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Oregon Shipbuilding Corp.

At the start of the 1940's, American cargo vessels faced an unprecedented problem. They were constantly being damaged or entirely destroyed by the German submarines known as U Boats as the second World War progressed. Of course goods still needed to be transported over large bodies of water, so an emergency call went out to build more ships, and quickly. To meet this need, 9 shipyards were built, primarily to produce massive Liberty and Victory ships. The number of yards was soon after expanded as the need for more crafts continued to grow.

The Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation was established in Portland, OR in 1941. Their facility was capable of producing a large number of sea going vessels, and by 1945 more than 1,000 of them had been created. This helped to properly maintain the Marine Merchant fleet that plays such an important role in both the commerce and wartime transportation services of the United States. A ship known as the Meriwether Lewis was the first that was produced at the site, and she set sail on October 19th, 1941. Like so many of the other vessels that were built in Oregon, the Meriwether Lewis was torpedoed, but the American workers never gave up hope and continued to produce as many ships as were needed until the war came to an end.

Individuals who sailed on the ships faced many dangers. Aside from the potential for attack by enemy combatants and all the standard hazards of life on board a large vessel, they crew spent a great deal of time around a substance that they were not aware was highly toxic. Prior to the 1970's, most people did not know that asbestos is poisonous. It was used to create insulation and a plethora of other products, many of which were used in the maritime industry. Everyone on board ships that contained asbestos based products faced the very real danger of unknowingly ingesting microscopic dust particles that frequently broke off of insulation materials and floated freely in the air.

When people breathe in asbestos, it sticks in their respiratory systems and can do major amounts of damage. The inhaled particles remain permanently, and are known to cause tissue scarring, develop into asbestosis or turn cancerous. One well known result of asbestos exposure is Mesothelioma, which is a disease that is untreatable and often deadly. The workers who were employed by the Oregon Shipbuilding Corporation had the same risk of exposure as the brave men and women who set out to sea on their large cargo ships.

As the war raged on, the Portland facility continued to produce an ever increasing number of vessels. At the height of things, the yard employed more than 35,000 individuals. When WWII finally came to an end, the facility was shut down, and today is exists in memory only.

Last modified: December 09 2009.