SS John Henry

SS John Henry was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after John Henry, the eighth Governor of Maryland and member of the United States Senate.

History
United States
Name	John Henry
Namesake	John Henry
Owner	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator	Eastern Steamship Co.
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MCE hull 45
Awarded	14 March 1941
Builder	Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland
Cost	$1,052,507
Yard number	2032
Way number	13
Laid down	14 April 1942
Launched	18 June 1942
Sponsored by	Mrs. F.D. Purse
Completed	6 July 1942
Identification	Call sign: KFID
Fate	Laid up in the James River Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, Virginia, 29 September 1947 Sold for scrapping, 12 September 1972, withdrawn from fleet, 6 November 1972
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 Worthington Pump & Machinery Corp, Harrison, New Jersey) 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-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

John Henry was laid down on 14 April 1942, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCE hull 45, by the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland; she was sponsored by Mrs. F.D. Purse, the wife of the MARCOM district marine surveyor of Baltimore, and was launched on 18 June 1942.

History

John Henry was allocated to Eastern Steamship Co., on 6 July 1942. On 29 September 1947, she was laid up in the James River Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, Virginia. On 23 May 1954, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain under the "Grain Program 1954", she returned loaded on 30 May 1954. On 24 June 1960, John Henry was withdrawn to be unload, she returned empty on 11 July 1960. On 27 October 1960, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain under the "Grain Program 1960", she returned loaded on 9 November 1960. On 22 April 1963, John Henry was withdrawn to be unload, she returned empty on 2 May 1963. She was sold for scrapping on 12 September 1972, to Isaac Varela, for $80,007. She was removed from the fleet, 6 November 1972.

Bibliography

• "Bethlehem-Fairfield, Baltimore MD". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 14 August 2008. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
• Maritime Administration. "John Henry". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
• "SS John Henry". Retrieved 26 February 2020.