The Brooklyn Navy Yard was known as one of the most important navy yards to the United States. However, the Navy Yard wasn't known as contributing to Brooklyn's economy, before World War II through 1945. During the 1900's Brooklyn fell into the Great Depression along with the rest of the country. However, in May 1940, the Brooklyn Navy Yard changed the gloom of jobless Brooklyn-tees. According to "6,600 More Seek Jobs at the Navy Yard" the Navy Yard offered jobs to "speed-up construction" of two new battleships. In addition, the article states that "more than 20,000 men" were on line waiting along Sands Street Employment Office. Although only 2,000 men were hired to work at the Navy Yard, it wasn't until September 1942 that women were hired to work alongside men ("First Women Hired In Navy Yard Shops"). By 1945, the Brooklyn Navy Yard "grew to be the largest and greatest navy yard in the world" ("Staging Area-Brooklyn"). This was very helpful because the Navy Yard was able to built 17 ships since Pearl Harbor and it was able to "make repairs/alterations on 1,539 ships".