Walsh Kaiser Shipbuilding Corporation
The Rheem Manufacturing Company was a producer of water heaters and related equipment. Although the company had never built a large ship, when the United States Merchant Marine fleet became seriously in need of new vessels during World War II, Rheem was chosen to help create sea going crafts that could be used to transport troops, medical supplies and military equipment. Officials wanted to open the shipbuilding yard in Stockton, California, but eventually it was decided that Providence, RI would make a better location. Rheem was given a budget of $6 million to get the facility started, but by 1943 they had spent more than $18 million and the site was still far from being finished. The US Maritime Commission decided it was time for a change, and Rheem lost the contract.
Two companies were called upon to finish the job and advance the production of much needed vessels - the Kaiser Group and the Walsh Construction Company. As of February 13, 1943, the first and only Rheem built ship was finally delivered out of the Providence yard. It was named the William Coddington, and it was active until eventually being scrapped in 1967. Although the new management had been expected to greatly improve the ship building situation in Rhode Island, progress continued to be much slower than expected. In the end, Rheem Manufacturing had produced one vessel, and only eleven were created in total for the Marine Merchant fleet.
Even though the employees at the Providence shipyard did not produce nearly the amount of vessels that most other ship building facilities did, they still found trouble with a serious problem that affected most of the maritime industry prior to the 1970's: exposure to asbestos. At the start of the American industrial revolution, the sturdy mineral was being used as the backbone for many construction based materials. Insulation was found to benefit from the inclusion of asbestos, because the mineral allowed it to be stronger, more durable and resistant to extreme heat and fire. Every large vessel must be well protected from the possibility of a fire, so huge amounts of asbestos insulation was placed on board to help safeguard the equipment and crew. Unfortunately, this well meaning gesture backfired as far as the men and women who sailed on these ships were concerned.
Research into the properties of asbestos singled out a serious and disturbing fact - the mineral is toxic. The composition of the material is millions of tightly woven fibers, but they often break off and become airborne, allowing for people to breathe them in without even knowing it had happened. Asbestos fibers can not be removed from the human respiratory system, so once they have been ingested they remain in place and can be very damaging. Some of the results of asbestos exposure include tissue scarring, difficulty breathing and asbestosis. It can also lead to the development of lung cancer and the disease known as Mesothelioma. These conditions are often life threatening, and there is no way to cure them.
During peak production, the Providence facility boasted a staff of 21,000 individuals. After the war, however, the facility was officially closed down permanently.
Last modified: December 09, 2009.
