SS Will Rogers
History | |
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Name | Will Rogers |
Namesake | Will Rogers |
Owner | War Shipping Administration (WSA) |
Operator | |
Ordered | as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MCE hull 923 |
Awarded | 1 January 1942 |
Builder | Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland[2] |
Cost | $1,061,559[1] |
Yard number | 2073 |
Way number | 15 |
Laid down | 11 October 1942 |
Launched | 8 November 1942 |
Sponsored by | Betty Rogers |
Completed | 27 November 1942 |
Identification | |
Fate |
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Status | Sold for scrapping, 12 March 1971, removed from fleet, 25 March 1961 |
General characteristics [3] | |
Class and type |
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Tonnage | |
Displacement |
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Length | |
Beam | 57 feet (17 m) |
Draft | 27 ft 9.25 in (8.4646 m) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion |
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Speed | 11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph) |
Capacity |
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Complement |
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Armament |
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SS Will Rogers was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Will Rogers, an American stage and film actor, vaudeville performer, cowboy, humorist, newspaper columnist, and social commentator from Oklahoma.
Construction[]
Will Rogers was laid down on 11 October 1942, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCE hull 923, by the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland; she was sponsored by Betty Rogers, the widow of Will Rogers, and was launched on 11 November 1942.[2][1]
History[]
She was allocated to , on 27 November 1942.[4]
On 12 April 1945, at 15:00, while steaming in , Will Rogers was torpedoed by U-1024, in the Irish Sea, at 53°48′N 4°46′W / 53.800°N 4.767°W. She was struck on the starboard side in the #1 hold, which caused flooding in the hold and the forepeak. Will Rogers was then taken in tow and beached off of Holyhead, near , which had also been torpedoed by U-1024 on 7 April. The two ships were refloated on 23 April, and towed to Liverpool, for repairs. Will Rogers returned to service on 1 December 1945.[5]
On 12 April 1948, she was first laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, Texas. On 21 December 1949, she was returned to the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, Texas. On 9 April 1952, she was laid up in National Defense Reserve Fleet, Mobile, Alabama. On 12 March 1971, she was sold for scrapping to , for $41,400. She was removed from the fleet on 25 March 1971.[4]
References[]
Bibliography[]
- "Bethlehem-Fairfield, Baltimore MD". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 14 August 2008. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- Maritime Administration. "Will Rogers". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- "SS Will Rogers". Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- "Will Rogers". Retrieved 28 May 2021.
- Liberty ships
- Ships built in Baltimore
- 1942 ships
- Beaumont Reserve Fleet
- Mobile Reserve Fleet
- Ships attacked by German U-boats