the US Navy by developing a gun turret, the Tucker Turret, and had formed the Tucker Aviation Corporation. Higgins acquired Tucker Aviation Corporation in March 1942, and Tucker moved to New Orleans as a vice-president of Higgins Industries, in charge of the Higgins–Tucker Aviation division. This entity produced Tucker gun turrets, armament and engines for Higgins' torpedo boats. This relationship did not work out and Tucker departed in 1943. Post-war efforts The federal government began canceling war contracts after Japan surrendered and Higgins' ship building ended on October 11, 1945. This greatly affected Higgins Industries, as did the increased unionizing of his workers. Higgins began losing money due to multiple strikes and sold off most of his plants. The company went on to build more LCVPs, but did not have much success with receiving government grants. Michoud factory In 1940, Higgins Industries was contracted by the US Army Corps of Engineers to construct a large aircraft manufacturing facility (equipped with an airstrip) in the village coastal area of Michoud, New Orleans, at a cost of $180 million ($2.8 billion in 2018), known as the Michoud Ordnance Plant. In 1951 this facility was converted to manufacture equipment for the Korean war, but did not achieve full operation before that conflict ended. In 1961, with impetus from the Space Race, the newly established National Aeronautics and Space Administration determined the facility could be used to manufacture the Saturn V rocket. The plant was upgraded to accommodate the space project, and was renamed as the Michoud Assembly Facility. Politics Higgins was an influential part of American history, with his participation in World War II and in national politics. With the rising success of Higgins Industries, Higgins found himself in a position of power and influence. When Franklin D. Roosevelt was running for his fourth consecutive term alongside vice presidential candidate Harry Truman, Higgins made sure his voice and opinion were heard. Higgins revered them and urged the nation to vote for them during the 1944 presidential election campaign while visiting various cities such as Boston and New York. Roosevelt and Truman won and thanked Higgins for his strong recommendations and for playing a significant role in swaying the nation's opinion in that election. Death and burial Higgins died in New Orleans on 1 August 1952, and was buried in Metairie Cemetery. He had been hospitalized for a week to treat stomach ulcers when