Welders, New England Shipbuilding Corporation, South Portland, Maine, 1942-1945. Courtesy of the Maine Maritime Museum.
Welders, New England Shipbuilding Corporation, South Portland, Maine, 1942-1945. Courtesy of the Maine Maritime Museum.
Women answered the call to build Navy vessels during World War II, as the war drew male workers into military service. The first women welders began training at Bath Iron Works in September 1942. Welders were among the best paid production workers. Women welders became increasingly common during the war years.
At the height of war production, women made up 16% of the shipbuilding workforce at Bath Iron Works. Statewide, on January 1, 1944, 8,526 women worked in Maine's shipyards. Many employers had been reluctant to hire women to fill men's jobs in heavy industry. William S. Newell, President of Bath Iron Works and the South Portland Shipbuilding Company noted the way in which women excelled in various shipbuilding positions, stating it was "an eye-opener to us at the yard."