During World War II, the McNeil Island prisoners built a number of boats for military and civilian use. The 65-foot passenger boat Warden Johnston was launched on McNeil Island in May 1945. The vessel was designed by L.H. Coolidge, a Seattle naval architect. The officials supervising construction were Henri Andersen, V.E. Smith and Evert Soldin. Prisoners were paid 15 cents an hour and selected on the basis of good behavior and the need to send money to their families. The boat was named for Warden James Johnston of Alcatraz Penitentiary, and was used to transport convicts to Alcatraz Island, California.