SS John Henry

SS John Henry
Career (United States)
Name:	John Henry
Namesake:	John Henry
Owner:	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator:	Eastern Steamship Co.
Ordered:	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MCE hull 45
Awarded:	14 March 1941
Builder:	Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland
Cost:	$1,052,507
Yard number:	2032
Way number:	13
Laid down:	14 April 1942
Launched:	18 June 1942
Sponsored by:	Mrs. F.D. Purse
Completed:	6 July 1942
Identification:	Call sign: KFID
Fate:	Laid up in the James River Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, Virginia, 29 September 1947
Status:	Sold for scrapping, 12 September 1972, withdrawn from fleet, 6 November 1972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 Worthington Pump & Machinery Corp, Harrison, New Jersey) 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 John Henry was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after John Henry, the eighth Governor of Maryland and member of the United States Senate.

Construction

John Henry was laid down on 14 April 1942, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCE hull 45, by the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland; she was sponsored by Mrs. F.D. Purse, the wife of the MARCOM district marine surveyor of Baltimore, and was launched on 18 June 1942.

History

John Henry was allocated to Eastern Steamship Co., on 6 July 1942. On 29 September 1947, she was laid up in the James River Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, Virginia. On 23 May 1954, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain under the "Grain Program 1954", she returned loaded on 30 May 1954. On 24 June 1960, John Henry was withdrawn to be unload, she returned empty on 11 July 1960. On 27 October 1960, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain under the "Grain Program 1960", she returned loaded on 9 November 1960. On 22 April 1963, John Henry was withdrawn to be unload, she returned empty on 2 May 1963. She was sold for scrapping on 12 September 1972, to Isaac Varela, for $80,007. She was removed from the fleet, 6 November 1972.

Bibliography

• "Bethlehem-Fairfield, Baltimore MD". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 14 August 2008. http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/emergencylarge/bethfairfield.htm. 
• Maritime Administration. "John Henry". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. https://vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov/ShipHistory/Detail/2590. 
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)". p. 23. http://www.ww2ships.com/acrobat/us-os-001-f-r00.pdf. 
• "SS John Henry". http://usmaritimecommission.de/query.php?datalist=1&typeofquery=Name%20of%20Ship&valueofquery=John%20Henry&code=B0045a.