SS Charles Bulfinch

SS Charles Bulfinch was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Charles Bulfinch, an American architect. Bulfinch is best known for his designs of the Massachusetts State House, and the wings and central portion of the US Capitol.

History
United States
Name	Charles Bulfinch
Namesake	Charles Bulfinch
Owner	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator	Luckenbach Steamship Co., Inc.
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MCE hull 999
Awarded	30 January 1942
Builder	Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland
Cost	$1,003,874
Yard number	2149
Way number	3
Laid down	14 May 1943
Launched	10 June 1943
Sponsored by	Mrs. Milton G. Baker
Completed	22 June 1943
Identification	Call sign: KIAC
Fate	Laid up in the Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York, 24 May 1948 Sold for scrapping, 7 January 1970, removed from fleet, 1 May 1970
General characteristics
Class and type	Liberty ship type EC2-S-C1, standard
Tonnage	10,865 LT DWT 7,176 GRT
Displacement	3,380 long tons (3,434 t) (light) 14,245 long tons (14,474 t) (max)
Length	441 feet 6 inches (135 m) oa 416 feet (127 m) pp 427 feet (130 m) lwl
Beam	57 feet (17 m)
Draft	27 ft 9.25 in (8.4646 m)
Installed power	2 × Oil fired 450 °F (232 °C) boilers, operating at 220 psi (1,500 kPa) 2,500 hp (1,900 kW)
Propulsion	1 × triple-expansion steam engine,  (manufactured by General Machinery Corp., Hamilton, Ohio) 1 × screw propeller
Speed	11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity	562,608 cubic feet (15,931 m3) (grain) 499,573 cubic feet (14,146 m3) (bale)
Complement	38–62 USMM 21–40 USNAG
Armament	Varied by ship Bow-mounted 3 inches (76 mm)/50 caliber gun Stern-mounted 4 inches (102 mm)/50 caliber gun 2–8 × single 20 millimeters (0.79 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons and/or, 2–8 × 37 millimeters (1.46 in) M1 AA guns

Construction

Charles Bulfinch was laid down on 14 May 1943, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCE hull 999, by the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland; she was sponsored by Mrs. Milton G. Baker, the wife of a yard employee, and was launched on 10 June 1943.

History

She was allocated to Luckenbach Steamship Company, on 22 June 1943. On 10 January 1948, she was laid up in the Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York. On 4 May 1953, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain under the "Grain Program 1953", she returned loaded on 18 May 1953. On 25 November 1957, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be emptied of grain, she returned empty on 2 December 1957. On 10 October 1958, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain under the "Grain Program 1958", she returned loaded on 27 October 1958. On 19 October 1959, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be emptied of grain, she returned empty on 23 October 1959. On 15 November 1960, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain under the "Grain Program 1960", she returned loaded on 25 November 1960. On 8 March 1963, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be emptied of grain, she returned empty on 14 March 1963. On 7 January 1970, she was sold for scrapping to Steel Factors, Ltd., for $65,130. She was removed from the fleet on 1 May 1970.

Bibliography

• "Bethlehem-Fairfield, Baltimore MD". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 14 August 2008. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
• Maritime Administration. "Charles Bulfinch". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
• "SS Charles Bulfinch". Retrieved 17 March 2020.