Liberty ShipU.S. Maritime Commission Emergency Cargo VesselEC2-S-C1

A National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmarkdesignated byThe American Society of Mechanical Engineers18 September 1984

SS Jeremiah O’BrienAmerica’s last unalteredLiberty Ship in operating con-dition, open to the public ather home berth, Pier 3 East,Fort Mason, San Francisco,in the Golden Gate NationalRecreation Area.

The SS Jeremiah O’Brienslips into the water atSouth Portland, Maine,19 June 1943Photo: New EnglandShipbuilding Corporation

If ever dire necessity produced more fruitful in-spiration in the realm of shipbuilding, it is notrecorded. Between March 1941 and November1945, 18 U.S. shipyards produced over 2,700 vesselsof identical design — an unprecedented, and stillunexcelled achievement in maritime construction intime of peace or time of war. Their classification, inthe nomenclature of the U.S. Maritime Commis-sion, was EC2-S-C1 (E for emergency — which wasWorld War II; C for cargo; 2 indicating size orcapacity by the index of approximate waterlinelength, 400 to 450 feet; S for steam propulsion; andC1 referring to the design).

That design was based on plans from the JosephL. Thompson & Sons yard in Sunderland, England— plans very similar to those which, reportedly, hadbeen used to build tramp steamers at Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1879. In any event, they were tried andtrue, virtually guaranteeing simplicity of construc-tion and a functional reliability incapable of disrup-tion even by inexperienced crews. They also resultedin a finished product of rather stodgy appearance.President Franklin D. Roosevelt described the shipsas “dreadful-looking objects” and the press was sooncalling them “ugly ducklings” (another F.D.R.term) and “sea scows”. In an attempt to counteractthe unfortunate impression created by these images,Admiral Emory Scott Land, Chairman of theMaritime Commission, referred to the vessels as a“Liberty Fleet” and designated 27 September 1941— the day the first was launched, along with 13other vessels — “Liberty Fleet Day”.

The first EC2-S-C1 was the SS Patrick Henry,named after the Revolutionary War patriot whodeclared, “Give me liberty or give me death.” Thatassociation certainly served to support AdmiralLand’s terminology and the vessels became known asLiberty Ships — a name to which their servicerecords were to give full meaning for America andthe world.

The original purpose of the Liberty Ship buildingprogram was to provide cargo space across theAtlantic faster than Nazi U-boats could sink the sup-ply ships plying that route. By autumn of 1940, theBritish Isles were experiencing severe shortages, andit was in September of that year that the BritishMerchant Shipbuilding Mission visited the UnitedStates and contracted for the contstruction of 60“Ocean class” vessels to be built in the United Statesfor the trans-Atlantic route.

The 60 “Oceans” were produced for Britain, andthe desperate need of our closest ally served to fireup our own shipbuilding program, which benefitedgreatly from the “Oceans” experience. The U.S.Maritime Commission’s original intention had beento develop new plans for the American building pro-gram, but time was a vital factor and new planswould involve testing, and probably changes, follow-ed by more testing. It soon became clear that theCommission could not afford this necessarily lengthyprocess and Admiral Land made the decision to usethe time-honored British plans from which the“Oceans” were being built. The plans originally

SS Jeremiah O’Brien: Stern gun tub with 5 inch/38caliber gun. Photo: Joanie Redington

brought from England for the construction of the“Oceans” had undergone a variety of modifications.They were further modified by the New York navalarchitects Gibbs & Cox and the U.S. Maritime Com-mission before they were put into service for the con-struction of Liberty Ships.

Like the British “Oceans”, American Libertyscrossed the Atlantic in convoy. They also braved theinfamous Murmansk Run, sailed around the otherside of the world to Vladivostok, and by the end ofWorld War II had visited nearly every major port(and a vast number of minor ones) around theglobe. That simple, chunky silhouette of a Libertyon the horizon, making for port, became a familiarsight all over the world. They carried foodstuffs insacks, cans and boxes; seeds and fertilizers; coal andoil; locomotives and track; aircraft, some brokendown with fuselage stowed in one area and wingsand equipment in another, some complete, on deck;equipment and supplies for building airstrips,bunkers and houses; motor vehicles and replace-ment tires, parts and fuel; a variety of other itemsfrom C-Rations and toilet paper to washers, nuts,bolts and books; and they carried troops to nearlyevery theater of war, and troops, U.S. civilians andrefugees to the United States from all over the map.Carrying anything and everything to wherever it wasneeded, they became, in fact, what the press had sounattractively designated them at the beginning ofthe building program — sea scows, or, as a SanFrancisco radio announcer (who served on a LibertyShip at Normandy) has called them, “the shoppingbaskets of World War II”. They also became brave

far beyond the expectation of their builders and thecapacity of their defensive armament.

Many Liberty Ships sailed without defensiveweapons, especially at the beginning of the pro-gram. Later, most were equipped with a 3 inch/50caliber gun at the bow, a 5 inch/38 caliber at thestern, and eight 20-mm guns — two forward, fouron top of the midship house and two aft. Ships for-tunate enough to bear this armament also carriedcontingents of U.S. Navy Armed Guard — officersand crews, who supplemented the Merchant Marinepersonnel operating the ships, when the vessels cameunder attack. When a Liberty was under fire, theArmed Guard manned the weapons and was com-monly assisted by merchant crewmen who hoistedand passed ammunition and relayed the 20-mmmagazines.

Travelling as they had to in the “slow lane” (11knots maximum for most), Libertys were easy preyfor enemy marauders. Nevertheless, fewer than 200were lost. They fought back, zig-zagged, dumpedmines overboard, shot down planes, even sunk sub-marines and damaged raiders, and — shot up andleaking — made it back to friendly ports. They turn-ed out to be phenomenally reliable and incrediblyresistant — an 18 tramp steamer sailing across theoceans of the world to 20th century triumph.

Let’s look at the specifications and the propulsionsystem which gave life to these exceptional ships.Liberty Ships were 441’6” long, with an extremebeam of 57’, a summer load line draft of 27’ 87/8”,and a deadweight tonnage (wartime conditions) of10,428. They were designed to carry just over 9,000tons of cargo — with a full load of fuel, but theyoften carried more, with holds filled and a deckloadof planes, tanks, trucks or locomotives. The LibertyShip was a full scantling cargo vessel with a rakedstem, flush deck and cruiser stern. She had fivecargo holds, three forward and two aft of themachinery space. Cargo handling was by steamwinches and booms stepped at the mast houses andrigged to three center-line masts.

Accommodations for officers were on the BoatDeck, with the exception of the Master, whose officeand sleeping quarters were located on the BridgeDeck, aft of the Chart Room, starboard side, andthe Radio Operator, whose quarters were on thesame deck — convenient to the Radio Room, whichwas situated on the port side, directly aft of the

Wheel House. The Cadets room was also on theBridge Deck, port side, between the RadioOperator’s quarters and the Battery Room. TheArmed Guard officer and the forward gun crewsbunked in the midship house with Merchant Marinepersonnel, but the after gun crews were accom-modated in the after deckhouse, directly above thesteering engine and below the 5 inch gun. Theaverage complement — Merchant Marine officersand crew plus U.S. Navy Armed Guard officer andcrew — was generally less than 60 men.

L I B E R T Y S H I P E N G I N E M A N U F A C T U R E R S

Alabama Marine Engine CompanyThe American Ship Building CompanyClark Brothers Company, Inc.Ellicott Machine CorporationThe Filer & Stowell CompanyHarrisburg machinery CorporationGeneral Machinery CorporationJoshua Hendy Iron WorksNational Transit Pump & Machine Co.Oregon War Industries, Inc.

Toledo Shipbuilding Company, Inc.Vulcan Iron WorksWilliamette Iron & Steel Corp.Worthington Pump & Machinery Corp.

Birmingham, ALCleveland, OH

Olean, NYBaltimore, MDMilwaukee, WIHarrisburg, PA

Hamilton, OHSunnyvale, CA

Oil City, PAPortland, ORToledo, OR

Wilkes-Barre, PAPortland, ORHarrison, NJ

The engine and hull were developed, as notedearlier, from British designs — some elements ofwhich were over 60 years old in 1941. Yet, the onlysignificant alteration to the propulsion machinerywas the installation of watertube oil-fired boilers toreplace the original coal-burning firetube Scotchboilers. The absence of coal bunkers enabled asuperstructure alteration — permitting the use of asingle structure amidship (rather than two houses).

The SS Jeremiah O’Brien’s engine was manufac-tured by General Machinery Corporation ofHamilton, Ohio, one of 14 American enginemanufacturers participating in the Liberty Shipbuilding program. Like that of her sister ships, it is avertical reciprocating triple expansion steam engineof 2,500 IHP with cylinder diameters of 24½” —37” — 70” and a stroke of 48”, driving a single screwat 76 rpm for an average cruising speed of 11 knots.

Steam is produced by two oil-fired boilers, eachwith 4,852 square feet of heating surface, and is fur-nished at 220 pounds per square inch pressure and440°F temperature at the throttle, exhausting into26 inches of vacuum. The O’Brien’s boilers weremanufactured in Dansville, New York by FosterWheeler Corporation, one of nine manufacturersbuilding identical boilers for the program. Fuel wasBunker “C” black oil, although almost any availablefuel could be used. Today, the SS Jeremiah O’Brien,

Operating side of engine aft to forward on thestarboard side. Reproduced from Instructions forthe Operation and Maintenance of . . . Vertical TripleExpansion Marine Engines . . . Hamilton, Ohio, 1942.

surviving on donated funds, services and materials,burns crankcase drainings and other variouslyassorted waste oils, in addition to any “pure” blackoil which can be acquired by donation.

The simplicity of the Liberty Ship engine and herboilers made them economical to build, and also tooperate and maintain, even by personnel withminimal experience. Electrical power was furnishedby three reciprocating steam-powered generatorsdeveloping a total of 60 kw. Electrical requirementswere moderate during wartime service since the only

L I B E R T Y S H I P B O I L E R M A N U F A C T U R E R S

The Babcock & Wilcox Co. Henry Vogt Machine Co.Combustion Engineering Co,. Inc. Western Pipe & Steel Corp.Edge Moor Iron Works, Inc. Staples Engineering Co.Foster Wheeler Corp Wickes Boiler Co.Puget Sound Machinery Depot

demands were for navigation and radio equipment,the refrigeration compressor, two fresh water pumps,the degaussing system, room fans and lighting.

Fresh water for boilers and drinking was providedby a high pressure salt water evaporator capable ofdesalination of 30 tons of sea water per day, at a costof one barrel of fuel per ton of water. Fuel consump-tion at loaded draft was 170 barrels per day at 11knots, giving 72 days range (or 19,000 nautical miles)with the vessel bunkered to capacity at departure.

Main engine control station, sighted from starboardside of the engine room; port boiler visible in thebackground to the right.Photo: Russell Fraser

Preserving America’s Last UnalteredLiberty Ship in Operating Condition

and its service organization — the National ParkService, from the National Trust for Historic Preser-vation, from the maritime unions, steamship com-panies, ship chandlers and suppliers, from shiprepair yards, and from hundreds of individuals whocame forth to contribute their expertise, encourage-ment, materials and funds to the project.

In 1978, the National Liberty Ship Memorial,Inc. (NLSM), a California non-profit corporation,was formed to conduct the restoration, preservationand presentation to the public of the ship. In thesame year, the O’Brien was declared a NationalMonument and placed on the National Register asan historic object. Many obstacles had been over-come and great progress made, but the NLSM thenfaced a task of unknown proportions: the reactiva-tion of a vessel which had been inoperative for over30 years. Dedicated volunteers worked on the ship ather Suisun Bay lay-up location. And despite theadverse conditions of a dead ship moored in a baynearly a mile from shore with no water on board,minimal illumination, no telephone communica-tion, no sanitary facilities, and nearly every surfacecoated with slippery preservative: Consul oil orCosmoline, they brought the ship back to life. On6 October 1979, the SS Jeremiah O’Brien sailed outof the Reserve Fleet under her own steam.

She then spent nearly eight months at BethlehemSteel Shipyard, San Francisco, undergoing major

Commodore Thomas J. Patterson, Jr., now DeputySuperintendent of the U.S. Maritime Academy,Kings Point, New York, was the prime mover in theeffort to save the SS Jeremiah O’Brien as an exampleof her class, as a memorial to the men and women —several million Americans — who built, operated,sailed, defended, repaired and supplied LibertyShips during World War II, and as a symbol of na-tional achievement and international cooperation.

In 1966, while serving as Western Region Directorof the Maritime Administration, Patterson in-spected a number of Liberty Ships laid up in variousNational Defense Reserve Fleets. He determinedthat the O’Brien, then in mothballs at Suisun Bay,California, was the most suitable for preservation.She had never been altered from the originalEC2-S-C1 design. And she was in excellent condition(which was a tribute to her wartime operator —Grace Line, Inc. and to the Suisun Bay ReserveFleet, where she had already spent 20 years whenPatterson selected her).

Over the following decade, he worked diligentlyto arrange for the O’Brien’s release from the ReserveFleet and to develop a mechanism for her restora-tion and continuing preservation. His efforts re-ceived exceptional support — from the MaritimeAdministration (successor to the U.S. MaritimeCommission), from the Department of the Interior

A day of triumph: hull and superstructure still coated with Consul oil, theSS Jeremiah O’Brien steams out of the mothball fleet, her engine turning for thefirst time in over 30 years. Photo: Keith Adams

exterior restoration and a variety of checks to allsystems. On 21 May 1980, she departed the shipyardto sail San Francisco Bay on her first AnnualSeamen’s Memorial Cruise. That afternoon, she ar-rived at her home berth, Pier 3 East, Fort Mason, inthe Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Sincethat day, she has benefited from over 120,000 hoursof volunteer labor, devoted to the restoration — inpainstaking detail — of the machinery spaces,galley, mess rooms, living quarters, wheel house,radio room and other internal areas, as well as con-tinuing work on deck, and to the administration ofthe Memorial.

Today, the SS Jeremiah O’Brien is open to thepublic daily at Fort Mason and she sails San Fran-cisco Bay each year in May, carrying some 700passengers who wish to “ride history” — livinghistory and living proof of the exceptional depend-ability and resilience of Liberty Ships.

The SS Jeremiah O’Brien is named after CaptainJeremiah O’Brien, of Machias, Maine, who led a

volunteer crew against the British in 1775, capturingthe armed schooner Margaretta and achieving thefirst Yankee naval victory of the Revolutionary War.The SS Jeremiah O’Brien, Liberty Ship, uponassuming the Captain’s name, also acquired a legacyof volunteer spirit which survives to this day. Thecrews which manned her during her years of war-time service were merchant seamen — civilianvolunteers. Today, the continuing work of restora-tion, preservation and presentation to the public ofthis living maritime museum piece, and of the ad-ministration of the Memorial is carried on byvolunteers, using donated funds and materials.

W e a r e h o n o r e d a n d d e l i g h t e d t h a t T h eAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers hasselected the SS Jeremiah O’Brien, America’s lastunaltered Liberty Ship in operating condition — onbehalf of all American Libertys — for designation asa National Historic Mechanical Engineering Land-mark. It is our fervent hope that the attention thistribute focuses on the ship will help KEEP THELAST ONE LIVE.

SS Jeremiah O’Brien sailing San Francisco Bay on one ofher annual May cruises. Photo: Donald Kearns

DESIGNATION PROGRAMSS JEREMIAH O’BRIEN—LIBERTY SHIP

Tuesday, 18 September 1984Pier 3 East, Fort Mason, San Francisco

Welcome Aboard Harry E. MorganChief Engineer (volunteer)SS Jeremiah O’Brien

Opening Remarks James N. Landis, P.E.Past President, ASME

Invocation Rev. John P. HeaneyChaplain, Port of San FranciscoDirector, Apostleship of the Sea

Welcome to the Designation Ceremony Donald R. Mullen, P.E.Chairman, San Francisco Section, ASME

Introduction of Honored Guests R. B. Wilson, P.E.Vice President, Region IX, ASME

The ASME Historic Landmarks Program Dr. Richard S. Hartenberg, P.E.National History and Heritage Committee, ASME

The Liberty Ship Program Captain Ralph G. WilsonMaster, SS Jeremiah O’Brien

Presentation of the Commemorative Plaque George Kotnick, P.E.President, ASME

Acceptance of the Plaque Thomas B. CrowleyChairman of the Board & Chief Executive OfficerNational Liberty Ship Memorial

Closing Remarks James N. Landis, P.E.Past President, ASME

Music of the 40’S by The Richard A. Martini BandReception following on board the SS Jeremiah O’Brien

N A T I O N A L H I S T O R I C M E C H A N I C A L E N G I N E E R I N G L A N D M A R KS S J E R E M I A H O ’ B R I E N

FORT MASON, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA1943

THE SS JEREMIAH O'BRIEN. AN EMERGENCY CARGO VESSEL OF THET Y P E E C 2 - S - C 1 , B E T T E R K N O W N A S L I B E R T Y S H I P I S T H E S O L EOPERATIVE SURVIVOR OF 2751 SHIPS. THE LARGEST FLEET OF SINGLECLASS EVER BUILT. THE DESIGN STRESSED MINIMUM COST RAPIDITYO F C O N S T R U C T I O N A N D S I M P L I C I T Y O F O P E R A T I O N H E R O R I G I N A LDESIGN AND CONFIGURATION HAVE NOT BEEN ALTERED.

SHE WAS BUILT IN 56 DAYS AT SOUTH PORTLAND MAINE BY THENEW ENGLAND SHIPS BUILDING CORPORATION HER TRIPLE EXPANSIONENGINE OF 2500 HP DROVE THE 441 FOOT VESSEL CARRYING 9000 TONSOF CARGO AT 11 KNOTS THE SHIP CARRIED AMMUNITION GRAIN ANDOTHER DRY CARGO FROM THEN UNITED STATES TO GREAT BRITAINTOOK PART IN THE D DAY INVASION (1944) AND LATER VOYAGED TOPORTS IN SOUTH AMERICA, AUSTRALIA, INDIA AND THE PHILLIPPINS

HER NAMES SAKE WAS JEREMIAH O BRIAN OF MAINE WHO LED THEFIRST NAVAL ACTION AGAINST THE BRITISH IN 1775 CAPTURING TWO MERCHANTS SHIPS AND AN ARMED SCHOONER.

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS — 1984

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF of mechanical engineers, historians of technology, andMECHANICAL ENGINEERS the curator of mechanical engineering of the Smithso-

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers nian Institution. The committee provides a public ser-(ASME) was founded in 1880 as an educational and vice by examining, noting, recording and acknowledg-technical society. ASME has consistently sought to ing mechanical engineering achievements of particularprovide an impetus for the continuing professional significance.development of its individual members and advance-ment of the state-of-the-art of mechanical engineering. LANDMARK DESIGNATIONThe principal goals and objectives of ASME are: The SS Jeremiah O’Brien is the 72nd National� To provide a forum for the development, exchange Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark to be

and dissemination of technical information, par- designated since the ASME program began. In addi-ticularly on mechanical engineering tion, 17 International and eight Regional Landmarks

� To develop mechanical standards, codes, safety have been recognized. Each represents a progressiveprocedures and operating principles for industry step in the evolution of mechanical engineering, and

� To encourage the personal and professional each reflects its influence on society, either in itsdevelopment of practicing and student engineers immediate locale, nationwide or throughout the world.

� To aid members of the engineering profession in The Landmark Program illuminates ourmaintaining a high level of ethical conduct. technological heritage and serves to encourage the

preservation of the physical remains of historicallyThe Society consists of more than 111,000 members, important works. It provides an annotated roster for

of whom some 20,000 are engineering students. ASME engineers, students, educators, historians and travelersmembers are active in private engineering firms, cor- and helps establish persistent reminders of where weporations, academic and government service. A ten- have been and where we are going along the divergentmember board governs the Society. Its headquarters paths of discovery.are in New York City and it has five field offices —Chicago, Dallas, San Francisco, Danbury, CT and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:Burke, VA, plus a government relations office in The San Francisco Section of the ASME gratefullyWashington, DC acknowledges the efforts of all who participated in the

landmark designation of the SS Jeremiah O’Brien. WeTHE HISTORY AND HERITAGE PROGRAM wish to extend special thanks to Joanie Redington, the

The History and Heritage Landmark Program of the ship’s Purser and Secretary of the National LibertyASME began in September 1971. To implement and Ship Memorial, for assistance in planning the designa-achieve the goals of the Landmark Program, ASME tion ceremony and reception, and for writing theformed a History and Heritage Committee, composed brochure.

THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF THE ASME NATIONAL SS JEREMIAH O’BRIENMECHANICAL ENGINEERS HISTORY AND HERITAGE

COMMITTEE Captain Ralph G. WilsonGeorge Kotnick, P.E. MasterPresident Dr. R. Carson Dalzell, P.E. Chairman of the Board &

Chairman Harry E. Morgan Chief Executive OfficerPaul F. Allmendinger Chief EngineerExecutive Director Curator Robert M. Vogel

(Smithsonian Institution) Captain John F. Paul Acting Executive DirectorR.B. Wilson, P.E. Secretary Chief MateVice President, Region IX

Dr. Robert B. Gaither John W. Booth Budget OfficerDr. Richard S. Hartenberg, P.E. Port Steward

THE ASME SAN FRANCISCOSECTION Dr. J. Paul Hartman, P.E. Joseph Teixeira Treasurer

J. P. Van Overveen, P.E. Chief StewardDonald R. Mullen, P.E.Chairman Thomas R. Stand Corporate Counsel

Chief Radio OperatorPius C. H. Chao, P.E.Vice Chairman Joanie Redington Secretary

NATIONAL LIBERTY SHIPMEMORIAL INC.

Thomas B. Crowley

Captain Ralph G. Wilson

Captain John Chiles

John W. Borden

William E. Vaughan

Joanie Redington

PurserRobert B. TurnerSecretary Captain S.W. Galstan

(Maritime Administration)Julia Gee Owner’s RepresentativeTreasurer

F. W. Beichley, P.E.History and Heritage

H098