The Liberty Ship

[The Sailor]

President Roosevelt said that this new class of ships would bring liberty to Europe, which gave rise to the name Liberty Ship.

Early on, each ship took about 230 days to build (Patrick Henry took 244 days), but the average eventually dropped to 42 days. The record was set by Robert E. Peary, which was launched 4 days and 15 1/2 hours after the keel was laid, although this publicity stunt was not repeated -- and in fact much fitting-out and other work remained to be done after the Peary was launched.
The ships were made assembly-line style, from prefabricated sections. In 1943 three new Liberty ships were being completed every day. They were mainly named after famous Americans, starting with the signatories of the Declaration of Independence.

Any group which raised War bonds worth $2 million could propose a name.

SS Carlos Carrillo

A notable Liberty ship was SS Stephen Hopkins, which sank the German commerce raider Stier in a ship-to-ship gun battle in 1942 and became the first American ship to sink a German surface combatant.

SS Richard Montgomery

Is also notable, though in a less positive way; the wreck of the ship lies off the coast of Kent with 1,500 tons of explosives still on board, enough to match a small nuclear weapon should they ever go off.

The last Liberty ship constructed was the SS Albert M. Boe, launched on 26 September 1945 and delivered on 30 October 1945. She was named after the chief engineer of a United States Army freighter who had stayed below decks to shut down his engines after a 13 April 1945 explosion, an act that won him a posthumous Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal

Type: Cargo ship
Name: Liberty ship class
Builders: 18 shipyards in the USA
Ships in class: 2751
Ships preserved: 2
General characteristics
Displacement: 14,245 tons; Gross Tons: 7,176.5
Capacity: 9,140 tons cargo
Length: 135 m (441 ft 6 in)
Beam: 17.3 m (56 ft 10.75 in)
Draught: 8.5 m (27 ft 9.25 in)
Propulsion
and power: Two oil fired boilers,
triple expansion steam engine,
single screw, 2500 horsepower (1.9 MW)
Speed: 11 to 11.5 knots (20 to 21 km/h)
Range: 23,000 miles (37,000 km)
Complement: 41 men
Armament: Stern-mounted 4 in (102 mm) deck gun for use against surfaced submarines, variety of anti-aircraft guns

When I visited San Francisco two years ago I visited the liberty ship S.S. Jeremiah O'Brien which is a floating memorial.

The site below gives the names of all liberty ships built.
http://www.fiu.edu/~thompsop/liberty/liberty_list.html

[John Brown]

Sailor

Interesting post about liberty ships.

As stated in one of my earlier posts, my father served on a liberty ship provided to the RN under lend lease. HMS Assistance was built in Bethlehems yard and, after a spell in Saker, my father was one of the crew that commissioned her. She sailed to the far east and became part of 'task force 57' as a repair ship.

Assistance was at the fleets forward base of Manus in the Admiralty Islands when the war ended. My father left the ship in Singapore and, some time later, made the rest of the return voyage in another liberty ship, HMS Portland Bill. If anybody has any photos or crew lists for either of these ships I would be very pleased to see them.

I too have been aboard the SS Jerimiah O'Brien. In 1994 there was a big commemorative event in the UK and France for the 50th Anniversary of D- Day. A large fleet of ships from many nations formed up off Spithead, Isle of Wight and was reviewed by the Queen in the yacht 'Britannia' The fleet then sailed to Normandy were many functions and remembrance services were held. My Father and I sailed in the fleet aboard the P&O liner Canberra (of Falklands Fame) along with 1500 D-Day veterans. Whilst at sea the Canberra was 'bombed' with nearly a million poppies by the Lancaster of the 'Battle of Britain flight'.

The Jerimiah O'Brien, herself a veteran of the Normany landings, was one of the ships in the fleet. After the commemorations the O'Brien sailed into the Pool of London and moored up alongside HMS Belfast. She was then opened to public which is when I went aboard her.

Your picture shows the SS John W Brown, the other liberty ship still in working condition. For information purposes.... this is not where I took my user name from. That is from the shipyard that built, amongst others, HMS Hood.

Regards...John

[herakles]

Your post brought back memories John.

Of the 50th anniversary celebrations. As I recall, Pres. Clinton attended also.

One memory I'd sooner forget was that the French shopkeepers doubled all their prices for it!

[The Sailor]

Thanks John.
I found a couple of great shots of HMS Assistance for you.

[John Brown]

Thanks for taking the time to find the pictures Sailor.

However, the first one is of the previous Assistance to the one my Dad was on.

The second one is, in fact, one of only two I have ever been able to find of the ship. This has apparenty been taken in Plymouth Sound after the war when she was attached to the Fleet Arm. I actually use this picture as the wallpaper on my PC.

If you come across anymore pictures please do post them.


Herakles

Yes Clinton was there. During the fleet review off spithead, Canberra was moored between the carrier USS George Washington and the liner QE2. Whilst we were on deck we noticed a lot of commotion on the Washingtons flight deck. A couple of minutes later a helicopter landed and we could see some men 'wearing suites' and well dressed ladies getting out of it. We were later informed that this had been Clinton and his party paying a visit to the ship.

Regards....John

[herakles]

In fact, as I remember, the main purpose of Clinton's visit was to take part in the memorial service at the American war cemetery.

I was the 200th car in the resulting traffic jam! Took hours just to reach the statue of Eisenhower, thoughtfully placed in the middle of a major roundabout.

[AlZictorini]

The Sailors first post mentions the SS Richard Montgomery, I’ve seen this wreck from a great distance and I have a weapons expert colleague who dived her regularly to check the deterioration of the munitions on bored her. The wreck is a bit of a menace and a growing concern. Take a look at this link below which makes you wonder, what are we going to do with her?

http://www.ssrichardmontgomery.com/images/suntimes.htm

Remember she’s in a busy shipping lane!:eek:

[charlesbuchanan]

Dear J -would be really happy to have an early reply to ackn. contact. I accessed this site about 6 month ago thro - collateral inrterest - ageing father - but had trouble getting email password to contact,,,,


Anyway - my father James Buchanan - now 85 yrs joined as RNVR from University London as Mech Eng 2nd Lt RNVR and moved up from august 45 through Asssistance to Obedience then Idefatigatible - out to Singapore. Fond ? memories of his leaselend experience. Including "rain check" ticket from Rockefeller Tower finally redeemed by my younger brother last year! Now consigned to memorobilia at the Rockefeller Tower - with supportaive letter from ny fater to authenticate..!

With regard to your request for crew lists, as of this week my father confirms that he could prvide the crew list of Officers ( and maybe a few others) who returned embarcation on the Q Mary from NY/ Norfolk naval base in 1945 (?) when he was on crew an will be v happy to do so..

His memory is still excelent when we talk about these issues and he is still active in local RN vets groups - but fast dwindling members at present...he is happy to relate anything to contribute - but don'n expect him to be with us in years time! ... My view as a doctor...

Anticipatng reply.. best w cb
A liittle bit of WW2 history....

[John Brown]

Charles

Welcome to the forum.

I would be interested in any info you have relating to HMS Assistance. My father served on her from her commissioning in the States until after the wars' end when he transferred to the 'Portland Bill' in Singapore.

As many of the other forum members will already know, my father passed away last April so sadly, any info you have is a little late for him but I would still be very pleased to receive it.

Regards...John

[fairmans]

I was glad to see this post as it verified my memories. I served on two very different Liberty ships from 1960 to 1964. The first was the USS Tutuila, converted into an ARG - internal combustion repair ship. We mostly worked on LSTs and the like. The second was the USS Mattaponi AO-41, a tanker that had be refitted in 1961 as a fleet oiler. Getting repair parts was very interesting as nothing seemed to match to Navy Standard Supply Numbers - most of her equipment was obsolete by 1961. I would be interested in talking to any other crewmembers.
Steve F. Storekeeper

[John Odom]

I traveled on a couple whose names I don't remember, that were in service as commercial inter-island steamers in the post-war Philippines.

[Hank]

"The record was set by Robert E. Peary, which was launched 4 days and 15 1/2 hours after the keel was laid, although this publicity stunt was not repeated ."

Adolf Hitler was standing on the balcony of the Reichschancellry in Berlin when the news of the Peary reached him. The moment, filmed, when the aide transmitted the news, is precious. Regards

[Jeremy S]

Hi, new guy here. My name is Jeremy, and I'm a recently registered user here, have been lurking for some time reading the various topics and posts on here. I some somewhat of a historian as history from the 1920's - the 1940's is a great interest of mine.

On the topic of Liberty ships....I have a friend who served on various Liberty ships during the war and for a while after. I did an interview with him a few years ago for a school project, figured some of you guys may find it interesting.

The link: http://radiorestorer.com./merchantmarine.html (http://radiorestorer.com./merchantmarine.html)

[tigercat]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Stephen_Hopkins

Then there was the SS Stephen Hopkins that despite being outgunned bravely fought off the German Raider Stier and eventually caused enough damage with her single 4 inch that the german had to be scuttled.

[bluestreak]

A couple of shots of the Liberty Ship in Piraeus harbour.

[bluestreak]

I think I got it this time. Hellas Liberty, ex Arthur M Huddell.

[ronangel]

This is the standard layout for liberty ships
Design EC2-S-C1 Liberty ship Stowage and Capacity Booklet.pdf (4.1Mb)
http://www.ssrichardmontgomery.com/download/Design%20EC2-S-C1%20Liberty%20ship.pdf

[astraltrader]

Ron - please see PM.

[oldsalt]

There is a fully working Liberty Ship at San Francisco, it's name has slipped my memory. I went onboard, it was very interesting & brought back memories of when as a 15 yr. old I slept aboard a Liberty when it was in the London Docks. Quick explanation, a family friend was a 3rd Engineer & my father at that time had to go from Sheffield to London on a visit to do with his job. In the morning I had breakfast with the Master, it was then I decided to be a sailor. To save the mental arithmatic the year was 1947.

[Abbeywood.]

I was glad to see this post as it verified my memories. I served on two very different Liberty ships from 1960 to 1964. The first was the USS Tutuila, converted into an ARG - internal combustion repair ship. We mostly worked on LSTs and the like. The second was the USS Mattaponi AO-41, a tanker that had be refitted in 1961 as a fleet oiler. Getting repair parts was very interesting as nothing seemed to match to Navy Standard Supply Numbers - most of her equipment was obsolete by 1961. I would be interested in talking to any other crewmembers.
Steve F. Storekeeper

Responding to the above posting I would like to point out that the USS 'Mattaponi' AO-41 was not a Liberty ship, and was in fact a T2-A type tanker.
She was laid down as the ss 'Kalkay' at the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., yard at Chester, Pa and launched 17 Jan. 1942, having been taken up by the USMC( U.S Maritime Commision) with the Commission No 149.
She was commisioned into the US Navy 11 May 1942. She went through three separate commisison/de-commissions until stricken on 1 Feb' 1959.
However she was re-instated onto the Navy List on 1 Sept' 1961, and re-commissioned on 30 Nov'1962 and saw service during the Viet-nam War.
She finally de-commissioned and was struck from the 'List during 1970.
Mattaponi was transfered back to the Maritime Administration, for disposal, on 22 January 1971, and broken up in New York later that year.
The 'Tutuilla was built as a standard 'Liberty' ship by the Bethlehem-Fairfield shipyard at Baltimore, Md, and launched on 12 Sept' 1943 under the name of ss 'Arthur P. Gorman', however she was taken over by the USN before her completion and as stated she was converted to ARG-4, for the repair of internal combustion engines, a duty she carried out until she was transferred to the Taiwan Navy in 1972 and re-named 'Tien Tai'. I have no info' as to her eventual fate.

[Abbeywood.]

Further to my posting above regarding the disposal of 'Tutuilla'

I found the following article on this site 'Military.com'

It seems that the 'Tutuilla, stationed in the waters of South Vietnam at the time of the US withdrawal, was deemed to be surplus to requirements, and to save the bother of returning the ship to the US the ROC Navy were persuaded to take the ship for approx' $100,000.
The Taiwanese, however, considered the ship to be obsolete, which indeed it was, and as they had no river craft, they had no use for an engine repair ship.
It seems that the ship was never entered into the ROC Navy. The repair machinery was considered to be of some value and, with the dismantling of her hull, she would have realised considerably more than $100,000.
To placate the US military, during the Beijing visit of Pres' Nixon, a pseudo commissioning ceremony was held, in front of the media.
After the ceremony all the repair machinery was removed and presented, (sold), to the local shipyards and the hull was sold, to be broken up. (1975 at the latest)
It was said that the value of the fuel on the ship alone, was more than the $100,000.
So the ship that never actually served in the ROC Navy was declared to be decommissioned during 1974. and the crew were all transferred to another repair ship named 'Yu-Tai', formally the USS 'Cadmus', AR-14.
And so the story ends. !

[WGVSr]

The Liberty in San Francisco is SS Jeremiah O'Brien. Drove by and looked at her the last time I was in the Bay area back in the spring. She's at Pier 45 on Fisherman's Wharf. The Liberty in Baltimore is the SS John Brown. She's at Pier 1 there.
Bill

[Abbeywood.]

The JLS was built in California at the Permanente Metals No 2 yard. She was laid down on 2nd May 1943 and launched on the 26th of that month entering government service later that year as a general freighter.
At the end of hostilities she was used for the repatriation of Japanese POW's from the Philippines to Japan.
On the completion of this, (1946), she returned to the US and entered extended lay-up in the Reserve Fleet. Location unknown, but possibly in one of the East Coast fleets.
In 1957 she was withdrawn from the Reserve for use by the Underwater Explosions Research Division of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, in the Chesapeake Bay area, to test hull resistance to explosive devices.
Her main machinery was removed and 4 x 6000 hp T34 turbo-prop aero engines were fitted in the gun tubs at the bow and stern. These were intended to manoeuvre the vessel but in practice were deemed powerful enough to propel the ship at approx' 8 knots.
To maintain buoyancy the ship was loaded with thousands of sealed empty oil drums as she was directed onto influence mines in various port approaches.
The ship was designated as YAG-37 although whether she was ever commissioned, or not, I have not determined.
I have not heard of any reports of personnel who 'sailed' on this contraption but would be interested to read of their thoughts with the four aero engines operating. I know what mine would have been, assuming thought was possible with the noise.
On completion of the experiments the aero engines were removed, the various holes in the hull were repaired at Newport News and the ship was then towed to Wilmington, (Del. ?) where she was broken up in 1958.

[WGVSr]

I don't think YAG'ers were commissioned. There were about 50 of them and most were Liberty's. I think they were technically 'in service'.
Bill

[ludsie]

There was a wreck of a liberty ship just off moreton bay in Australia that we used to see when holidaying on stradbroke island. It was the ss Rufus king but has dissolved into the sea now

[BlackBat242]

YAG = Miscellaneous Auxiliary Service Craft or Miscellaneous Auxiliary (self-propelled)

[Abbeywood.]

For all those hardy ship swatters the following tomes maybe of some use:-

1) 'The Liberty Ships'
This covers the the entire Liberty ship production.

2) 'Victory Ships & tankers'
Covers the 'Victory' type cargo ships and Tankers built in the US during WW2.

Both books are by L.A.Sawyer and W.H.Mitchell and are published by David & Charles Ltd, Newton Abbot, UK.
Be warned though they were first printed in 1970 and 1974, resp' and they may a) be out of print, or b) may not have been revised, bearing in mind that in 1970 there were a great many Liberty ships still in service, world-wide and now we are down to the last two.

[Hank]

Folks like to adage an event or construction with some personage that one might give a tradition to. Reeves might be remembered as the "Father of U.S.N. Shipboard Aviation", as well as Moffett the "Architect". In the case of the conception and design of the Liberty and Victory vessels we might want to plug in Vice Admiral Edward Lull Cochrane, USNA 1914, as progenitor of the ability to transport military force some distance off the shores of these United States. Cochrane's initial tour of duty as a new Ensign was in the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard during the Kaiser's War. The problem of military shipping of materials needed for modern warfare, much considered by Cochrane while at Philadelphia, became part of his realm of study at MIT, postwar. Cochrane earned the Master of Science degree in Naval Architecture in 1920, using his training at the Navy's Bureau of Construction and Repair between the wars. Cochrane's input during the late 1930's gave us the ability to move the material required in a timely manner to mount a defence against the three Axis powers, then build up a reasonable offense for removal of same.

Cochrane replaced Rear Admiral Alexander H. Van Keuren in November of 1942 as Chief of the Bureau of Ships, a position he held until his retirement from the USN in 1947.

Regards

[WGVSr]

There was a wreck of a liberty ship just off moreton bay in Australia that we used to see when holidaying on stradbroke island. It was the ss Rufus king but has dissolved into the sea now

SS Rufus King ran aground 7/7/42. She was indeed a Liberty.
Bill

[WGVSr]

Hank:
I don't know how much credit to ascribe to Cochrane for the Liberty [not that he doesn't deserve considerable credit at BuShips] but the design of the Liberty was a Maritime Commission function. Thus you might want to also credit Adm Emory Land who became Chairman of the MC in 1938 [and later Chairman of the War Shipping Administration] and Adm Howard Vickery [no or distant relative - spells his name differently] who was Land's deputy and in charge of shipbuilding, design and construction for the Merchant Marine and later the Maritime Commission. He oversaw the Liberty program as well as the Victory ship program and most of the rest of the MC shipbuilding in WWII. Vickery was USNA '15 and Land USNA '02.
Bill

[ludsie]

Thus is a picture I found of the Rufus King after the Grounding... clearly not the
way one would like to enter port

The photo is courtesy of the AWM and the copyright has been extinguished

Trent

[Abbeywood.]

Bill,
I think you'll find that the Liberty ship loosely followed the design of the ss.'Dorrington Court', built by Messrs John L. Thompson, at Sunderland, on the North-East coast of the UK,
The Chairman of the US Maritime Commission, Admiral Emory S. Land was reluctant to accept the plans but he was eventually persuade otherwise.
After a false start, in which 32 'Ocean' type ships were built in new yards constructed on the US West coast by Todd Shipyards and the Henry J. Kaiser group, it was soon realised that the fast types of cargo ships were not conducive to mass-production, at that time, and neither was the propelling machinery available in the quantities required.
After a re-think, the construction plans were 'jiggled' and and it was then decided that the fast and sophisticated ships would have to wait for better times and the slow British design was then adopted and following several derogatory type names, such as Sea-Scows, Admiral Land came up with 'Liberty' ship. 'Built by the mile and chopped off by the yard'
They were then classified as EC2-S-C1 types the first ship being the 'Patrick Henry'

[WGVSr]

Pete:
Actually Dorrington Court was the last of a long line of similar tramp steamers built in Sunderland from the late 1800's, mostly by, as you say, J L Thompson & Sons. The largest single difference in the Court and the Liberties was the use of welding as opposed to riveting in construction.
Bill