SS James L. Ackerson

Summary

SS James L. Ackerson was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after James L. Ackerson, a naval constructor and the general manager and vice president of the US Shipping Board Emergency Fleet Corporation from 1918-1920.

History
United States
NameJames L. Ackerson
NamesakeJames L. Ackerson
OwnerWar Shipping Administration (WSA)
OperatorWessel Duval & Company
Orderedas type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 2468
Awarded23 April 1943
BuilderSt. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida[2]
Cost$1,304,445[1]
Yard number32
Way number2
Laid down11 January 1944
Launched29 February 1944
Sponsored byMrs. James L.Ackerson
Completed16 March 1944
Identification
Fate
Greece
NameCaptain John Matarangas
OwnerStavros S. Niarchos
OperatorSimpson, Spence and Young
FateSold, 1950
Greece
NameArtemis
OwnerTropis Co., Ltd.
FateScrapped, 1967
General characteristics [3]
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 edit

James L. Ackerson was laid down on 1 January 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2468, by the St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida; she was sponsored by Mrs. James L. Ackerson, the widow of the namesake, and was launched on 29 February 1944.[2][1]

History edit

She was allocated to the Wessel Duval & Company, on 16 March 1944. On 18 May 1946, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, California. She was sold for commercial use, 22 January 1947, to Stavros S. Niarchos, for $544,506. She was removed from the fleet on 27 January 1947. James L. Ackerson was renamed Captain John Matarangas and flagged in Greece. She was renamed Artemis in 1952, and scrapped in Japan, in 1967.[4]

References edit

Bibliography edit

  • "St. John's River Shipbuilding, Jacksonville FL". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 16 October 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  • Maritime Administration. "James L. Ackerson". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  • Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  • "SS James L. Ackerson". Retrieved 20 January 2020.