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California Shipbuilding

The California Shipbuilding Corporation was brought into operation in 1940 to aid the United States maritime fleet during World War II. A great need for new vessels developed after German submarines became expertly efficient at damaging and destroying American transport ships. New ships needed to be built quickly to ensure that troops and personnel could be taken overseas wherever they might be required. To accommodate this, several new shipyards were established for the sole purpose of creating large, quickly built ships.

40,000 individuals were eventually employed at the Terminal Island shipyard, and over time more than 450 ships were produced at the site. Liberty and Victory cargo ships were built to replace damaged or destroyed vessels and they were made to be fast and and able to turn quickly in order to better avoid enemy crafts. The ships that were produced became part of the Merchant Marine fleet, and proudly sailed as a part of the American Navy.

As the work force grew at the California based shipyard, more and more people became exposed to a material that was used to make insulation and a variety of other products that were placed in and around large ships. That material was asbestos, and back then people were not aware that it is a toxin. The mineral was discovered in large deposits all over the country, and was widely utilized and sought after for its ability to strengthen any product and make it resistant to extreme heat and fire. Unbeknownst to the shipyard employees, the asbestos products were a severe danger to their health. Workers who handled the material, and even those who simply got close to it were very likely to inhale microscopic dust particles that would lodge in their respiratory systems. The particles would remain there, and slowly start to erode healthy tissue. People who breathed the hazardous material in became likely to develop respiratory disorders such as asbestosis. More serious cases could end with lung cancer or Mesothelioma, both of which can be fatal.

Any exposure to asbestos can lead to health complications, but people who worked with or around it for years were very likely to suffer from the incurable diseases the poisonous mineral often creates. Shipyards were major users of the material, so the employees who helped create and repair the fleet of American transport vessels during WWII often fell victim to the health hazards it is commonly responsible for. Thousands of people were made sick while working at locations like the Terminal Island shipyard, and sadly many of them lost their lives as a result.

Following the end of World War II, the California shipyard was closed down. The area it encompassed is now an active part of the Port of Los Angeles.

Last modified: December 09 2009.