Welcome to the Sun Ship Historical Society

Hello, my name is Dave Kavanagh and I am the president and founder of the Sun Ship Historical Society.   I wanted to take this opportunity to both introduce myself  and my personal experience at the Yard and to explain the goals associated with the establishment of the website and the historical society. 

   I grew up in the City of Chester, PA, USA and attended St Michaels and St. Roberts (now St.Katherine Drexel) grade schools and graduated from St. James High School and have had the good fortune to maintain friendships from that time of my life.  Unfortunately, St. Michaels and St. James, like the Yard, have all closed. 

   My first job after leaving high school in June of 1964 was at Sun Ship thanks to a gentlemen from Sun Village (Chester, PA) named Harry Larkin.  I started as an electrician's helper in 33 Dept, Electrical Installation working in ship engine rooms under Mike Fasano and Tony Pelligrino.  In Sept of 1964 I obtained an electrical apprenticeship thanks to Foreman, Emil Rohne, which included spending 2 years on the "Boats" and 2 years in Plant Electrical Maintenance.  At the end of my apprenticeship, I worked in Electrical Crane Repair under Supervisor, Nick Foreacre and then was promoted to 'Leader'  for Electrical Maintenance on 3rd Shift under Superintendent,Joe Rusak, then to 2nd Shift under Superintendent Bob Martin, Asst' Supt. Whitey Sellers and Asst' Foreman Al McCann and finally back to First Shift as an Asst' Foreman under Foreman, Bob Uhl in  Electrical Facilities.  I returned to Electrical Maintenance as Asst'  Foreman under Foreman Bill Martin and  Assistant Foreman, Bill Walls.  Eventually, I became Foreman of Electrical Maintenance under General Foremans, Dick Bible and later, Ron Anderson and was later promoted to General Foreman of Plant Maintenance under Superintendent Roger Bligh and later, Dick Bible, being responsible for 33M (Elect.Maint), 34M (Pipe Maint), 73(Garage), 74(Tool Rm.), 76 (Transportation),  81(Labor & Bricklayers), 83 (Power House), 84 (Mech.Maint) and 95 (Heat Plant & Yard Patrol) Departments.

   When Sun Ship became Penn Ship in Feb. of 1982,  I became Superintendent of the Plant and  left the Yard in May of 1982.  I am extremely grateful for the opportunities that were offered to me durning my time at the Yard.  Most important for me however is the relationships and memories that I keep from my 18 years at Sun Ship. 

   The website www.sunship.org was started in 2001 and the Sun Ship Historical Society in 2004.  Both,  to honor Sun Ship and it's many accomplishments throughout its 66 year history.  This year, 2007, is be the 25th anniversary of the sale of the Yard.

  First,  through the website's 'Guestbook', we wanted to offer an opportunity for past employees a means to            contact friends and associates and possibly renew old acquaintances from their time at the Yard.  

Third,  to establish a means of acquiring and displaying artifacts associated with the Yard so those interested in the history of Sun Ship can review many of the Yard's accomplishments and take pride in their contribution to the Yard's many successes. 

The Sun Ship Historical Society's mission statement encompasses the following tasks:

  Second, develop a resource where individuals, either past employees, relatives of employees or individuals           doing research on the Yard, could at their leisure, review the yard's history and accomplishments.