A Race Against Time

More than 1400 military ships, like this Liberty Ship, were built in Bay Area shipyards during World War II

In 1942, the Pacific was burning. Japan’s empire stretched from Hong Kong to the Solomons, and U.S. ships were sinking faster than they could be replaced. In dry docks and drafting rooms, engineers raced against time—not for profit or glory, but because the world’s fate depended on it.

The Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, Guam, Wake Island, and Burma had all fallen, while Australia and India were being threatened. The urgency was real. American shipbuilding yards were in high gear, churning out ships at an astonishing pace. Speed was life. Every hour counted. Engineers weren’t just solving problems—they were racing the clock.

The faster we build ships, the quicker we win the war. — Henry J. Kaiser

Military and survival needs are one of the main drivers of engineering. It is often said that necessity is the mother of invention—and when your life is at stake, the necessity couldn’t be higher. Another driver of engineering is the profit motive. If you build a better mousetrap, you get a bigger house. The Boeing 787, the iPhone, and Google Search are all examples of engineering that was motivated, not just to do something new and innovative, but with serious profit in mind.

A third driver of engineering is curiosity and the urge to explore. This driver may be the most exciting and inspiring. It often starts with thoughts like “Wouldn’t it be cool if we could fly?” It stands behind much of our progress in space flight and deep ocean exploration, not to mention other cool things people do, like sailing across oceans for the challenge of it.

Engineering gave us the Great Pyramids, the Golden Gate Bridge, and airplanes. Which of these would we want to give up? But it also gave us the atomic bomb, chemical warfare, computer viruses, and killer drones. While the historical and archaeological evidence point to the earliest boats and ships being used for transportation and commerce, the application to warfare was not far behind. By the time of Christ, naval strength had become essential for empire-level dominance.

Meanwhile, the war in the Pacific raged on. Shipbuilding in the Bay Area focused on Liberty Ships, which were being built at a mind-bending average speed of 42 days per ship, with a record of 4 days, 15 hours, and 29 minutes for the SS Robert E. Peary, which was built in Richmond, California. Bay Area shipyards built more than 1400 military ships between 1941 and 1945, ranging from Liberty Ships (the largest class), to submarines, and various support vessels. It’s amazing how motivating fear can be!

To be fair though, we have to acknowledge that many positive developments have come from engineering that began with origins in defense. These range from radar, to GPS, to jet engines, and even duct tape. But whether driven by defense, the pursuit of profit, or a call to curiosity, engineering has distinguished us from all other species, and has led us to the world we live in today.