SS Benjamin F. Coston

SS Benjamin F. Coston
Career (United States)
Name:	Benjamin F. Coston
Namesake:	Benjamin F. Coston
Owner:	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator:	Union Sulphur & Oil Co. Inc.
Ordered:	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 2318
Builder:	J.A. Jones Construction, Panama City, Florida
Cost:	$925,723
Yard number:	59
Way number:	3
Laid down:	31 July 1944
Launched:	6 September 1944
Completed:	23 September 1944
Identification:	Call sign: KSSN
Fate:	Placed in National Defense Reserve Fleet, Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York, 14 May 1946 Placed in National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, North Carolina, 21 September 1947
Status:	Sold for scrapping, 8 October 1964
General characteristics
Class & 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 ft 6 in (135 m)
Beam:	56 ft 10.75 in (17.3419 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:	2 × oil-fired boilers 1 × triple-expansion steam engine, 2,500 horsepower (1,900 kW) (manufactured by Hamilton Engine Co., Hamilton, Ohio) 1 × screw propeller
Speed:	11.5 knots (21.3 km/h)
Capacity:	10,800 long tons deadweight (DWT)
Complement:	41
Armament:	Stern-mounted 4"/50 caliber (102 mm) gun for use against surfaced submarines variety of anti-aircraft guns

SS Benjamin F. Coston was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Benjamin F. Coston, a US Navy officer and scientist. Coston was the chief scientist at the Washington Navy Yard, and is credited with inventing the Coston Signal Flare.

Construction

Benjamin F. Coston was laid down on 31 July 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2318, by J.A. Jones Construction, Panama City, Florida; and launched on 6 September 1944.

History

She was allocated to Union Sulphur & Oil Co. Inc., 23 September 1944. On 27 October 1945, she struck a mine while sailing to Genoa, Italy. On 14 May 1946, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York.

She was reallocated to Union Sulphur & Oil Co. Inc., 10 July 1946, 28 March 1947, and 15 August 1947, before being placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, North Carolina, 21 September 1947. She was sold for scrapping, 9 July 1964, to Imperial Salvage Corp., for $48,620. She was withdrawn from the fleet, 8 October 1964.

Bibliography

• "Jones Construction, Panama City FL". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 13 October 2010. http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/emergencylarge/jonespanamacity.htm. 
• Maritime Administration. "Benjamin F. Coston". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. https://vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov/ShipHistory/Detail/469.  This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)". p. 23. http://www.ww2ships.com/acrobat/us-os-001-f-r00.pdf. 
• "SS Benjamin F. Coston". http://usmaritimecommission.de/query.php?datalist=1&typeofquery=Name%20of%20Ship&valueofquery=Benjamin%20F.Coston&code=B2318a.