[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 138 (Tuesday, September 29, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2397-E2398]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING MR. PAUL E. ATKINSON

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE SESTAK

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 29, 2009

  Mr. SESTAK. Madam Speaker, I rise in honor of Mr. Paul E. Atkinson, 
who died August 4, 2009 following a fall at his residence in Palo Alto, 
CA. He is survived by a son Paul E. Atkinson of Paris, France, a 
daughter Mary Hafner of Palo Alto, CA, and a son Peter Atkinson of 
Grand Junction, CO and seven grandchildren.
  Mr. Atkinson was the long time President of Sun Ship, a leading 
shipyard nationally, and one of the largest employers in Delaware 
County, part of the District that I have the honor to represent. Very 
many of my constituents in Delaware County and in its surroundings 
worked at Sun Ship under the extraordinary leadership of Mr. Atkinson.
  Among their many proud achievements were (1) the 590 foot HUGHES 
GLOMAR EXPLORER, built at the height of the Cold War for the CIA to 
secretly lift a sunken Soviet submarine from a three mile depth in the 
Pacific Ocean, (2) conversion of the tanker MANHATTAN into the largest 
icebreaker of all time, that successfully twice transited the Northwest 
Passage to Alaska and became the forerunner of the commercial commerce 
now beginning in the Arctic, and (3) construction of the largest solid 
rocket cases ever, begun in the period of President Kennedy's renowned 
reach into space.
  With regret at Mr. Atkinson's passing but with thanks to him and 
those of my constituents who worked with him, I am pleased to add the 
following record of Mr. Atkinson's achievements.
  Mr. Atkinson joined Sun Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Company in Chester, 
PA after graduating from the Webb Institute of Naval Architecture in 
May 1942. Mr. Atkinson undertook many varied assignments in both new 
shipbuilding and ship repair operations during those war years and 
helped to guide Sun Ship into the post-war era with employment in the 
5000 range, introduction of unions and participation in the postwar 
prosperity with new shipbuilding some 70% of manpower, burgeoning ship 
repair work 10-20% from increased Delaware River traffic and outside 
sales (non marine) work 10-20% from wind tunnels, the largest solid 
rocket cases ever built, much nuclear work for reactors, Savannah River 
and the Fernald Plant, paper mills, and key components of the Verrazano 
Bridge.
  During the Korean War, Mr. Atkinson became General Superintendent of 
all operations and in 1956 he became Vice President of Operations. 
Large shipyards in the United States began with the invention of 
riveting and Sun Ship was no exception. In 1957, Mr. Atkinson led the 
complete rebuilding of the shipyard with fewer but greatly enlarged 
shipways into a true welding shipyard with several pioneering 
attributes, among them the largest floating drydock then in the United 
States.
  A keen business participant well versed in the involvement of 
government in marine shipbuilding contracts whether through subsidy or 
mortgage guarantee, Mr. Atkinson looked for a better way. He became Sun 
Ship President in 1961. In 1965 he saw a shipping need and a Navy 
budgetary impediment under Defense Secretary McNamara. Mr. Atkinson 
conceived the gas turbine propelled ADM. WM. M. CALLAGHAN, and with an 
established ship operator, Sun Ship formed a joint venture that built, 
chartered and operated the ship for decades for the Navy.
  Building on that success, Mr. Atkinson, was an early pioneer in the 
development of roll-on/roll-off (ro/ros) vessels. During 1965-1977 Sun 
Ship constructed ten ro/ros, five 80,000 ton tankers, several 120,000 
ton tankers, placing many of those ships in build and charter 
subsidiaries under the shipping diversification strategy he pioneered 
at Sun Ship. Among these was TOTE, a dry cargo roll-on/roll-off 
shipping company, wholly owned by Sun Ship, operating to Alaska. Today 
it is a leading successful, unsubsidized, American flag operator. 
During that period, under Mr. Atkinson the yard converted the MANHATTAN 
for her two pioneering ice-breaking voyages through the Northwest 
Passage to Alaska and built the legendary HUGHES GLOMAR EXPLORER to 
secretly lift a sunken Soviet submarine from three miles deep in the 
Pacific at the height of the Cold War.
  Atkinson was a Trustee of Webb Institute for many years and a 
recipient of its coveted William Selkirk Owen Award. He was a member of 
the American Bureau of Shipping, and their Technical Committee. He also 
was a director of the Shipbuilders Council of America, and a member and 
technical representative of Lloyd's American Committee. He received the 
prestigious Sea Grant Association award and was active personally and 
through Sun Ship

[[Page E2398]]

with the University of Delaware College of Marine Studies at Lewes, DE. 
He was Vice President of the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce 
and active in similar civic organizations.

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