SS William Crane Gray

SS William Crane Gray
Career (United States)
Name:	William Crane Gray
Namesake:	William Crane Gray
Owner:	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator:	International Freigting Corp.
Ordered:	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 2485
Awarded:	23 April 1943
Builder:	St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida
Cost:	$1,097,202
Yard number:	49
Way number:	1
Laid down:	23 May 1944
Launched:	12 July 1944
Sponsored by:	Mrs. Louie W. Strum
Completed:	27 July 1944
Identification:	Call sign: WRRI
Fate:	Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, North Carolina, 29 May 1948 Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, Texas, 27 May 1952
Status:	Sold for scrapping, 1 May 1972, withdrawn from fleet, 21 July 1972
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 William Crane Gray was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after William Crane Gray, the first bishop of the Episcopal Church's Missionary Jurisdiction of Southern Florida.

Construction

William Crane Gray was laid down on 23 May 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2485, by the St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida; sponsored by Mrs. Louie W. Strum, the niece of the namesake, and was launched on 12 July 1944.

History

She was allocated to the International Freigting Corp., on 27 July 1944. On 29 May 1948, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, North Carolina. On 27 May 1952, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, Texas. She was sold for scrapping, 1 May 1972, to Luria Brothers and Co., for $40,333.33. She was removed from the fleet, 21 July 1972.

Bibliography

• "St. John's River Shipbuilding, Jacksonville FL". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 16 October 2010. http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/emergencylarge/stjohnsriver.htm. 
• Maritime Administration. "William Crane Gray". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. https://vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov/ShipHistory/Detail/5214. 
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)". p. 23. http://www.ww2ships.com/acrobat/us-os-001-f-r00.pdf. 
• "SS William Crane Gray". http://usmaritimecommission.de/query.php?datalist=1&typeofquery=Name%20of%20Ship&valueofquery=William%20Crane%20Gray&code=B2485a.