SS Lawton B. Evans
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The SS Lawton B. Evans was a military ship, constructed in Georgia during World War II. It was named after the author Lawton Bryan Evans (1862-1934).
Construction
SS Lawton B. Evans was a Liberty ship, with the hull number MCE 746, she was launched at ADDSCO for WWII on January 1, 1943 Sponsored by: Betty Jane Hard, Winner of Scrap Metal Drive, Milledgeville, Georgia Co-Sponsor: Mrs. E. D. Veal, Principal of Midway School, Milledgeville, Georgia.[1]
World War II
U-boat encounter
During the Convoy HX 228[2] this ship was slightly damaged at 21.31 hours on March 10th, 1943 when it was hit by a dud torpedo from a German U-boat U-221 by the commander Hans-Hartwig Trojer.[3] Out of all 22 ships hit by this German submarine SS Lawton B. Evans became the only one to survive.[4]
Use in the Battle of Anzio
Liberty ships were cargo ships not warships but they were fitted with guns for defense purposes.[5] There's one notable incident they were used for support from 22 to 30 January 1944 when the Lawton B. Evans was involved in the Battle of Anzio in Italy. First class seaman Calvin Stoddard O'Rourke received commendations on June 24, 1944 from the US Navy Department when this ship was under repeated bombardment from hostile shore batteries and aircraft throughout an eight-day period. Despite the prolonged and constant danger of shrapnel, machine-gun fire and bombs the gun crew fought back with grim determination setting up a deadly barrage of shellfire. They also shot down five German planes and contributed to the success of the landing operations.[6]
Incident at the end of WWII
Merchant marine Lex Fanjoy from North Woburn, MA was a boatswain aboard SS Lawton B. Evans on Aug. 10, 1945 when the vessel was anchored off the Anzio beachhead during a violent gale and electrical storm. The barrage balloon floated from the stern of the ship at the end of a 1,000 foot cable. This wire was anchored to a winch and it became heavily charged with static electricity which discharged near an open hatch containing gasoline cargo in cans. Fanjoy volunteered to cut the balloon adrift when the strain on the wire caused it to jam at the top of the mast. Disregarding the possibility of electrocution, a shock which might cause him to fall, or dismemberment from the whip of the released wire, Lex Fanjoy went aloft and cut the line adrift. Several times he received minor shocks and when he cut the wire he was stunned by an electrical discharge caused him to fall to the crosstrees below narrowly escaping death.[7]
Scrapped
The ship was scrapped in a Baltimore Harbor in Maryland in 1960.[8]
References
- ^ "Ships Launched at ADDSCO during WWII" (PDF). South Alabama Education. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
- ^ "Convoy HX 228". Gudmundur Helgason uboat.net. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
- ^ "Lawton B. Evans (American Steam merchant) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII". Gudmundur Helgason uboat.net. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
- ^ "Ships hit by U-221". Gudmundur Helgason uboat.net. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
- ^ "Liberty ship design". globalsecurity.org Retrieved 03 December 2016.
- ^ "Pers-68-MH MM/822 62 83" (PDF). Bureau Of Naval Personnel Retrieved 30 November 2016.
- ^ "Lawton B. Evans Merchant Marine Heroes: Meritorious Service Medals Awarded during World War II". American Merchant Marine at War, www.usmm.org. Retrieved 29 November 2016.
- ^ "Liberty Ships History". Mariners-l.Co.UK Liberty Ships. Retrieved 29 November 2016.