SS James Iredell

The SS James Iredell was a liberty ship in World War II that was attacked in Naples and scuttled on June 8, 1944 to protect Omaha Beach.

History
The SS James Iredell had its keel laid down on October 25, 1942 by the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company of Wilmington, North Carolina. She was launched on November 29, 1942. She suffered minor damaged while in a convoy in 1943.

She was quickly repaired, and bombed in Naples on October 23, 1943, with three direct hits. The gasoline the ship was transporting caught on fire and the ship was abandoned. The fire burned for 64 hours, but there were no casualties among the 44-man merchant crew, the 28-man United States Navy contingent, or the 28 passengers.

She was repaired, and was sunk as a blockship off Omaha Beach on June 8, 1944.