Sullivan Drydock and Repair Corporation

As of October 1, 1937 Fred B. Sullivan, president, leased Tebo Yacht basin from the Todd Corporation and began operating there as the Sullivan Drydock and Repair Corporation.{{Cite book |last=Mitchell |first=C. Bradford |title=Every Kind of Shipwork: A History of the Tod Shipyards Corporation, 1916-1981 |publisher=Todd Shipyards Corporation |year=1981 |location=New York |pages=109}} The Sullivan Company originated in 1871 with the Sullivan-Boyd Machine shop, which became the John W. Sullivan Company which designed and built marine steam engines for tug boats and steamers. Six months prior to the lease of Tebo basin, Sullivan operated a shipyard at Erie Basin.{{cite news |title= Robins Lease Yacht Basin to Sullivan |date= 1 October 1937 |newspaper= The Brooklyn Daily Eagle |location= Brooklyn, New York |page= 24}}{{cite journal |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=ivM1AQAAMAAJ&pg=RA4-PA109 |title= Tebo Yacht Basin Leased |journal= Motorboating |page= 109 |date= November 1937 }} Sullivan's head, millionaire Fred B. Sullivan, committed suicide 30 August 1938. At that time Sullivan Drydock and Repair was described as "one of the oldest firms on the South Brooklyn waterfront."{{cite news |title= Dock Magnate Is Gas Suicide |date= 30 August 1938 |newspaper= The Brooklyn Daily Eagle |location= Brooklyn, New York |page= 1 }}

John W. Sullivan was also active in the nearby Bethlehem Steel Elisabethport yard between 1914 and 1930.{{cite web |url=http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/large/bethelizabethport.htm |title=Bethlehem Elizabethport |website=shipbuildinghistory.com}}

The Sullivan Drydock and Repair Corporation began building ships in the Tebo Yacht Basin in the build up before World War II. Tebo Yacht Basin was used to build minesweepers during World War I. In March 1941, it was reported Sullivan had $4 million in defense contracts. When the keel was laid for USS PC-488 it was the first new construction in the basin since 1930. Sullivan's first defense job was to convert the 333 ft yacht Orion to {{USS|Vixen|PG-53}}. It was said to be the world's largest yacht and had been owned by the recently deceased millionaire Julius Forstmann (1871–1939).{{cite news |title= Shipyard Builds again after Decade Layoff |newspaper= The Brooklyn Daily Eagle |location= Brooklyn, New York |page= 16 }}

At Tebo basin, Sullivan had three ways to launch ships backwards and another three for sideways launches. Sullivan also had 4 floating dry docks and five piers for repairs. Prior to moving to Tebo basin, Sullivan operated in Manhattan, but had to move due to East River Drive. 800 men on two shifts were working 48 hours a week in March 1941.

Five shipyard officers were indicted on charges of fraud in July 1943. Attorney General Francis Biddle did not give an exact amount for the fraud, but said it was more than $100,000.{{cite web |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1129&dat=19430714&id=1rI0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=_2kDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4680,1471321&hl=en |title= Dry Dock Firm Indicted |agency= AP |newspaper= Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |date= 14 July 1943}} On 6 August 1943, five Sullivan officials were sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy and fraud charges in July. Sentences ranged from 9 months to 2 years imprisonment and fines between $1,000 and $5,000. According to their defense attorney, Restitution of between $75,000 and $100,000 had already been made. Sullivan DD&RC was also fined $5,000.{{cite news |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1928&dat=19430807&id=5ZkgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nWgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=2312,2407557&hl=en |title= 5 Sentenced for Defrauding Gov't |agency= AP |newspaper= The Lewiston Daily Sun |date= 7 August 1943 }}

Sullivan was the defendant in a 1946 United States Supreme Court case, Fishgold v. Sullivan Drydock, which first articulated an "Escalator Principle." That principle held that drafted service members returning to work would receive seniority and benefits as though their service at the company was uninterrupted.{{cite book |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=lSL_nQGTY9sC&pg=PA62 |title= Employer's Guide to Military Leave Compliance |first1=Dean L. |last1= Silverberg |first2= Tracey A. |last2= Cullen |publisher= Thompson Publishing Group |date= 2006 |isbn= 978-1-930872-77-6 |page= 62 }} In 1994, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act eventually codified that principle into law, but in 1946 Fishgold lost the appeal and was not entitled to seniority. However, the right of reemployment under the Selective Training and Service Act of 1940 was affirmed.{{cite news |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1298&dat=19460527&id=dtRNAAAAIBAJ&sjid=d4oDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2689,4927512&hl=en |title= Union Rights Win in Supreme Court |agency= AP |newspaper= The Free Lance-Star |date= 27 May 1946 }}

A list of some of the ships built by Sullivan DD&RC.

• {{USS|Vixen|PG-53}}, converted from yacht Orion for $1.25 million
• 16 of 343 {{sclass|PC-461|submarine chaser}}s
• {{USS|PC-488}}
• {{USS|PC-489}}
• {{USS|PC-552}}
• {{USS|PC-553}}
• {{USS|PC-554}}
• {{USS|PC-555}}
• {{USS|PC-1167}}
• {{USS|PC-1168}}
• {{USS|PC-1169}}
• {{USS|PC-1170}}
• {{USS|PC-1231}}
• {{USS|PC-1232}}
• {{USS|PC-1233}}
• {{USS|PC-1234}}
• {{USS|PC-1235}}
• {{USS|PC-1236}}
• {{USS|Charles Lawrence|DE-53|3}} to APD-37{{cite web |url=http://www.navsource.org/archives/06/images/053/06053wh.jpg |title=War History of USS Charles Lawrence |website=NavSource Naval History}}
• {{USS|Blessman|DE-69|3}} to APD-48navsource
• {{USS|Hubbard|DE-211|3}} to APD-53
• {{USS|Burke|DE-215|3}} to APD-65

• Tebo Yacht Basin F.C., a football club for Tebo Yacht Basin c.1918-1921

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{cite news |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1996&dat=19430213&id=Q6AiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=bK8FAAAAIBAJ&pg=3572,404587&hl=en |title= WLB Demands use of Arbitration |agency= United Press |newspaper= The Daily Times |location= Beaver and Rochester, PA |page= 6 |date= 13 February 1943 }}
• {{cite news |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1913&dat=19470701&id=8fYpAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5WYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1063,32585&hl=en |title= 80,000 More Ship Workers Leave Yards |agency= AP |newspaper= Lewiston Evening Journal |date= 1 July 1947 }}
• {{cite news |url= https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2209&dat=19470808&id=8pBAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=0aQMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4228,2892413&hl=en |title= Small Break in Strike of Ship Workers |agency= AP |newspaper= The Telegraph |location= Nashua, NH |page= 1 |date= 8 August 1947 }}

• {{cite web |url= https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/328/275 |title= Fishgold v. Sullivan Drydock 328 U.S. 275 (66 S.Ct. 1105, 90 L.Ed. 1230) |website= law.cornell.edu}}

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Category:Companies based in Brooklyn

Category:Military facilities in Brooklyn

Category:Shipyards of New York (state)

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Category:Defunct manufacturing companies based in New York City

Category:Defunct shipbuilding companies of the United States