SS Richard K. Call

History
United States
Name	Richard K. Call
Namesake	Richard K. Call
Owner	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator	United States Navigation Company
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 2473
Awarded	23 April 1943
Builder	St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida
Cost	$1,128,059
Yard number	37
Way number	1
Laid down	21 February 1944
Launched	15 April 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs. Lee S. White
Completed	28 April 1944
Identification	Call sign: KXBB
Fate	Laid up in the, James River Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, Virginia, 17 December 1947 Laid up in the, Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York, 26 April 1952 Sold for scrapping, 12 January 1970, removed from fleet, 16 April 1970
General characteristics
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 m3) (grain) 499,573 cubic feet (14,146 m3) (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

SS Richard K. Call was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Richard K. Call, an American attorney and politician, the 3rd and 5th territorial governor of Florida. Before that, he was elected to the Florida Territorial Council and as a delegate to the US Congress from Florida.

Construction

Richard K. Call was laid down on 21 February 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2473, by the St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida; she was sponsored by Mrs. Lee S. White, a yard employee, and was launched on 15 April 1944.

History

She was allocated to the United States Navigation Company, on 28 April 1944. On 17 December 1947, she was laid up in the James River Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, Virginia. On 26 April 1952, she was laid up in the Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York. On 27 April 1953, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain under the "Grain Program 1953", she returned loaded on 7 May 1953. On 22 January 1958, she was withdrawn to be unload, she returned on empty 30 January 1958. On 13 August 1958, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain under the "Grain Program 1958", she returned loaded on 28 August 1958. On 15 April 1959, she was withdrawn to be unload, she returned on empty 22 April 1959. She was sold for scrapping, 12 January 1970, to Union Minerals and Alloys Corporation, for $41,273.54. She was removed from the fleet on 16 April 1970.

Bibliography

• "St. John's River Shipbuilding, Jacksonville FL". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 16 October 2010. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
• Maritime Administration. "Richard K. Call". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
• "SS Richard K. Call". Retrieved 21 January 2020.