Brooklyn Navy Yard (New York Navy Yard)
The Brooklyn Navy Yard, originally known as the New York Navy Yard, was first established in the late 1700′s. For its fist contract the shipyard built a merchant ship and later, in 1798, the shipyard built a vessel for the Navy.
A historic moment in the shipyard occurred when The Fulton, the first US steam warship, was sent out to sea in 1837. This launch was shortly followed by the launch of a steam frigate, named Niagara, which supposedly laid the first transatlantic cable. In the 1920s, the New York Navy Yard became to experience hard times and business seemed to be drying up. The problem was worsened by the loss of contracts and private shipyards after the Merchant Marine Act of 1936 was passed.
By the 1930s, business began to thrive again and the New York Navy Yard quickly became a premier construction shipyard for the United States. Among the most famous ships to be built at the shipyard are the North Carolina in 1937 and the Iowa in 1942. After experiencing a boom in business and receiving acclaim for the construction of several important ships, the New York Navy Yard became one of the largest employers in the East Coast, employing both men and women. In the late 1900s, the shipyard changed names and became known as the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
During World War II, the Brooklyn Navy Yard became the home base for many British ally ships that needed work. They concentrated their efforts on ship repairs and conversions throughout the war. Quickly growing into one of the largest shipyards in New York state, the Brooklyn Navy Yard also began to build coal barges, oil barges and freight lighters.
In 1966, the Brooklyn Navy Shipyard shut down after a fire crippled the shipyard and greatly decreased the amount of work that the shipyard could handle. If you or a loved one worked at the Brooklyn Navy Shipyard and have experienced the devastating effects of asbestos exposure, contact a Mesothelioma Lawyer at Williams Kherkher today for more information about your legal rights and options. Call 800-781-3955.
