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Todds Shipyard, Los Angeles

Todd Pacific Shipyards Corporation was established in 1916 as William H. Todd Corporation, through the merging of Robins Dry Dock & Repair Company of Erie Basin, Brooklyn, New York, the Seattle Construction & Drydock Company, and the Tietjen & Long Drydock Company. In late 1945, a new division united the Todd Corporation, Los Angeles Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Corporation to San Pedro, California. The Navy put this shipyard under Todd command after a financial battle two years before. Throughout this time, the San Pedro shipyard was included as the short-lived Todd Pacific Shipyards, Inc. before becoming its own yard. Joining the Todd industry in the postwar period, the Los Angeles shipyard took on numerous building projects to simulate plunging shipbuilding interests.

During the early 1950s, the Los Angeles Division took over a large project for Disneyland. This project entailed the assembly of the park's steam flagship, Mark Twain, the parts for the 17th century pirate ship attraction, the 18x5.5-foot gates for the park's graving docks, the steel clad square-rigger Columbus, and eight 100-ton diesel-electric passenger submarines. When the war was over, there was little need of shipbuilding, however, there was a need for conversion, and Todd Shipyard, Los Angeles Division executed rebuilding projects. In late 1956, the yard changed a standard wartime Landing Ship, Medium (LSM), to a self-sufficient offshore drilling barge for the growing oil drilling industry of the West Coast. In 1958, the Navy ordered the conversion of the Mariner-class cargo ship, Diamond Mariner, to the nation's largest and fastest offense transport, the USS Paul Revere (APA-248). These projects designated to Todd yard were most likely due to the Navy's return to allowing repair work in private yards; this change in naval policy also impacted the other Todd yards. The Los Angeles Division took on huge projects in the late 1950's. The outcome of such projects was the launching of the grandest hull in the Los Angeles area since the end of wartime ship manufacturing. This infamous hull was a new midsection attached to the Richfield tanker David E. Day.

The Los Angeles Division completed the first postwar naval construction project in 1966, delivering the last of the commissioned destroyers, the USS Fox (DLG-33). During the following years, the Los Angeles Division continued repairing, constructing, and converting ships. There was a “homecoming” in 1970 of a ship assembled in 1944 at the San Pedro drydocks, when the Navy-repaired ship Hector (R-7) returned for overhaul and upgrades. A financially uplifting assembly project was completed in 1977 at the Todd Shipyard in Los Angeles when the last of three Zapata tankers was completed. In 1981, the enterprise perceived much more accomplishment at the Los Angeles Division and due to this confidence, Todd arranged for the fabrication of a 12,000-ton syncrolift at the shipyard. Attention was turned to public relations and marketing to increase the business. However, due to the competitive nature of the shipbuilding businesses, the yard was starved for work and was closed by the middle of the 1980s.

Todd Shipyard in Los Angeles, California is no exception to the widespread use of asbestos-related materials, just as the other shipyards involved in shipbuilding and repairs prior to the 1980s. Many California residents were exposed to asbestos in this shipyard. Today, many residents are being diagnosed with asbestos-related conditions. During performance of general tasks, employees were unaware of their exposure to the hazardous material. Workers who have been exposed to these dangerous asbestos fibers include insulators, pipe fitters, boil makers, ironworkers, electricians, plumbers, and insulators. Employees were not protected, since they were rarely issued gloves, facemasks, or items of clothing to keep them safe. During repair and/or fabricating of American vessels and other large warships, the laborers were exposed to asbestos confined boilers, cement, pumps, wall insulation, pipe covering, gaskets, and many other products containing asbestos. After long periods of neglect, asbestos cases are considered the most regulated risks, with costs per case of cancer in the range of $100 million. During the period from 1988 to 1991, asbestos litigation triggered much of public action against the material.

If you or a loved one has been exposed to asbestos at this facility we can help. Please fill out a form for a free online brochure or call us directly at 1-800-532-3764.

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