Montana labor news., 1944-06-29
LANDING SHIPS FORM
INVASION BRIDGE

WASHINGTON - President Roosevelt,
in a press conference following the in
vasion, indicated that the United States
had built enough landing craft in six
months to make the invasion possible.
He made this assertion in explaining
the numerous factors involved in setting
the time Of the invasion. Six months
ago, he said, we did not have enough
landing craft to move troops and equip
ment across the English channel.
In November, WPB declared landing
craft the No. l production program and
production schedules were increased. Pro-
duction records to date have, on the
whole, topped their goal, says WPB.
The Navy department has announced
that 1000 vessels took part in the init
ial invasion of France, great numbers Of
them being LCI's Qanding craft, infan-
try and LISTS landing ship, tank.
Thus, the union workers who pledged
themselves to build a bridge of landing
craft from England to the enemy beaches
saw the results of that pledge when Al
lied troops stormed the shores of Hitler's
Fortress Europe, the Navy points out.
only a few days before the invasion
Rear Admiral E. L. C%ochrane, USN, Chief
Of the Bureau Of Ships, said: "once
again the shipbuilding industry of this
country has responded to the require
ments Of the Navy by exceeding the most
optimistic expectations in the construc-
ton of landing craft during the last six
months"
While about a 10 per cent increase
in landing craft production was ordered
last November, the Admiral said returns
through May 81 indicate that mot only
is the increased production being hand
somely met in every type, but also the
maximum expectations, which were some
is per cent higher, have been exceeded
in all but two Of the types"
Admiral Cochrane attributed the mag
nificent performance in the production
of the vital landing craft to combined
operations"-the efforts of Government
war agencies, leaders of industry, and
the men and women in the shipyards and
factories whose earnestness and drive
have been responsible for the success Of
the program"
The Admiral said the most difficult
schedule was that Of the now famous
LISTS, the SS1-foot tank landing ships.
The requirements for that program,
which as early as March were openly
stated by some authorities to be impos-
sible of attainment, we're exceeded by
the margin of nearly ten extra ships, he
revealed.
To accomplish this feat, the LISTS
we're delivered during May at the rate
Of several a day" Admiral Cochrane
named the following yards as those con-
%tributing to this outstanding perform
ance": Navy yard, Boston, Moss; Beth
lehen Steel Co.'S quincy yard, quincy,
Mass: Bethlehem 2 Hingam Shipyard,
Inc, bingham, Mass; bravo Corp, Pitts
burgh, Pa; American Bridge Co., Am
bridge, Pa; J~effersonville Boat and Ma
chine Co., J~effersonville, Ind; Missouri
Valley Bridge and Iron Co., Evansville,
Ind, and Chicago Bridge and Iron Co.,
Seneca, III.
Metal Trades Council, AFL, is the bar
gaining agent for the Missouri Valley
and the Chicago bridge and iron COM
panies. The bargaining agent for h
bravo yard and the. Je%ffersonville COM
pany is IUMSwA CCIO). USA (CIo) is
bargaining agent for American Bridge
employees.
In addition to the LIST program, Ad-
miral Cochrane said remarkable produc-
ton records have been made in the
construction of other types Of landing