Gulf Shipbuilding
Gulf Shipbuilding was a naval shipbuilder founded by U.S. Steel in 1917. The yard was located at the bend of narrow Big Bayou Canal outside of Chickasaw, Alabama, which is Northern suburb of Mobile. Initially established as a WWI naval construction yard, it was closed shortly after the war. However, it would be reopened in 1940 by Waterman Steamship Lines under the name more common name, Gulf Shipbuilding. The contributions of Gulf Shipbuilding to the WWII naval shipbuilding effort would be significant.
The yard was one of eleven shipbuilders chosen by the Navy for the construction of the 2100 ton Fletcher class destroyers. For modifications to their facilities, the Navy provided Gulf Shipbuilding with over $5 million. In 1941, work was well underway on four high-bridge vessels and in 1942, began work on 3 low bridge vessels. All seven vessels would be delivered between 1943 and 1944. All were delivered to the Navy via Mobile bay. Among the more significant vessels to be constructed during the war years are the USS Capps, USS David W. Taylor, USS Evans, USS John D. Henry, USS Bears, USS John Hood, and the USS Van Valkenburgh.
In 1942, the company would open a second year at the Madisonville on the North Shore of Lake Ponchartrain in Louisiana. This site would build exclusively mine-laying vessels. Neither the original Gulf Shipbuilding operation nor the Madisonville yards remain active today, though their important contributions to the U.S. war effort would not be forgotten.
Shipyard workers toil in dangerous conditions. However, as shipbuilding is an exact craft, these men were trained to handle nearly all difficult situations that presented themselves. Unfortunately, many of these workers were exposed to hazards of which they had no knowledge. One of these hazards was asbestos exposure. Asbestos was used in many capacities aboard naval vessels and often those who built or serviced these vessels encountered it. Asbestos was predominantly used as an insulation material for piping and electrical fixtures, but could also be found in nearly any building compound that required a resistance to temperature extremes, including floor and ceiling tiles. Those who worked among these areas are likely those most at risk of an exposure. Asbestos exposure has been conclusively linked to serious health complications, including the rare cancer, mesothelioma. If you or someone you know has been exposed to asbestos or think you may have been, it is important you seek a physician's counsel. There are support systems in place to assist you if you were wrongfully exposed.
