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Note: My Uncle Ott, like many of his brothers, worked in the "Yard ." He was a real shipbuilder!
Ship building (construction) basically begins in the shipyard's "mold loft." It's in this large area, that draftsmen huddled over drawings making templates, blueprints and detailed form patterns from marine architect designs. These intricate plans are drawn, measured and printed for every single nut, bolt and screw as they are added to the overall ship's "architectural" plan. Then these templates serve as patterns and outlines for machined parts and numerous huge steel ship construction plates.
Just as a seamstress places paper dress patterns on cloth before cutting dress parts, the steel sheets are marked and then the torch cutting, bending shaping and rolling takes place to get the steel sheet into desired shapes. Individual pieces are then taken into sub-assembly areas where they are joined with huge bolts, smaller metal screws or electric welds to construct even larger parts. My Uncle Ott was a vital part of all these shipbuilding stages.
Shipyard and shipbuilding work has traditionally been hazardous. Even talented workers suffer injury-accident rate more than twice that of construction and general industry.
My relatives who build American ships know this and yet they continue applying their knowledge, their skills and talents to build this nations' navies.
My ancestors knew risk and hazards are common in this industry, including chemical (asbestos, welding fumes, solvents, paints, fuels), physical (noise, heat stress), safety (fires, confined spaces, falls, heavy equipment), as well as others. And yet, they continue to build ships for nations of the world.
They begin the building of or assembly of ships by laying its keel in a dry dock area. This not an air-conditioned area! The ship's middle section is then constructed by adding steel structured frames, or ribs that support and reinforce the ship's hull and give it a distinctive shape. Welders, riveters, machine grinders fan out over the ship and join the steel together with welding torches. As acetylene sparks fly and air compressors drive rivets into the thick steel plates these hard working men daily inch the construction forward. It's tough hard work. However, shipbuilders such as my Uncle Ott are quite proud of their individual contributions to building THEIR ship.
My Uncle Ott was also a pipefitter during his career in the Yard.
Specialized machinery and steam boilers are brought into place by these talented individuals. Pipefitters join all the "carriers" of water, gas and other liquids and semi-solids. Electricians wire and connect all the motors to give the ship a vibrant life.
When the ship's hull is complete, shipbuilders add different type cabins and superstructure deck by deck. Scaffolding is often constructed to fit the needs to work at heights above the decks. Masts and booms are added to cargo ships . Smokestacks are put in place to pull the fumes and other gasses from inside the ship and away from decks. Intake and blowing fans are welded and bolted into place. Building a ship is no easy task. My Uncle Ott can attest to that.
After about 70-80% of the construction is complete, the ship is ready for launch, outfitting and her sea trials for her owners.
From Vikings to Columbus and today's merchant marine, ship builders have always been a vital part of this nation's commerce. The Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. is a tradition-filled place where my Uncle Ottway and others in the Smith, Scott and Wheeler families have helped build some of the finest ships in the world.
And my Uncle Ottway Smith was one of the men involved in this marine tradition. He never married although he had many lady friends. He never traveled extensively, but he knew of many worldly events and ways. He wasn't an elitist or sophisticated man, yet his list of friends was quite long.
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