Oakland Naval Supply Center

• World War II Origins: The Oakland Naval Supply Center (ONSC) was commissioned in 1941, rapidly constructed to support the U.S. Navy’s Pacific operations during World War II. • Massive Scale: At its peak, the ONSC covered over 500 acres and featured more than 8 million square feet of warehouse space, making it one of the largest military supply bases in the world. • Critical Wartime Role: The ONSC shipped more than half a million tons of supplies monthly during World War II, supporting fleets from the Aleutians to the South Pacific. • Workforce Diversity: During WWII, thousands of civilians, including a significant number of women and minorities, were employed at the ONSC, reflecting the home front mobilization. • Vietnam War Operations: The center played a pivotal role during the Vietnam War, acting as a primary logistics hub for shipping military equipment and supplies to Southeast Asia. • Innovative Logistics: The ONSC pioneered new supply chain management techniques, such as automated inventory systems, to handle the massive volume of wartime materials. • Labor Struggles: In 1946, the ONSC was the site of a major labor strike, part of the larger Oakland General Strike, which contributed to shaping postwar labor relations in California. • Cold War Importance: Throughout the Cold War, the ONSC remained crucial for supporting U.S. naval operations in the Pacific, including during the Korean and Vietnam Wars. • Environmental Cleanup: After its closure in 1998 as part of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process, extensive environmental remediation was required to address decades of industrial use. • Transformation and Legacy: The former site of the ONSC has since been redeveloped into the Oakland Global Trade & Logistics Center, symbolizing the region’s shift from military to commercial maritime activity.