SS William D. Bloxham

SS William D. Bloxham
Career (United States)
Name:	William D. Bloxham
Namesake:	William D. Bloxham
Owner:	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator:	William J. Rountree & Company
Ordered:	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 2306
Builder:	J.A. Jones Construction, Panama City, Florida
Cost:	$951,652
Yard number:	47
Way number:	2
Laid down:	5 May 1944
Launched:	13 June 1944
Sponsored by:	Miss Joan Blair
Completed:	28 June 1944
Identification:	Call Signal: WQZR
Fate:	Sold to Italy, 18 January 1947
Career (Italy)
Name:	Sistiana
Namesake:	Sistiana
Owner:	Lloyd Triestino, Trieste, Italy
Acquired:	30 January 1947
Fate:	Sold, 1963
Career (United Kingdom)
Name:	Soclyve
Owner:	Oceanica Transports Co., Malta
Operator:	Union Maritime & Shipping Co., London
Acquired:	1963
Fate:	Sold, 1969
Career (Cyprus)
Name:	Mitera Irini
Owner:	Polarus Shipping Co., Famagusta, Cyprus
Acquired:	1969
Fate:	Scrapped, 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 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 William D. Bloxham was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after William D. Bloxham, the Secretary of State of Florida (1877–1880) and the 13th and 17th Governor of Florida(1881–1885 and 1897–1901).

Construction

William D. Bloxham was laid down on 5 May 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2306, by J.A. Jones Construction, Panama City, Florida; she was sponsored by Miss Joan Blair, and launched on 13 June 1944.

History

She was allocated to William J. Rountree & Company, on 28 June 1944. On 11 June 1946, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, in the James River Group. On 18 January 1947, she was transferred to the Italian Government, which in turn sold her for $549,813.52 to Lloyd Triestino, Trieste, Italy, for commercial use. She was renamed Sistiana. After being sold to a couple more owners she was scrapped in 1972.

Bibliography

• "Jones Construction, Panama City FL". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 13 October 2010. http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/emergencylarge/jonespanamacity.htm. 
• "Liberty Ships – World War II". http://www.glynngen.com/nautical/glynn/libertyships.htm. 
• Maritime Administration. "William D. Bloxham". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. https://vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov/sh/ShipHistory/Detail/5219. 
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)". p. 23. http://www.ww2ships.com/acrobat/us-os-001-f-r00.pdf. 
• "SS William D. Bloxham ". http://usmaritimecommission.de/.