Our WWII Transport Fleet Had Liberty & Victory Ships
Shipping losses to December 1940 to U-boats alone were 2,606,000 tons, and when mines, bombers, surface raiders and E-boats were included the total rose to 4,523,000 tons. Losses of this magnitude were beyond the replacement capacity of the British shipyards - 40,000 men were released from the armed forces to be returned to the shipyards and docks to clear the huge backlog of 800,000 tons of shipping awaiting repair - and although there was still ample pre-war tonnage afloat under British flag, with the peak of the U-boat strength yet to be reached these figures were clearly ominous. The merchantmen losses from all causes in 1941 were 1,299 ships totaling 4,328,558 tons, an overall loss well beyond the Allies capacity to replace. Of even greater magnitude were the losses of 1942, with U-boats alone exceeding the total losses for 1941 by nearly 2,000,000 tons - 6,226,215 tons - the total loss for the year being 1,664 ships totaling 7,790,697 tons.
The German High Command had calculated that an average loss of 800,000 tons of Allied shipping per month would be enough to ensure an Axis victory, and optimistic reports on estimated tonnage sunk by individual U-boat commanders had led them to believe this was being achieved. The true overall rate of loss throughout 1942 was just under 650,000 tons, a crippling rate and far beyond the Allies replacement capacity, and throughout the grim months of 1942, defeat in the Atlantic, and thus the war, was a thought that haunted the Allies leaders. As serious as the loss of essential imports was the reduction in the rate of the building up of forces in Britain for the assault on Europe, and final victory over Germany.
Liberty Ships
Although Britain's shipyard output had been dramatically increased from the pre-war slump conditions with new intensive shift conditions, manning levels increased, skilled shipwrights exempted from military service and large numbers of women recruited, their output was limited to a maximum of 1,250,000 tons per year. In February 1942, the United States set themselves the ambitious goal of 24,000,000 tons of new ships before the end of that year. To meet this quota of 750 ships for 1942 and around 1,500 ships in 1943, United States yards would have to increase their output of ships from one to three per day. A government-sponsored program had been initiated to build more shipyards and by war's end 99 new yards with a total work force of over 1,500,000 were in operation. However, more yards alone would have never have been enough and an entirely new method of shipping construction was found. Borrowing from the mass-production techniques of the car industry, this method used all-welded construction, prefabrication and a standard design. This principal standardized ship was the 10,000 ton Emergency Cargo 2/large capacity, or EC2, and was based on a British tramp steamer designed in 1879, and was known as the Canadian Park and the United States Liberty ship.
Liberty Ships
The first Liberty ship, the SS Patrick Henry, was launched by the
Bethlehem-Fairfield Yard of Baltimore on September 27, 1941 and a total
of 2,700 would be built in the United States. Training schools for the
platers, welders and shipfitters were established and thousands of women
were employed. The ship yards were paid a fast delivery bonus of between
$60,000 and $140,000 for each $1,500,000 ship. The construction time of
six months for the first Liberty ship was cut back to two months per
ship by mid-1942, and finally to just over a month. The Kaiser
Corporation achieving record construction time when No: 440 was
completed in four days fifteen hours on November 8, 1942. Three days
later the SS Robert E Peary was loading her first cargo. In
addition to their crew, the Liberty ships were manned by Naval Armed
Guard gunners, the Park Ships were manned by Naval Volunteers who were
known as Defensively-Equiped-Merchant-Ship, or DEMS gunners, who were
assisted by the merchant seamen.
Typical Liberty Ship Specifications
Displacement: 10,000 tons standard; 5 holds with over 9,000 tons
capacity
Dimensions: 441 x 56 feet
Propulsion: 3 cylinder, reciprocating steam engine, 2,500 hp, 11
knots
Crew: 44 and between 12 to 25 Naval Armed Guard
Armament: 1 x 4 inch stern gun, 2 x 37 mm bow guns, 4 x .50 cal
machine guns , 2 x .30 cal machine guns
In addition to the cargo carried in her holds, a Liberty ship would also
carry freight such as aircraft, armored vehicles, and locomotives
lashed to her decks. The Liberty ship could carry 2,840 jeeps, 440
tanks, or 230 million rounds of rifle ammunition.
Victory Ships Were To Replace The Liberty Ships
The new Victory
Ships were much faster!
The SS United Victory being fitted out
The Liberty ship having a maximum speed of only eleven knots was of relatively easy prey for the U-boats and in early 1942 designs for a 15 knot ship, the Victory ship or VC2, were begun.
The first of the 534 Victory ships
built, again using the mass-production techniques of the car industry,
the SS United Victory was launched on February 28, 1944. In
comparison to the Liberty Ship, the Victory ship was of sleek lines and
her hull was strengthened.
Typical Victory Ship Specifications
Displacement: 10,000 tons standard; 5 holds with over 9,000 tons
capacity
Dimensions: 455 x 62 feet
Propulsion: cross-compound steam turbine developing 6,000 or 8,500 hp ,
15 knots
Crew: 44 and between 12 to 25 Naval Armed Guard
Armament: 1 x 5 inch stern gun , 1 x 3 inch bow gun , 8 x 20 mm cannon