Tampa Shipbuilding Company, or TASCO, was one of a number of shipyards in Tampa, Florida. It operated from 1917 to after World War II, closing in 1947. The site is now Gulf Marine Repair which operates with floating dry docks.[1][2]
Originally Tampa Shipbuilding & Engineering Company, founded in 1917, the yard built ships under the United States Maritime Commission's pre-war long-range shipbuilding program. It was also called the Tampa Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company. It would use the facilities of the Tampa Foundry & Machine Co. Tampa Foundry that ceased to exist in 1916. The Tampa Foundry was established in 1892 and was later incorporated in 1905.[3]
World War II mobilizationedit
The company would borrow $750,000 dollars in 1938 from the Public Works Administration to help pay for the construction of a 10,000-ton dry dock that was being built. The drydock would end up being constructed and afterwards in 1939, they would be awarded a contract worth $8 million to build four cargo ships. The growth in the shipyard would result in about 2,000 new jobs being created and helped to combat unemployment in the city. They company would end up only producing one of the ships in the contract, MS Sea Witch as the company would announce it was in bad financial shape.[4]
As a result of the company going into a bad financial state, the Maritime Commission and Reconstruction Finance Corporation (that had assumed the PWA loan) to try and find new owners for the company, replacing Ernest Kreher. George B. Howell who worked for the Exchange National Bank would be encouraged by this to buy the company for $500. Howell would be charged by the US Accounting Office of illegally selling ships and overcharging the US Navy. Despite being charged, he would never be prosecuted.[4] The shipyard was renamed to Tampa Shipbuilding Company (TASCO) after it was sold.[3]
World War II activitiesedit
During the war, TASCO was one of four other shipyards in Tampa. The other three being: Bushnell-Lyons; Tampa Marine; and Hooker's Point Yard, started by Matthew H. McCloskey, Junior.[5] TASCO was the largest company that existed.[6] A company newspaper published during World War II was titled the Tascozette.[7]
African American workers who worked in shipyards were usually excluded from joining local unions as it was common during that time period to not accept them. Those in the shipyard who were African American usually worked as cooks, assistants, janitors and learners which were some of the only job positions they could take. The jobs available to African American workers were not unionized in general. The accomplishments of African American workers were rarely if never highlighted in the company newspapers of the shipyards in Tampa. 17% of workers at the shipyard were female making it twice the rate it was at the national level.[7]
Apart from doing work at the shipyard during World War II, recreational activities were also provided for workers there. A bowling, softball and basketball league was created at the shipyard. Eventually a swim club and fencing club would be established along with volleyball, tennis and badminton would also being introduced. A radio program would be created by the management of the shipyard. An RCA recording would be broadcast from the Morale Department located in the yard originally being an hour long program at noon. The radio program would be expanded in October 1944 and would also include songs requested by employees.[8]
^Tanner, Stacy (Spring 2007). "Progress and Sacrifice: Tampa Shipyard Workers in World War II". Florida Historical Quarterly. 85: 5 – via JSTOR.
^ abTanner, Stacy (Spring 2007). "Progress and Sacrifice: Tampa Shipyard Workers in World War II". Florida Historical Quarterly. 85 (4): 11–12 – via JSTOR.
^Tanner, Stacy (Spring 2007). "Progress and Sacrifice: Tampa Shipyard Workers in World War II". Florida Historical Quarterly. 85 (4): 28–30 – via JSTOR.
Craven, Wesley Frank; Cate, James Lea (1948). Plans and early operations, January 1939 to August 1942. The Army Air Forces In World War II. Vol. One. Washington, D.C.: Office of Air Force History. ISBN091279903X. LCCN 83017288.
T. Colton (April 11, 2013). . ShipbuildingHistory. T. Colton. Archived from the original on 31 October 2012. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
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Tampa Shipbuilding Company or TASCO was one of a number of shipyards in Tampa Florida It operated from 1917 to after World War II closing in 1947 The site is now Gulf Marine Repair which operates with floating dry docks 1 2 Contents 1 History 1 1 Origins 1 2 World War II mobilization 1 3 World War II activities 1 3 1 Ships built during World War II 2 References 3 External linksHistory editOrigins edit Originally Tampa Shipbuilding amp Engineering Company founded in 1917 the yard built ships under the United States Maritime Commission s pre war long range shipbuilding program It was also called the Tampa Shipbuilding amp Dry Dock Company It would use the facilities of the Tampa Foundry amp Machine Co Tampa Foundry that ceased to exist in 1916 The Tampa Foundry was established in 1892 and was later incorporated in 1905 3 World War II mobilization edit The company would borrow 750 000 dollars in 1938 from the Public Works Administration to help pay for the construction of a 10 000 ton dry dock that was being built The drydock would end up being constructed and afterwards in 1939 they would be awarded a contract worth 8 million to build four cargo ships The growth in the shipyard would result in about 2 000 new jobs being created and helped to combat unemployment in the city They company would end up only producing one of the ships in the contract MS Sea Witch as the company would announce it was in bad financial shape 4 As a result of the company going into a bad financial state the Maritime Commission and Reconstruction Finance Corporation that had assumed the PWA loan to try and find new owners for the company replacing Ernest Kreher George B Howell who worked for the Exchange National Bank would be encouraged by this to buy the company for 500 Howell would be charged by the US Accounting Office of illegally selling ships and overcharging the US Navy Despite being charged he would never be prosecuted 4 The shipyard was renamed to Tampa Shipbuilding Company TASCO after it was sold 3 World War II activities edit During the war TASCO was one of four other shipyards in Tampa The other three being Bushnell Lyons Tampa Marine and Hooker s Point Yard started by Matthew H McCloskey Junior 5 TASCO was the largest company that existed 6 A company newspaper published during World War II was titled the Tascozette 7 African American workers who worked in shipyards were usually excluded from joining local unions as it was common during that time period to not accept them Those in the shipyard who were African American usually worked as cooks assistants janitors and learners which were some of the only job positions they could take The jobs available to African American workers were not unionized in general The accomplishments of African American workers were rarely if never highlighted in the company newspapers of the shipyards in Tampa 17 of workers at the shipyard were female making it twice the rate it was at the national level 7 Apart from doing work at the shipyard during World War II recreational activities were also provided for workers there A bowling softball and basketball league was created at the shipyard Eventually a swim club and fencing club would be established along with volleyball tennis and badminton would also being introduced A radio program would be created by the management of the shipyard An RCA recording would be broadcast from the Morale Department located in the yard originally being an hour long program at noon The radio program would be expanded in October 1944 and would also include songs requested by employees 8 Ships built during World War II edit nbsp USS CatesImmediately before and during the United States entry into the Second World War the company built US Navy auxiliaries Tampa Shipbuilding built Admirable class minesweepers and Type C2 cargo ships like USS Lassen USS Mauna Loa and MS Sea Witch which gained some note in a last attempt to deliver U S Army planes to Java though the twenty seven crated P 40s had to be destroyed after delivered to prevent them from falling into Japanese hands 9 During the war TASCO also built Cannon class destroyer escorts like USS Cates USS Sutton and USS Slater At its peak it was the largest employer in Tampa employing 16 000 people Tampa Shipbuilding closed after the war in 1947 and few traces remain of its facilities 3 9 of 72 Cannon class destroyer escorts Cates DE 763 Sutton DE 771 plus 3 launched cancelled and scrapped 772 773 774 24 of 123 Admirable class minesweeper Admirable AM 136 Bombard AM 151 Crag AM 214 Diploma AM 221 3 of 5 Dixie class destroyer tenders Piedmont AD 17 Yosemite AD 19 7 of 7 Lassen class ammunition ships C2 Lassen AE 3 Shasta AE 6 Mauna Loa AE 8 Mazama AE 9 Akutan AE 13 1 of 10 Portunus class motor boat tenders Varuna AGP 5 2 of 2 Amphion class repair ships Amphion AR 13 Cadmus AR 14 3 of 11 Arcturus class attack cargo ships Procyon AKA 2 Electra AKA 4 4 of 11 Acubens class stores ships conversions only Luna AKS 7 Cybele AKS 10 Edward Rutledge APA 52 conversion only APL 53 to APL 56References edit Tampa shipbuildinghistory com Shipbuilding TASCO Tampa FL Gulf Marine Repair website a b c T Colton 2013 a b Wynne Lewis 1990 Shipbuilding in Tampa During World War II Sunland Tribune 16 via Scholar Commons Shipbuilding in Tampa During World War II https digitalcommons usf edu cgi viewcontent cgi article 1214 amp context sunlandtribune Tanner Stacy Spring 2007 Progress and Sacrifice Tampa Shipyard Workers in World War II Florida Historical Quarterly 85 5 via JSTOR a b Tanner Stacy Spring 2007 Progress and Sacrifice Tampa Shipyard Workers in World War II Florida Historical Quarterly 85 4 11 12 via JSTOR Tanner Stacy Spring 2007 Progress and Sacrifice Tampa Shipyard Workers in World War II Florida Historical Quarterly 85 4 28 30 via JSTOR Craven amp Cate 1948 p 397 Craven Wesley Frank Cate James Lea 1948 Plans and early operations January 1939 to August 1942 The Army Air Forces In World War II Vol One Washington D C Office of Air Force History ISBN 091279903X LCCN 83017288 T Colton April 11 2013 Tampa Shipbuilding TASCO Tampa FL ShipbuildingHistory T Colton Archived from the original on 31 October 2012 Retrieved 15 December 2013 External links editTampa Shipbuilding TASCO Tampa FL 27 56 38 N 82 26 28 W 27 943955 N 82 441188 W 27 943955 82 441188 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tampa Shipbuilding Company amp oldid 1173760455, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
