Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company
The Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company was founded in 1902 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin served as one of the largest shipbuilding facilities on the Great Lakes. During World War II, this shipyard built a number of submarines, including the USS Jallao and 27 others between the years of 1942 and 1945. During this time, over 7,000 employees worked here. Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co. was run by Charles C. West, a Cornell University graduate who, along with his partner, Elias Gunnell, initially worked at Chicago Shipbuilding Company in Illinois. The yard also built a number of Great Lakes freighters, known as “Lakers,” and was a thriving business until it was closed in 1968.
The employees at Manitowoc had never before built a submarine when they were contracted by the Navy to begin construction on the USS Peto in 1942, but their skill and organization allowed them to complete the job 228 days before their deadline. The cost to build all 28 subs at Manitowoc came in at $5, 190,681 below the original contract price.
The former employees of Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company may have been exposed to asbestos during the construction of submarines and other vessels, as asbestos-containing insulation was widely used in the form of piping insulation aboard these ships. Former employees should speak with an oncologist to determine whether or not they are at risk of developing mesothelioma, also known as asbestos cancer, as a result of their previous exposure to asbestos.
Ships built by Manitowoc Shipbuilding:
- USS Jallao
- USS Puffer
- USS Menhaden
- USS Mapiro SS 376
- USS Maccabi SS 375
- USS Loggerhead SS 374
- USS Lizard Fish SS 373
- USS Lagarto SS 371
- USS Kraken SS 234
- USS Kete SS 369
- USS Icefish SS 367
- USS Hawkbill SS 366
- USS Hardhead SS 365
- USS Hammerhead SS 364
- USS Rock SS 274
- USS Robalo SS 27
Last modified: December 28, 2010.
