SS William A. Graham
Encyclopedia
The SS William A. Graham was a World War II Liberty ship
built in Wilmington, North Carolina
. One of 2,700 cargo ships produced during an emergency shipbuilding program, the Graham was named for William Alexander Graham
, a 19th century governor of North Carolina and a U.S. Secretary of the Navy.
Constructed in eight weeks, the 441-foot steamship was launched on July 26, 1942 and operated by J.H. Winchester & Co. of New York. On her maiden voyage carrying Lend Lease supplies to Karachi
, the Graham narrowly evaded a wolf pack of German submarines off Cape Town
in October 1942. The ship had a second close encounter with the enemy in June 1944, when German bombers attacked the harbor at Anzio
where the Graham lay at anchor with six other merchantmen.
A record of the Graham’s maiden voyage is preserved in the diary of the ship’s first assistant engineer, Everett S. Ransom. Copies of the diary have been donated to nearly 30 libraries and museums around the United States, including the Lower Cape Fear Historical Society, the North Carolina Collection at UNC-Chapel Hill, and the Nimitz Library of the United States Naval Academy
.
After the war, the Graham carried cargo under different operators until being mothballed in 1952 in a reserve fleet in Mobile, Alabama
. In 1972, the ship was purchased for scrap and dismantled by the Union Minerals and Alloys Corporation.
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were cargo ships built in the United States during World War II. Though British in conception, they were adapted by the U.S. as they were cheap and quick to build, and came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output. Based on vessels ordered by Britain to replace ships torpedoed by...
built in Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
. One of 2,700 cargo ships produced during an emergency shipbuilding program, the Graham was named for William Alexander Graham
William Alexander Graham
William Alexander Graham was a United States Senator from North Carolina from 1840 to 1843, the 30th Governor of North Carolina from 1845 to 1849 and United States Secretary of the Navy from 1850 to 1852. He was also a candidate for the vice-presidency in 1852.-Education:Graham was born near...
, a 19th century governor of North Carolina and a U.S. Secretary of the Navy.
Constructed in eight weeks, the 441-foot steamship was launched on July 26, 1942 and operated by J.H. Winchester & Co. of New York. On her maiden voyage carrying Lend Lease supplies to Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, the Graham narrowly evaded a wolf pack of German submarines off Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
in October 1942. The ship had a second close encounter with the enemy in June 1944, when German bombers attacked the harbor at Anzio
Anzio
Anzio is a city and comune on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola and Ventotene...
where the Graham lay at anchor with six other merchantmen.
A record of the Graham’s maiden voyage is preserved in the diary of the ship’s first assistant engineer, Everett S. Ransom. Copies of the diary have been donated to nearly 30 libraries and museums around the United States, including the Lower Cape Fear Historical Society, the North Carolina Collection at UNC-Chapel Hill, and the Nimitz Library of the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
.
After the war, the Graham carried cargo under different operators until being mothballed in 1952 in a reserve fleet in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. In 1972, the ship was purchased for scrap and dismantled by the Union Minerals and Alloys Corporation.
External links
Sources
- To Karachi and Back on the William A. Graham: The Wartime Writings of a Merchant Mariner, 1942-43, 2005, by Everett S. Ransom LCCN 2004094916
- Five Years of North Carolina Shipbuilding, 1946, by North Carolina Shipbuilding Company
- Ships for Victory: A History of Shipbuilding under the U.S. Maritime Commission in World War II, by Frederic C. Lane ISBN 0801867525