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Liberty Ship was SS John Steele I have been searching for info on the ship the "John Steel" It may have been the SS but I cant confirm that. It was a Liberty Ship and it did take the 2/2 AIF Bn to Pt Morsby. It gets a mention in the book on the 2/2 the Purple over Green by Historian S. Wick and I can only find 2 references to it on the web as the SS John Steel. Regards
I believe your Liberty Ship was SS John Steele, She was built by the California Ship Building Corporation at Terminal Island California. This company in all produced 336 Liberty Ships and 30 Tankers. Her Maritime Commission Number was 289, and the Builders Number 38 ( ie. she was the 38th. Liberty built at this yard ) The ship was built on their No 9 Way, the keel laid down on the 30th. of April 1942, launched on the 26th. of June 1942, and delivered to the Maritime Commission on the 14th. of July 1942. She was 52 days on the Way, and 23 days in the water fitting out, so, in all the ship was completed in 75 days. The ship was used at the Normandy landings in June of 1944, carrying troops and army vehicles from UK to the beachhead. I believe the main guide to naming Liberty Ships was that they were all named after deceased persons, who had been emminent Americans from all walks of life who had made a notable contribution in history or to the culture of the US. In all, 2,757 Liberty Ships were built under this programme, each was 441 feet in length, with a 56 foot beam. They had a 3 cylinder reciprocating engine with 2 oil fired boilers, and developed 2,520 horse power to give an 11 knot speed. Their 5 holds could carry 9,000 tons of cargo, or 2,800 jeeps, or 440 tanks, or 280 million rounds of ammunition. Their crew numbered 44, with 12 to 25 Naval armed Guard, and had a 4 inch stern gun, two 37 mm bow guns, and six 20mm machine guns. I have not found a specific photo of John Steele, nor any more of her history, other than she was scrapped in 1961. This is the URL for her builder; it had some details about them. If I unearth any further detail about her, I will naturally pass it on to you Wayne. All the best, Mac. |
