SS James B. Duke

SS James B. Duke
Career (United States)
Name:	James B. Duke
Namesake:	James B. Duke
Ordered:	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 2362
Builder:	J.A. Jones Construction, Brunswick, Georgia
Cost:	$1,062,861
Yard number:	147
Way number:	1
Laid down:	29 April 1944
Launched:	19 June 1944
Sponsored by:	Mrs.Doris Duke Cromwell
Completed:	30 June 1944
Identification:	Call Signal: WPZA
Fate:	Laid up in National Defense Reserve Fleet, Mobile, Alabama, 23 September 1949 Laid up in National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, Texas, 30 March 1952
Status:	Sold for scrapping, 1 May 1972
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 Joshua Hendy Iron Works, Sunnyvale, California) 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 James B. Duke was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after James B. Duke, founder of the American Tobacco Company, co-founder of Duke Energy, and establisher of The Duke Endowment.

Construction

James B. Duke was laid down on 29 April 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2362, by J.A. Jones Construction, Brunswick, Georgia; she was sponsored by Mrs.Doris Duke Cromwell, daughter of James Duke, and launched on 19 June 1944.

History

She was allocated to Wessel Duval & Company, on 30 June 1944. On 23 September 1949, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Mobile, Alabama. On 30 March 1952, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Beaumont, Texas. On 1 May 1972, she was sold to Luria Brothers & Company, for $40,333.33, for scrapping. She was removed from the fleet on 27 June 1972.

Bibliography

• "Jones Construction, Brunswick GA". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 13 October 2010. http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/emergencylarge/jonesbrunswick.htm. 
• "Liberty Ships – World War II". http://www.glynngen.com/nautical/glynn/libertyships.htm. 
• Maritime Administration. "James B. Duke". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. https://vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov/sh/ShipHistory/Detail/2371. 
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)". p. 23. http://www.ww2ships.com/acrobat/us-os-001-f-r00.pdf. 
• "SS James B. Duke". http://usmaritimecommission.de/.