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Long Beach Naval Shipyard - World War II

From 1930 to 1945, the ship building industry in the United States saw a boom in demand. Acknowledging a need for expansion of the Navy and sea vessels, the United States military came to operate a number of large shipyards on both coasts.

The major shipyards, including Long Beach Naval Shipyard, saw a record surge in business and production, as well as a record need for employees and materials. Long Beach Naval Shipyard was located on the south side of Terminal Island, on the Roosevelt Naval Base, between San Pedro and Long Beach, California. This base was particularly vital to the United States war effort, as it was close to the open sea and protected by other shipyards.

During the Second World War, the Long Beach Naval Shipyard performed its intended duties of production and repair at a record speed. Throughout the war, the facility housed more than 400 ships, performing repairs, overhauls, and conversions. The facility employed more than 15,000 workers in its four categories of work zones, each with its own shipbuilding and repair function.

Long Beach Naval Shipyard was vital to the Navy's ability to repair and build ships on the west coast of the United States. The shipbuilding facility was equipped with the space and technology necessary to fulfill most aspects of naval vessel construction and repair, including rigging, electrical work, insulating, lagging, sandblasting, welding, woodworking, and pipefitting. With these capabilities, the workers at Long Beach Naval Shipyard were able to expedite the repairs for a number ships essential to the war effort.

Toward the tail end of the war, the Long Beach Naval Shipyard served as a demobilization center for ships coming back from the war. Following the ceasefire, ships brought to the facilities at Long Beach were repaired and overhauled, deactivated, or converted before being dry-docked or otherwise put into storage. In 1950, the Long Beach Naval Shipyard was put on the list of inactive naval bases, but was reinstated as an active naval base in 1951, several months after the beginning of United States involvement in the Korean War.

Asbestos became a popular material for the production and repair of ships built and repaired at Long Beach Naval Shipyard. Asbestos was a highly sought-after material because it was easily acquired, cheap, and fireproof.

Sadly, the popularity of the fibrous mineral asbestos would mean terrible suffering and illness for thousands of workers in the shipbuilding industry. It is estimated that more than 100,000 shipyard workers (from World War II) have died as the result of being exposed to asbestos, which was used in rope, gloves, welding materials, insulation and caulking, and many other products.

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