Marian Wynn

Docent Marian Wynn. Worked as a Pipe Welder from 1944-1945 at Richmond Kaiser Shipyard #3.

NPS Photo/Luther Bailey

Marian Parsons Wynn

Richmond Kaiser Shipyard #3 - Pipe Welder, 1944-1945

Early Life and Move to Richmond
Marian Parsons Wynn was born on August 19, 1926, the third of 11 children. Her father answered the call for war work in 1942 and moved to Richmond, CA, to become an Electrician Leadman at Kaiser Shipyard #3. Marian was eager to join him but promised her father she would finish high school first. After graduating, she took a three-day Greyhound bus trip to California.

Wartime Memory
One wartime memory that stands out for Marian was attending a local fair back home. She was paired with a young man she didn’t know to ride the Ferris wheel. As they reached the top, a blackout occurred, and she watched as the lights went out in the distance, one by one, until it reached the fair. Sitting atop the Ferris wheel in the dark and quiet was a remarkable experience. Fortunately, it turned out to be a practice blackout, and the lights eventually came back on.

Work at Kaiser Shipyard #3
Marian hired on at Shipyard #3 as a Pipe Welder in an area called West Storage on Canal Blvd. She worked in a large building with one side open to the elements, where her crew would weld pipes together. The building no longer exists, but its location is still visible, set into the side of a hill. Marian earned $1.00 an hour, with time and a half on Saturdays and double time on Sundays. Her work attire included leathers, a scarf to protect her hair and neck from sparks, and a welding helmet. Marian and her crew faced many dangers on the job, including accidents that could result in injuries or even death. Fortunately, the worst injury Marian experienced was when a piece of hot slag flew into her eye, requiring a trip to the Kaiser hospital. Though it was painful, she soon returned to work without any lasting effects.

Family and Personal Life
Marian’s brother Don served in the Army Signal Corps but was tragically killed in France in July 1944. He is buried in the Normandy-American Cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach in Normandy, France.

Housing in Richmond was extremely difficult to find, but Marian’s father was fortunate enough to live in a trailer in one of the many trailer parks that had sprung up in the city. The managers of the trailer park had a handsome young son in the Navy, stationed at Treasure Island, who would soon become Marian’s husband. They were married for 60 years until his passing in 2005.