St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company EC2-S-C1 Cargo Vessel lists and blueprints

Name/Title

St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company EC2-S-C1 Cargo Vessel lists and blueprints

Entry/Object ID

MC14.020

Tags

Merrill, Jacksonville, Merrill-Stevens Engineering Co., Merrill-Stevens Dry-Dock & Repair Company

Scope and Content

As war broke out in Europe in September 1939, President Franklin Roosevelt decided to increase the pace of production to provide ships to America's British allies. The result was the emergency fleet program, which introduced the assembly-line production of standardized ships - the Liberty ships - in 1941. Based on a British design, it could be mass-produced cheaply and quickly using assembly-line methods and could easily be converted to military service needs. The United States designated this new type of ship the EC2 (E for emergency, C for cargo, and 2 for a medium-sized ship between 400 and 450 feet at the waterline). The first of the ships was launched on September 27, 1941. It was named the SS Patrick Henry after the American Revolutionary War patriot who had famously declared, "Give me liberty, or give me death." Consequently, all the EC2 type of emergency cargo ships came to be known as Liberty ships. Ships were named after patriots and heroes of the Revolutionary War, after famous politicians, scientists, artists, and explorers. A Liberty's cost was calculated as $2,000,000.00 and any group that raised such amount could suggest a name for a Liberty ship. The Liberty ships were slightly over 441 feet long and 57 feet wide. They used a 2,500 horsepower steam engine and "sped" through the water at 11knots for a range of 17,000 miles. Liberty ships had five cargo holds and could carry 10,800 deadweight tons and 4,380 net tons. Each Liberty ship carried a crew of 38 -62 civilian merchant sailors and 21-40 naval personnel. Of the 2,710 Liberty ships completed and launched, 229 were lost in throughout the war. In 1941, the Merrill-Stevens Dry-Dock & Repair Company increased its facilities and acquired additional property, including a 12,000ton dry dock. This increase allowed them to become the largest floating dry dock south of Norfolk at the time. Also in 1941, under the direction of James C. Merrill, the company negotiated with the United States Maritime Commission and built a six-ways shipbuilding plant adjacent to his repair yard. The new enterprise was known as the St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company. During the war time period from 1941-46, the Company built 82 Liberty ships and 12 tankers, employing 20,000 at its peak.

Collection

Merrill Collection

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Blueprint

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Copy, Reprographic

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Other Documents

Nomenclature Class

Documentary Objects

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Search Terms

Ship engines, Ship equipment & rigging, Shipbuilding, Shipping, Ships, Shipyards, Navy, Navy yards, Naval warfare, Maritime prints, Boat & ship companies, Boat & ship industry, Boat building, Military facilities, Military organizations, World War II, War effort, War industry, War ships, Blueprints, Construction

Archive Details

Creator

St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company

Date(s) of Creation

1941 - 1945

Archive Notes

Author: ["St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company","United States Maritime Commission\r\nGibbs & Cox, Inc. Agents"]

Archive Items Details

Date(s) of Creation

1941 - 1945

Title

Liberty Ship Design EC2-S-C1 Outboard Profile

Description

Two blueprints: One liberty ship design for the Outboard profile and one liberty ship design for the Inboard profile & 8 holds created for the United States Maritime Commission, Emergency Ship Construction Division by Gibbs & Cox, Inc at the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard in Baltimore, MD. These designs were for all M.C.E. (Maritime Commission Contract Number) hull numbers 913-1022. These blueprints were approved as noted on MCE Letter dated September 24, 1941.

Creator

Gibbs & Cox, Inc. Agents

Date(s) of Creation

1941 - 1942

Container

Location 201.N.102 Container MC14.020 Folder 1

Subjects

Shipyards, Military facilities, Boat building, Shipbuilding, Navy yards, Boat & ship companies, Ships, War industry, Shipping, Construction, Naval warfare, Boat & ship industry, Ship engines, World War II, War effort, Military organizations, Navy, War ships, Maritime prints, Blueprints, Ship equipment & rigging

Notes

Public Access

Title

Liberty Ship Design EC2-S-C1 General Arrangement

Description

One liberty ship design for the General Arrangement for the Second Deck, Upper Deck & Superstructure created for the United States Maritime Commission, Emergency Ship Construction Division at the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard in Baltimore, MD. These designs were for all M.C.E. (Maritime Commission Contract Number) hull numbers 2585-2683. These blueprints were dated December 7, 1943. This plan developed due to rearrangement of quarters as quthorized in U.S.M.C. letter dated June 15, 1943; file 533. This plan also lists 21 alterations, the dates and remarks.

Creator

United States Maritime Commission

Date(s) of Creation

1943 - 1943

Container

Location 201.N.102 Container MC14.020 Folder 2

Subjects

Shipyards, Military facilities, Boat building, Shipbuilding, Navy yards, Boat & ship companies, Ships, War industry, Shipping, Construction, Naval warfare, Boat & ship industry, Ship engines, World War II, War effort, Military organizations, Navy, War ships, Maritime prints, Blueprints, Ship equipment & rigging

Notes

Public Access

Title

Copies of Folders 1 and 2

Description

One liberty ship design for the General Arrangement for the Second Deck, Upper Deck & Superstructure created for the United States Maritime Commission, Emergency Ship Construction Division at the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard in Baltimore, MD. These designs were for all M.C.E. (Maritime Commission Contract Number) hull numbers 2585-2683. These blueprints were dated December 7, 1943. This plan developed due to rearrangement of quarters as quthorized in U.S.M.C. letter dated June 15, 1943; file 533. This plan also lists 21 alterations, the dates and remarks.

Creator

United States Maritime Commission

Date(s) of Creation

1943 - 1943

Container

Location 201.N.102 Container MC14.020 Folder 4

Subjects

Shipyards, Military facilities, Boat building, Shipbuilding, Navy yards, Boat & ship companies, Ships, War industry, Shipping, Construction, Naval warfare, Boat & ship industry, Ship engines, World War II, War effort, Military organizations, Navy, War ships, Maritime prints, Blueprints, Ship equipment & rigging

Notes

Public Access

Title

Additional rolled drawings for Liberty Ship

Creator

United States Maritime Commission

Date(s) of Creation

1943 - 1943

Container

Location 201.N.102 Container MC14.020 Folder 5

Subjects

Shipyards, Military facilities, Boat building, Shipbuilding, Navy yards, Boat & ship companies, Ships, War industry, Shipping, Construction, Naval warfare, Boat & ship industry, Ship engines, World War II, War effort, Military organizations, Navy, War ships, Maritime prints, Blueprints, Ship equipment & rigging

Notes

Public Access

Title

Liberty Ship EC2-S-C1 Cargo Vessel List, 1942-1945

Description

The St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company Cargo Vessel list describing the Name of the hull, hull number, MCE hull number, keel laid date, launch date, dock trial date, sea trial date, delivery date, total number of days from keel laying to delivery, departure date, operating company, sponsor and matron of honor names. The list is three pages long and lists 82 liberty ships. Some information, beginning with the 26 ship launched, the S.S. John White, some information is not complete. The St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company's contract no with the Maritime Commission was MCc-2427 as of March 4, 1942. The list also provides: Length between perpendiculars Breadth, moulded Depth, moulded Deadweight Total displacement Gross tonnage Draft Engine type and horsepower

Creator

St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company Progress Department

Date(s) of Creation

1942 - 1945

Container

Location JHS Archives, Room 201 Container MC14.020 Folder 3

Subjects

Shipyards, Military facilities, Boat building, Shipbuilding, Navy yards, Boat & ship companies, Ships, War industry, Shipping, Construction, Naval warfare, Boat & ship industry, Ship engines, World War II, War effort, Military organizations, Navy, War ships, Maritime prints, Blueprints, Ship equipment & rigging

Notes

Public Access