SS Frank Flowers

SS Frank Flowers was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Frank Flowers, a veteran of the Spanish–American War, he served aboard Leviathan, in the supply department, during WWI, and later served as steward and purser with the United States Lines.

History
United States
Name	Frank Flowers
Namesake	Frank Flowers
Owner	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator	American Export Lines, Inc.
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C5) hull, MC hull 3141
Builder	J.A. Jones Construction, Panama City, Florida
Cost	$841,060
Yard number	101
Way number	5
Laid down	9 May 1945
Launched	22 June 1945
Completed	16 July 1945
Identification	Call sign: AOEL
Fate	Placed in the Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York, 26 October 1945 Placed in the, Beaumont Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, Texas, 21 August 1953 Sold for scrapping, 15 July 1974, removed from fleet, 5 August 1974
General characteristics
Class and type	Liberty ship type EC2-S-C5, boxed aircraft transport
Tonnage	10,600 LT DWT 7,200 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 Filer and Stowell, Milwaukee, Wisconsin) 1 × screw propeller
Speed	11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity	490,000 cubic feet (13,875 m3) (bale)
Complement	38–62 USMM 21–40 USNAG
Armament	Varied by ship Bow-mounted 3-inch (76 mm)/50-caliber gun Stern-mounted 4-inch (102 mm)/50-caliber gun 2–8 × single 20-millimeter (0.79 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons and/or, 2–8 × 37-millimeter (1.46 in) M1 AA guns

Construction

Frank Flowers was laid down on 9 May 1945, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 3141, by J.A. Jones Construction, Panama City, Florida; she was launched on 22 June 1945.

History

She was allocated to American Export Lines, on 16 July 1945. On 26 October 1945, she was laid up in the Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York, 26 October 1945. On 21 August 1953, she was placed in the, Beaumont Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, Texas. She was sold for scrapping, 15 July 1974, to Luria Brothers and Co., Inc., for $191,889.98. She was removed from the fleet, 5 August 1974.

Bibliography

• "Jones Construction, Panama City FL". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 13 October 2010. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
• Maritime Administration. "Frank Flowers". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
• "SS Frank Flowers". Retrieved 13 December 2019.
• "THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE NAMES". Armed-guard.com. Retrieved 13 December 2019.