was capable of traveling better than 15 knots. It could hold a crew of 17. The large 225-foot tuna seiner was built for Capt. Manuel Andrade of San Diego, president of Vivian Ann Fisheries Corporation. His daughter Denise was the ship's sponsor. Sea trials would be conducted in December and delivery to the ship's owner anticipated before January 1, 1973. Color photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (TNT 11-7-72, p. 24 -article; TNT 11-12-72, B-6)

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

ca. 1973. 1973 Richards stock footage. A look by air at the shipyard believed to be Tacoma Boatbuilding, located at 1840 Marine View Dr. N.E., overlooking the Hylebos Waterway. Built on a spacious 20-acre site in 1969, the shipyard was able to expand production of extra-large fishing boats as well as complete government contracts. Tacoma Boatbuilding had decided to move operations to this Hylebos Waterway location after fire had destroyed their plant on the Sitcum Waterway in 1968.

Aerial views; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Logs; Hylebos Waterway (Tacoma);

The 181-foot tuna seiner, "Jilor," was successfully launched on February 8, 1975, at Tacoma Boatbuilding facilities. She was the first of three steel hulled fishing boats destined for Senegal. The launching attracted several dignitaries including the ambassador to the United States from Senegal, Andre Coulbary and wife Saffia, and Congressman Floyd Hicks. The "Jilor" had a 22-man crew and could hold 800 tons of frozen fish. Photograph ordered by the United States Information Agency, Washington D.C. TPL-9885

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Wearing traditional Senegalese clothing were Andre Coulbary and his wife Saffia as they pose in front of the newly launched fishing vessel, "Jilor," on February 8, 1975. Mr. Coulbary was the ambassador to the United States from Senegal who flew in from Washington D.C. for launching ceremonies at Tacoma Boatbuilding. The 181-foot fishing vessel was the first of three tuna seiners destined for Senegal at a total price tag of $12 million dollars. The steel hulled seiner was believed to be the first major American built fishing boat to be delivered new to a country outside the Americas. Named after a small fishing village southwest of Dakar, she could carry a crew of 22 and had a 14-tank, 800-ton frozen fish capacity. Traveling at a top speed of 15 knots, the "Jilor" would set sail for Senegal in the spring. A crowd of about 500 people braved the slight snow/sleet to watch the launching. The two men flanking the ambassador and his wife were not identified. (TNT 2-6-75, A-3 -article; TNT 2-9-75, D-6 -article) TPL-9475

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Coulbary, Andre; Coulbary, Saffia; Ambassadors--Senegal;

Launching. The "Denise Marie," giant 225-foot steel tuna seiner, slipped gracefully down the ways into Hylebos Waterway on Saturday evening, June 5, 1971. She was built by Tacoma Boatbuilding and had a frozen tuna capacity of about 1,400 tons. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (TNT 6-6-71, A-12 - article) TPL-9533

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Launching. Mrs. Joseph Silveira of San Diego, sister-in-law of the captain, was the sponsor of the new tuna seiner, the "Denise Marie," which was successfully launched on June 5, 1971. Built by Tacoma Boatbuilding and powered by a General Electric locomotive type diesel, the big 225-foot fishing boat would have a frozen fish capacity of nearly 1,400 tons. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (Marine Digest, June 5, 1971, p. 34) TPL-9534

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Silveira, Joseph--Family;

This is the Grand Rapids PG-98 gunboat about a month before her launch date of April 4, 1970. She was the 11th of 12 gunboats built for the US Navy by Tacoma Boatbuilding. Susan Ford, young daughter of Rep. (later President) and Mrs. Gerald R. Ford of Michigan, was the ship's sponsor. The Grand Rapids was named after the hometown of Rep. Ford. The vessel would be commissioned the USS Grand Rapids on September 5, 1970 and be decommissioned on October 1, 1977. Photograph ordered by US Steel. (www.navsource.org/archives)

Gunboats--United States; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

View of PG-96, the USS Benicia, on launch date of December 20, 1969. The Benicia, the second US Navy ship to bear the name and named after the city of Benicia, California, was launched at Tacoma Boatbuilding's new plant on the Hylebos on December 20, 1969. The 165-foot gunboat had a 24-foot beam and could reach speeds of 40k. She would be commissioned on April 20, 1970 and decommissioned on October 2, 1971. After service in the South Korean navy, the ship was struck from the Naval Register on August 30, 1996, decommissioned and scrapped. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (TNT 12-21-69, A-4; www.navsource.org/archives)

Launchings--Tacoma--1960-1970; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; Gunboats--United States; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Post-launch view of the USS Benicia. The all-aluminum patrol gunboat was successfully launched at Tacoma Boatbuilding's new shipyard on the Hylebos on December 20, 1969. She had been christened by Mrs. W.F. Petrovic, the wife of Puget Sound Naval Shipyard's commander. Tacoma's shipbuilders were very busy during the 1960's with orders from the US Navy as well as from individuals, particularly those seeking big fishing vessels. Both Western Boat Building and Tacoma Boatbuilding would operate from new, larger plants on the Hylebos in 1969. (TNT 12-21-69, A-4)

Launchings--Tacoma--1960-1970; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; Gunboats--United States; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Boat launching. With a mighty swing, Mrs. W.F. Petrovic christened the new patrol gunboat, the USS Benicia, at Tacoma Boatbuilding's new $3,000,000 shipyard on the Hylebos Waterway on December 20, 1969. Mrs. Petrovic was the wife of Puget Sound Naval Shipyard's commander. The 165-foot vessel, PG-96, was made entirely of aluminum. The Benicia was the 10th of 12 165-foot gunboats being built for the Navy by Tacoma Boatbuilding. She would be commissioned in April of 1970. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (TNT 4-20-69, B-19; TNT 12-21-69, A-4)

Launchings--Tacoma--1960-1970; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1960-1970; Gunboats--United States; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Petrovic, W.F.--Family;

Launching. The crowd at Tacoma Boatbuilding's Marine View Dr. facility has just watched the "Grand Rapids" slide gracefully down the ways on April 4, 1970. The ship was the 11th of 12 gunboats built under contract for the US Navy. House Minority Leader and future president Gerald R. Ford and family were on hand for the festivities as the vessel was named after the Fords' home town in Michigan.

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Gunboats--United States; Crowds--Tacoma; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma);

Boat launching. Holding the traditional bouquet of red roses and cradling a bottle of champagne is Denise Andrade, daughter of Captain Manuel Andrade of San Diego. Denise was the official sponsor undertaking christening duties of the new tuna seiner, "Sea Royal," which was launched at Tacoma Boatbuilding's Hylebos location on November 11, 1972. With the young sponsor are members of her family. At 9:00 a.m., Denise would take a two-handed swing and officially launch the 225-foot fishing boat. Photograph ordered by Tacoma Boatbuilding. (TNT 11-7-72, p. 24- article; TNT 11-12-72, B-6 -article) TPL-9757

Launchings--Tacoma--1970-1980; Boat & ship industry--Tacoma--1970-1980; Fishing boats--Tacoma--1970-1980; Tacoma Boat Building Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Andrade, Denise;