SS William B. Woods was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. Named after William B. Woods, an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and a member of the Ohio General Assembly.

History
United States
NameWilliam B. Woods
NamesakeWilliam B. Woods
OwnerWar Shipping Administration (WSA)
OperatorA. H. Bull & Company, Inc.
Orderedas type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 1490
BuilderJ.A. Jones Construction, Brunswick, Georgia
Cost$2,740,069[1]
Yard number106
Way number2
Laid down6 July 1942
Launched13 March 1943
Sponsored byMrs. Emil J. Kratt
Completed7 May 1943
Identification
FateTorpedoed off Italy, 10 March 1944
General characteristics [2]
Class and type
Tonnage
Displacement
Length
  • 441 feet 6 inches (135 m) oa
  • 416 feet (127 m) pp
  • 427 feet (130 m) lwl
Beam57 feet (17 m)
Draft27 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
Speed11.5 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
Armament

Construction

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William B. Woods was laid down on 21 July 1942, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 1490, by J.A. Jones Construction, Brunswick, Georgia; sponsored by Mrs.Emil J.Kratt, and launched on 7 April 1943.[3][1]

History

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She was allocated to A. H. Bull & Company, Inc. on 31 May 1943. On 10 March 1944, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-952 near Palermo, Italy, 38°26′N 13°30′E / 38.43°N 13.50°E / 38.43; 13.50, with the loss of one US Navy Armed Guard and fifty-one US Army personnel.[4][5]

References

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Bibliography

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  • "Jones Construction, Brunswick GA". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 13 October 2010. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  • "Liberty Ships – World War II". Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  • Maritime Administration. "William B. Woods". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  • Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  • "SS William B. Woods". Retrieved 4 November 2017.