SS William Byrd

History
United States
Name	William Byrd
Namesake	William Byrd II
Owner	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator	United Fruit Co.
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 1203
Builder	St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida
Cost	$2,068,703
Yard number	11
Way number	5
Laid down	24 May 1943
Launched	20 August 1943
Sponsored by	Miss Marjorie Byrd McCarty
Completed	5 September 1943
Identification	Call sign: KXMB
Fate	Placed in the James River Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, Virginia, 11 March 1948 Sold for scrapping, 22 January 1973, withdrawn from fleet, 18 May 1973
General characteristics
Class and 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 feet 6 inches (135 m) oa 416 feet (127 m) pp 427 feet (130 m) lwl
Beam	57 feet (17 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	1 × triple-expansion steam engine,  (manufactured by Filer and Stowell, Milwaukee, Wisconsin) 1 × screw propeller
Speed	11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity	562,608 cubic feet (15,931 m3) (grain) 499,573 cubic feet (14,146 m3) (bale)
Complement	38–62 USMM 21–40 USNAG
Armament	Varied by ship Bow-mounted 3 inches (76 mm)/50 caliber gun Stern-mounted 4 inches (102 mm)/50 caliber gun 2–8 × single 20 millimeters (0.79 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons and/or, 2–8 × 37 millimeters (1.46 in) M1 AA guns

SS William Byrd was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after William Byrd, an American planter and author from Charles City County, in colonial Virginia. He is considered the founder of Richmond, Virginia.

Construction

William Byrd was laid down on 24 May 1943, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 1203, by the St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida; she was sponsored by Miss Marjorie Byrd McCarty, a descendant of the namesake, she was launched on 20 August 1943.

History

She was allocated to the United Fruit Co., on 5 September 1943. On 11 March 1948, she was placed in the James River Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, Virginia. On 11 August 1953, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain under the "Grain Program 1953", she returned loaded with grain on 28 August 1953. She was again withdrawn from the fleet on 2 June 1956, to have the grain unloaded, she returned reloaded on 30 June 1956. On 16 March 1960, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be unloaded, she returned empty on 28 March 1960. She was sold for scrapping, 22 January 1973, to Luria Brothers and Company, for $59,577.75. She was withdrawn from the fleet, 18 May 1973.

Bibliography

• "St. John's River Shipbuilding, Jacksonville FL". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 16 October 2010. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
• Maritime Administration. "William Byrd". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 30 December 2019.
• "SS William Byrd". Retrieved 30 December 2019.