SS Patrick Henry

SS Patrick Henry was the first Liberty ship launched. It was built by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation at their Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard in Baltimore, Maryland. She was named after Patrick Henry, an American attorney, planter, and orator best known for his declaration to the Second Virginia Convention: "Give me liberty, or give me death!" A Founding Father, he served as the first and sixth post-colonial Governor of Virginia, from 1776 to 1779 and from 1784 to 1786.

Patrick Henry September 1941
History
United States
Name: Patrick Henry
Namesake: Patrick Henry
Owner: War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator: Lykes Brothers Steamship Co., Inc.
Ordered: as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MCE hull 14
Awarded: 14 March 1941
Builder: Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland[1]
Cost: 1,613,203[2]
Yard number: 2001
Way number: 1
Laid down: 30 April 1941
Launched: 27 September 1941
Sponsored by: Ilo Browne Wallace
Completed: 30 December 1941
Identification:
Fate:
Status: Sold for scrapping, 18 September 1958, withdrawn from fleet, 22 October 1958
General characteristics [3]
Class and type:
Tonnage:
Displacement:
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:
Armament:

Background
Patrick Henry launching on Liberty Fleet Day

Liberty ships initially had a poor public image and to try to assuage public opinion, 27 September 1941, was designated Liberty Fleet Day, and the first 14 "Emergency" vessels were launched that day. The first of these (with MC hull number 14) was Patrick Henry, launched by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.[4] Other "Emergency" vessels launched that day, in various yards around the country included: SS John C. Fremont, SS Louise Lykes, SS Ocean Venture, SS Ocean Voice, SS Star of Oregon, and SS Steel Artisan.[5]

Launching

In the speech delivered at the launching, Roosevelt referred to Patrick Henry's "Give me Liberty, or give me Death!" speech of 23 March 1775. Roosevelt said that this new class of ships would bring liberty to Europe, which gave rise to the name "Liberty ship". Patrick Henry was sponsored by Ilo Browne Wallace, wife of Vice President Henry A. Wallace, with Mrs. Robert H. Jackson, wife of the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, and Madame Bruggmann, wife of the Minister of Switzerland Karl Bruggmann and sister of the vice president. Ilo Wallace christened the ship. The ship's fitting was completed on December 30, 1941.[5]

Service history

Her maiden voyage was to the Middle East. During World War II she made 12 voyages to ports including Murmansk (as part of Convoy PQ 18[6]), Trinidad, Cape Town, Naples, and Dakar.[5]

She survived the war, but was seriously damaged when she went aground on a reef off the coast of Florida, 25°08′N 80°16′W, in July 1946. The ship was laid up at National Defense Reserve Fleet, Mobile, Alabama. On 18 September 1958, she was sold to Bethlehem Steel, for $76,191. She was withdrawn from the fleet on 22 October 1958, and was scrapped at Baltimore.[7][8][6]

gollark: Appearance/Basic Anatomy Their golden scales retain heat better than other dragons. The twin dorsal fins at their shoulders grow slowly. When first born, the golden scales are at their brightest and then dull over time. The dorsal and tail spines are not sharp. The underbelly has harder scales than the rest of the body. Three digits on each wing, with a small claw-like digit at the central joint. Eyes have slit pupils that are bright apple green. The tail is prehensile to a degree and helps steady movements.Hatchling Behavior Hatchlings are timid but curious. At a young age, scales start out sharp. When encountering other metallic dragons, Golds become very talkative. They can’t do much flying until the twin dorsal fins are long enough.Adult Behavior Can be persnickety at times. Absolutely love objects as shiny as they are. Being hunted for their lustrous scales has made them tend to avoid humans. Dislike direct sunlight when in groups. Highly intelligent compared to other breeds. Have studied humans to a small degree but are not particularly impresssed with them.Habitat Can be found near caves. Hatchlings tend not to stay where they are supposed to. Prefer dense wooded areas.Diet Primary diet of large game and pack animals. Are careful to avoid killing off entire herds. “Snack” on nuts, if available.
gollark: Gold what?
gollark: INdeed.
gollark: `his horse travelling with the speed of a thousand gazelles`
gollark: `his horse as fast as a horse capable of moving somewhat above the median speed of horses`

References
  1. Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyards 2008.
  2. MARCOM.
  3. Davies 2004, p. 23.
  4. Sawyer & Mitchell 1985, pp. 7, 36, 117-8, 219.
  5. Vindicatrix.
  6. Hague 2009.
  7. MARAD.
  8. Sawyer & Mitchell 1985, pp. 36.

Bibliography
  • "Bethlehem-Fairfield, Baltimore MD". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 14 August 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  • Maritime Administration. "Patrick Henry". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  • Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 13 February 2020.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • "SS Patrick Henry". Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  • "The "Patrick Henry"" (PDF). TS Vindicatrix Association : Iconic Ships. 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  • Hague, Arnold (2009). "Ports database". convoyweb.org.uk. Retrieved 13 May 2012.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Sawyer, L. A.; Mitchell, W. H. (1985). The Liberty Ships: The History of the "Emergency" Type Cargo Ships Constructed in the United States During the Second World War, (Second ed.). London, England: Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. ISBN 1850440492.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)


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