Page "Mare Island Naval Shipyard" Paragraph 1

The Navy purchased the original 956 acres ( 3. 9 km² ) of MINSY in 1853 and commenced shipbuilding operations on September 16, 1854 under the command of then-Commander David Farragut, who would later gain fame during the US Civil War Battle of Mobile Bay, when he gave the order, " Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!

" MINSY served as a major Pacific Ocean repair station during the late 19th century, handling American as well as Japanese and Russian vessels in the course of duty.