SS John Sergeant

History
United States
Name	John Sergeant
Namesake	John Sergeant
Owner	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator	Marine Transport Lines, Inc.
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MCE hull 63
Awarded	14 March 1941
Builder	Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland
Cost	$1,075,184
Yard number	2050
Way number	2
Laid down	6 July 1942
Launched	21 August 1942
Completed	5 September 1942
Refit	converted to EC2-G-8f, 26 September 1956
Identification	Call sign: KGKG
Fate	Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Mobile, Alabama, 23 July 1948 Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, Texas, 7 October 1949 Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, North Carolina, 18 July 1952 Withdrawn from fleet for conversion, 14 September 1955 Transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service, 26 September 1956
United States
Name	John Sergeant
Owner	Military Sea Transportation Service
Operator	United States Lines Co.
Cost	$2,450,000 (refit cost)
In service	26 September 1956
Out of service	11 September 1959
Fate	Laid up in the James River Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, Virginia, 11 September 1959 Sold for scrapping, 28 March 1972, withdrawn from fleet, 20 April 1972
General characteristics
Class and type	Liberty ship type EC2-S-C1, standard
Type	EC2-G-8f (1955-) (refit)
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 ft 6 in (134.57 m) oa 467 ft 3 in (142.42 m) oa (refit)
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) (removed in refit) 2,500 hp (1,900 kW) gas generators (refit) Gas turbine 6,000 hp (4,500 kW) (refit)
Propulsion	1 × triple-expansion steam engine, (manufactured by Worthington Pump & Machinery Corp, Harrison, New Jersey) (removed in refit) 1 × Geared reduction drive (refit) 1 × screw propeller
Speed	11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph) 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph) (refit trial)
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
Notes	New cargo handling gear installed during refit

SS John Sergeant was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after John Sergeant, an American politician who represented Pennsylvania in the United States House of Representatives. He was the National Republican Party's vice presidential nominee in the 1832 presidential election, serving on a ticket with Senator Henry Clay.

Construction

John Sergeant was laid down on 6 July 1942, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCE hull 63, by the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland; and was launched on 21 August 1942.

History

She was allocated to Marine Transport Lines, Inc., on 5 September 1942.

On 23 July 1948, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Mobile, Alabama. On 7 October 1949, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Beaumont, Texas. On 18 July 1952, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, North Carolina. On 14 September 1955, she was withdrawn from the fleet for test conversion to rotary compression pump fed open cycle gas turbine power. The Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Newport News, Virginia, performed the conversion and she was reclassified EC2-G-8f. Her hull was lengthened at the bow to 467 ft 3 in (142.42 m), and new rotary compressor gas generator and General Electric gas turbine, producing 6,000 shp (4,500 kW), connected directly to the ship's propeller through double reduction gear, were installed. At trials she ran over 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph), above the requested 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph).

After conversion she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service. She was operated by United States Lines Co. under a bareboat charter. During her first 27,000 nmi (50,000 km; 31,000 mi) she averaged 15.4 kn (28.5 km/h; 17.7 mph) and consumed an average of 236 bbl (37.5 m³) of fuel per day, or 0.677 bbl (0.1076 m³) per mile.

On 11 September 1959, she was laid up in the James River Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, Virginia. She was sold for scrapping on 28 March 1972, to Peck Iron & Metal Co., Inc., for $38,208. She was removed from the fleet, 20 April 1972.

Bibliography

• "Bethlehem-Fairfield, Baltimore MD". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 14 August 2008. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
• Maritime Administration. "John Sergeant". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
• "SS John Sergeant". Retrieved 4 March 2020.
• "Liberty ship conversion and engine improvement program : cumulative report of progress as of November 1, 1957". 1 November 1957. Retrieved 4 March 2020.