SS James Iredell

SS James Iredell (MC contract 867) was a Liberty ship in World War II that was attacked in Naples and scuttled on June 8, 1944 to protect Omaha Beach.

History
United States
Name: James Iredell
Namesake: James Iredell
Ordered:
  • as SS James Iredell
  • EC2-S-C1 hull
Yard number: 45
Way number: 9
Laid down: October 25, 1942
Launched: November 29, 1942
Acquired: 1943
Commissioned: 1943
Decommissioned: 1944
Stricken: October 23, 1943 in Naples
Fate: Scuttled on June 8, 1944 to protect Omaha Beach
General characteristics
Class and type: Crater-class cargo ship
Displacement: 4,023 t.(lt) 11,565 t.(fl)
Length: 441 ft 6 in (134.57 m)
Beam: 56 ft 11 in (17.35 m)
Draft: 28 ft 4 in (8.64 m)
Propulsion: reciprocating steam engine, single shaft
Speed: 12 kts.
Complement: 206

History

SS James Iredell had its keel laid down on 25 October 1942 by the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company of Wilmington, North Carolina. She was launched on 29 November 1942. She suffered minor damage while in a convoy in 1943.

She was quickly repaired, and bombed in Naples on 23 October 1943, with three direct hits.[1][2][3] The gasoline the ship was transporting caught on fire and the ship was abandoned. The fire burned for 64 hours, but there were no casualties among the 44-man merchant crew, the 28-man United States Navy contingent, or the 28 passengers.[4]

She was repaired, and was sunk as a blockship off Omaha Beach on 8 June 1944.[5]

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References
  1. Liberty ships: the ugly ducklings of World War II. 1972. The SS James Iredell, a veteran of the Mediterranean campaign, was one of the first ...
  2. Justin F. Gleichauf. Unsung sailors: the Naval Armed Guard in World War II. p. 290. The SS James Iredell seemed to have a charmed life. She made it back after sustaining a torpedo attack, three direct bomb hits, concussion damage from an ...
  3. "The Landings at Salerno". United States Navy. Retrieved July 23, 2010. On October 23 bombs fell within 200 yards of the ship and on October 23 she was present when the Joseph T. Robinson and the James Iredell were hit by enemy bombers.
  4. "SS James Iredell". Retrieved July 23, 2010. German planes raid shipping off Naples, Italy; U.S. freighter James Iredell is hit by three bombs that set alight the ship's gasoline cargo. Although the ship is abandoned and the fire burns for 64 hours until it is ultimately put out, there are no casualties among the 44-man merchant crew, the 28-man Armed Guard or the 28 passengers.
  5. "SS James Iredell". Retrieved July 23, 2010.
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