Shipbuilding & Repair Occupations

Shipbuilding and Repair Occupations. . Early Shipyard Occupations , A great variety of vessels, from the wooden ships of the American colonial period to the most technologically advanced nuclear submarines of the present, have been serviced at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. The evolution of ship design, particularly from wood to metal, can be seen in the changing occupations of shipyard workers., Before the Civil War, the U.S. Navy maintained a fleet of wooden vessels. The construction of wooden ships was a labor-intensive process that required skilled workers to produce nearly every component of the ship. In 1815, the labor force included mast makers, block makers, plumbers, shipwrights, and caulkers. Also at the shipyard int he early 19th century were workers who produced items vital to shipbuilding - ropes, metal fittings, and tar., The conversion of USS Merrimack, a wooden vessel, to the Confederate ironclad CSS Virginia at the shipyard during the Civil War signaled the start of the transition from wood to iron and other metals. By the start of the 20th century, electricity also had become a new feature in ship designs. As older occupations became outdated, new ones took their place such as plate hanger, driller, lead burner, and electrician., More Work, More Workers , Wartime always signaled an increase in production as well as employment at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard. The World War II period is perhaps the most stunning example. Between 1939 and 1945, over 100 new naval vessels were launched and 6,850 ships were repaired or overhauled. The workforce at the shipyard grew from 6,520 in 1939 to an astounding 42,893 by 1943., (Photo Captions) , World War I poster aimed to recruit shipyard workers, 1917. This poster features several shipyard occupations and workers including carpenters, crane and lathe operators. Library of Congress, USS Pennsylvania awaiting repairs, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, circa 1860s. Hampton Roads Naval Museum, USS T-1, a submarine, drydocked and under repair at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, 1921. Naval History and Heritage Command, Shaping timbers by hand, 1943. Library of Congress, Steel plate bender, Norfolk Naval Shipyard, 1941. Library of Congress, This worker is in the plate-bender's shop at Norfolk Naval Shipyard. Bending steel plates is an operation requiring a high degree of skill. These plates are affixed to the hulls of vessels., LCM Landing Craft under construction during the summer of 1942. Fifty of these tank lighters were built here between March and August. Hampton Roads Naval Museum, USS Kentucky under construction at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, 1942.Hampton Roads Naval Museum