Ingalls Shipbuilding, a division of Litton Industries, is a leading supplier and servicer of marine vessels to the United States Navy and also builds ships for some allied navies. With approximately 14,000 employees, Ingalls was Mississippi's largest employer and one of the most financially healthy shipyards in the United States going into the mid-1990s. The company has played an important role in the U.S. defense industry since World War II.
Ingalls Shipbuilding was established in 1938 by the Ingalls Iron Works of Birmingham, Alabama. At the time, the iron works wanted to build a new shipyard to serve a growing market for cargo and passenger ships. As it needed a location with access to a deep water channel, a railroad, and a large and willing work force, company representatives approached the city of Pascagoula, Mississippi, about building the new shipyard on its river bank. City officials eagerly supported the proposal and even approved a $100,000 bond issue to help develop the site. Ingalls Shipbuilding was officially incorporated in 1938 and production of ships started within a year, thus initiating a legacy of shipbuilding innovation and success that would span the remainder of the twentieth century.
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The ship was unique because it was the first one in the world to sport an all-welded steel hull. Prior to the SS Exchequer, ship hulls were created by overlapping steel plates and attaching them with rivets. In contrast, Ingalls welded the steel plates end-to-end, which resulted in a much more durable hull. The innovation, which became the global standard, is credited with revolutionizing ship design. During 1940 and 1941, Ingalls launched three more cargo ships, and the venture was considered an early