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Domestic News
May 15, 1946
Laurel Outlook
Laurel, Yellowstone County, Montana
What is this article about?
Pier 92 in New York, transformed into a naval receiving station since 1941, functions like a self-contained town with facilities for 6,000 personnel, processing up to 30,000 navy men monthly for discharges or assignments, complemented by several ships.
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New York Pier Town in Itself
No Housing Problems There, With Bunks for 6,000; Speeds Discharges.
NEW YORK. - Nowhere in the world, on sea or shore, in the opinion of navy men, is there anything comparable to Pier 92 at 52nd street and the North river, which was turned into a receiving station during the war. It is the only known project in which a large pier in effect was transformed into a big ship billeting as many as 6,000 navy personnel, says the Herald-Tribune.
In many ways Pier 92 more closely resembles a large city than ship. It possesses the varied shops and services of a town. Down the main street of the pier community move automobiles carrying passengers back and forth. The street is lined with diversified stores and shops and entertainment centers.
Has Everything.
Like any American town, it has several restaurants (mess halls), a motion picture theater seating 600 and showing the latest productions, a sports arena for boxing, a pool hall, soda fountain with the inevitable juke box, library with hundreds of books and magazines, barber shop, cobbler shop, tailor shop, bank (safety deposit cage), chapel, post office, printing shop, ship's store, small stores, newspaper, beer hall, carpenter and machine shop, hospital (sick bay), hotel (bunkroom) and enough busy offices dealing with high finance and varied operations to fill an office building.
Probably one million navy men have been handled through Pier 92. As many as 30,000 are processed through the tremendous land-anchored ark in a single month. At present about half of these are sent to separation centers for discharge and the others go to ships for new assignments. Officers in command have received no orders concerning future operations, but it is expected the pier will be recommissioned as a receiving station.
Four ships complement the quarter-mile-long pier in providing space and facilities for thousands of navy men to live, work and play.
Leased by Navy.
The navy leased the pier, formerly used by the Italian line, from the city of New York in September, 1941. The navy tied up alongside the submarine tender Camden, which had seen service in the First World war, and used its four big boilers-she is among the last of the coal burners in the navy-to heat the vast space. The ship produces enough heat for the ships and the two decks of the pier, each measuring 1,180 by 120 feet.
A historic ship built as the battleship Washington in 1904 and later called the armored cruiser Seattle, was tied up on the south side of the pier, berthing ship's company personnel and bachelor officers. The Mercer, the newest type barracks ship designed for Pacific service, was tied up at the north side to house an overflow of men. The Mercer can billet 1,000 men.
In addition, the naval receiving station, Pier 92, has taken over the ship Prairie State, anchored off 135th street and Riverside drive, formerly used as a midshipmen's school.
New Yorkers, faced with a housing shortage and sometimes sleeping eight to a room, might be envious if they saw Pier 92's big bedroom, nearly one-fourth mile in length, sleeping comfortably 6,000 men in three-tiered bunks at one time.
No Housing Problems There, With Bunks for 6,000; Speeds Discharges.
NEW YORK. - Nowhere in the world, on sea or shore, in the opinion of navy men, is there anything comparable to Pier 92 at 52nd street and the North river, which was turned into a receiving station during the war. It is the only known project in which a large pier in effect was transformed into a big ship billeting as many as 6,000 navy personnel, says the Herald-Tribune.
In many ways Pier 92 more closely resembles a large city than ship. It possesses the varied shops and services of a town. Down the main street of the pier community move automobiles carrying passengers back and forth. The street is lined with diversified stores and shops and entertainment centers.
Has Everything.
Like any American town, it has several restaurants (mess halls), a motion picture theater seating 600 and showing the latest productions, a sports arena for boxing, a pool hall, soda fountain with the inevitable juke box, library with hundreds of books and magazines, barber shop, cobbler shop, tailor shop, bank (safety deposit cage), chapel, post office, printing shop, ship's store, small stores, newspaper, beer hall, carpenter and machine shop, hospital (sick bay), hotel (bunkroom) and enough busy offices dealing with high finance and varied operations to fill an office building.
Probably one million navy men have been handled through Pier 92. As many as 30,000 are processed through the tremendous land-anchored ark in a single month. At present about half of these are sent to separation centers for discharge and the others go to ships for new assignments. Officers in command have received no orders concerning future operations, but it is expected the pier will be recommissioned as a receiving station.
Four ships complement the quarter-mile-long pier in providing space and facilities for thousands of navy men to live, work and play.
Leased by Navy.
The navy leased the pier, formerly used by the Italian line, from the city of New York in September, 1941. The navy tied up alongside the submarine tender Camden, which had seen service in the First World war, and used its four big boilers-she is among the last of the coal burners in the navy-to heat the vast space. The ship produces enough heat for the ships and the two decks of the pier, each measuring 1,180 by 120 feet.
A historic ship built as the battleship Washington in 1904 and later called the armored cruiser Seattle, was tied up on the south side of the pier, berthing ship's company personnel and bachelor officers. The Mercer, the newest type barracks ship designed for Pacific service, was tied up at the north side to house an overflow of men. The Mercer can billet 1,000 men.
In addition, the naval receiving station, Pier 92, has taken over the ship Prairie State, anchored off 135th street and Riverside drive, formerly used as a midshipmen's school.
New Yorkers, faced with a housing shortage and sometimes sleeping eight to a room, might be envious if they saw Pier 92's big bedroom, nearly one-fourth mile in length, sleeping comfortably 6,000 men in three-tiered bunks at one time.
What sub-type of article is it?
Military
Infrastructure
What keywords are associated?
Pier 92
Naval Receiving Station
New York Navy
Wwii Facilities
Personnel Processing
Barracks Ship
Where did it happen?
Pier 92, New York
Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Pier 92, New York
Event Date
September 1941
Outcome
processed over one million navy men; up to 30,000 monthly, half for discharge, half for new assignments; expected to be recommissioned.
Event Details
Pier 92 transformed into naval receiving station housing 6,000 personnel with town-like facilities including mess halls, theater, library, shops, hospital, and offices; complemented by ships Camden, Seattle, Mercer, and Prairie State for additional berthing and services.