J.A. Jones Construction Co., Wainwright Yard, Panama City, Florida
The Wainwright Yard at Panama City was one of the two J.A. Jones Construction Company Shipyards that built Liberty Ships during World War II. The other Jones Company shipyard was located in Brunswick, Georgia. This shipyard produced standard Liberty Ships as well as ships used for the carriage of army tanks and others used to transport boxed aircraft. Initially the Jones Company wanted to place this yard in South Carolina, but the United States Maritime Commission decided that Florida was a better location.
After the war started and ship building began in Panama City, the city's population tripled. In 1943, in addition to building the standard Liberty Ships, this yard constructed eight special types of Liberty Ships designed for the carriage of army tanks. In 1944, the yard built 28 more specialty ships that were used to transport boxed aircraft. The yard even built a number of T-1 tankers.
After the war, the Wainwright Yard was acquired by a firm of ship breakers and helped to scrap some of the Liberty Ships whose steel was recycled into barge construction. This yard built a total of 66 Liberty Ships in addition to 8 ships designed to carry army tanks and another 28 for the transport of boxed aircraft.
Asbestos Use at J.A. Jones Construction Co., Wainwright Yard
The ships built at this shipyard were powered by steam reciprocating engines. These engines and the steam powered auxiliary machinery all used asbestos insulation. There were thousands of pounds of asbestos insulating materials used on each of these ships. Shipyards workers were exposed to these asbestos products on a regular basis as they worked three shifts each day to build these vessels. Seamen who later sailed on these ships were exposed to the asbestos dust generated through the routine operation and maintenance of the asbestos covered equipment, piping, and machinery. These seamen and shipyards workers remain at risk of developing mesothelioma because of such exposures to asbestos.
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