SS Fred C. Stebbins

SS Fred C. Stebbins
Career (United States)
Name:	Fred C. Stebbins
Namesake:	Fred C. Stebbins
Owner:	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator:	Union Sulphur & Oil Co., Inc.
Ordered:	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 2513
Awarded:	23 April 1943
Builder:	St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida
Cost:	$981,676
Yard number:	77
Way number:	5
Laid down:	24 November 1944
Launched:	30 December 1944
Sponsored by:	Mrs. Fred C. Stebbins
Completed:	11 January 1945
Identification:	Call sign: ANFE
Fate:	Laid up in the, James River Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, Virginia, 16 December 1947
Status:	Transferred to US Navy, 3 February 1960, for armament testing
General characteristics
Class & 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 ft 6 in (135 m)
Beam:	56 ft 10.75 in (17.3419 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:	2 × oil-fired boilers 1 × triple-expansion steam engine, 2,500 horsepower (1,900 kW) (manufactured by Hamilton Engine Co., Hamilton, Ohio) 1 × screw propeller
Speed:	11.5 knots (21.3 km/h)
Capacity:	10,800 long tons deadweight (DWT)
Complement:	41
Armament:	Stern-mounted 4"/50 caliber (102 mm) gun for use against surfaced submarines variety of anti-aircraft guns

SS Fred C. Stebbins was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Fred C. Stebbins, a Merchant seaman killed on the Liberty ship SS Johnathan Sturges, 24 February 1943, when she was struck and sunk by a torpedo from German submarine U-707.

Construction

Fred C. Stebbins was laid down on 24 November 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2513, by the St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida; she was sponsored by Mrs. Fred C. Stebbins, the mother of the namesake, and was launched on 30 December 1944.

History

She was allocated to the Union Sulphur & Oil Co.Inc., on 11 January 1945. On 16 December 1947, she was laid up in the James River Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, Virginia. On 21 July 1953, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain under the "Grain Program 1953", she returned loaded on 6 August 1953. On 31 October 1955, she was withdrawn to be unload, she returned reloaded with grain on 7 November 1955. On 26 March 1956, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be unloaded, she returned empty on 20 April 1956. She was transferred to the US Navy, 5 February 1960, for armament testing.

Bibliography

• "St. John's River Shipbuilding, Jacksonville FL". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 16 October 2010. http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/emergencylarge/stjohnsriver.htm. 
• Maritime Administration. "Fred C. Stebbins". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. https://vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov/ShipHistory/Detail/1742. 
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)". p. 23. http://www.ww2ships.com/acrobat/us-os-001-f-r00.pdf. 
• "SS Fred C. Stebbins". http://usmaritimecommission.de/query.php?datalist=1&typeofquery=Name%20of%20Ship&valueofquery=Fred%20C.Stebbins&code=B2513a. 
• "SS Jonathan Sturges". www.Uboat.net. https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/2695.html.