SS R. J. Reynolds

SS R.J. Reynolds was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after R. J. Reynolds, founder of the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.

History
United States
Name:	R.J. Reynolds
Namesake:	R. J. Reynolds
Ordered:	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 2377
Builder:	J.A. Jones Construction, Brunswick, Georgia
Cost:	$947,562[1]
Yard number:	162
Way number:	4
Laid down:	19 August 1944
Launched:	30 September 1944
Sponsored by:	Mrs. Richard J.E. Reynolds Jr.
Completed:	12 October 1944
Identification:	Call Signal: KSLD [1]
Fate:	Laid up in National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, North Carolina, 11 January 1947
Status:	Sold for scrapping, 13 December 1957
General characteristics [2]
Class and 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 feet 6 inches (135 m) oa 416 feet (127 m) pp 427 feet (130 m) lwl
Beam:	57 feet (17 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:	1 × triple-expansion steam engine,  (manufactured by General Machinery Corp., Hamilton, Ohio) 1 × screw propeller
Speed:	11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity:	562,608 cubic feet (15,931 m^3) (grain) 499,573 cubic feet (14,146 m^3) (bale)
Complement:	38–62 USMM 21–40 USNAG
Armament:	Varied by ship Bow-mounted 3 inches (76 mm)/50 caliber gun Stern-mounted 4 inches (102 mm)/50 caliber gun 2–8 × single 20 millimeters (0.79 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons and/or, 2–8 × 37 millimeters (1.46 in) M1 AA guns

Construction

R.J. Reynolds was laid down on 19 August 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2377, by J.A. Jones Construction, Brunswick, Georgia; she was sponsored by Mrs. Richard J.E. Reynolds Jr., and launched on 30 September 1944.[3][1]

History

She was allocated to Black Diamond Steamship Co., on 12 October 1944. On 11 January 1947, she laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Wilmington, North Carolina. On 13 December 1957, she was sold for $88,636, to Boston Metals Scrap Company, for scrapping. She was removed from the fleet on 8 February 1958.[4][5]

References

1. MARCOM.
2. Davies 2004, p. 23.
3. J.A. Brunswick 2010.
4. Liberty Ships.
5. MARAD.

Bibliography

• "Jones Construction, Brunswick GA". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 13 October 2010. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
• "Liberty Ships – World War II". Retrieved 14 November 2017.
• Maritime Administration. "R.J. Reynolds". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 14 November 2017.
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 14 November 2017.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• "SS R.J. Reynolds". Retrieved 14 November 2017.