Mare Island Naval Shipyard also took a commanding role in civil defense and emergency response on the West Coast , dispatching warships to the Pacific Northwest to subdue Native American violence . MINSY sent ships such as south to Central America and the Panama Canal to protect US political and commercial interests . Some of the support , logistics and munition requirements for the Spanish – American War were filled by Mare Island . MINSY sent men , materiel and ships to San Francisco in response to the fires following the 1906 earthquake . Arctic rescue missions were mounted as necessary . Ordnance manufacturing and storage were two further key missions at MINSY for nearly all of its active service , including ordnance used prior to the American Civil War
1906 earthquake
1906 San Francisco earthquake
Mare Island Naval Shipyard