View source for USS P.H. Burnett

{{Short description|Liberty ship of World War II}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = File:USS P. H. Burnett (IX-104).jpg
| Ship caption = USS ''P.H. Burnett''
}}
{{Infobox ship career
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| Ship country = United States
| Ship flag = {{USN flag|1947}}
| Ship name = *''Peter H. Burnett'' (1942-1943)
*''P.H. Burnett'' (1943-1946)
| Ship namesake = [[Peter Hardeman Burnett|Peter H. Burnett]]
| Ship owner = *[[American President Lines]] (1942-1943)
*[[United States Maritime Commission|Maritime Commission]] (1943-1958)
*[[National Metal & Steel Corporation|National Metal & Steel Corp.]] (1958)
| Ship ordered = 
| Ship awarded = 
| Ship builder = [[California Shipbuilding Corp.]]
| Ship original cost = 
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| Ship laid down = 29 June 1942
| Ship launched = 10 August 1942
| Ship sponsor = Mrs. Clyde Weed
| Ship christened = 
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| Ship acquired = 
| Ship commissioned = 29 August 1942
| Ship decommissioned = 
| Ship in service = 
| Ship out of service = 17 November 1958
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| Ship refit = 
| Ship struck = 
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| Ship homeport = 
| Ship identification = *[[Maritime call sign|Callsign]]: NJDR
*{{ICS|November}}{{ICS|Juliet}}{{ICS|Delta}}{{ICS|Romeo}}
*[[Hull number]]: IX-104
| Ship motto = 
| Ship nickname = 
| Ship honors = [[#Awards|''See Awards'']]
| Ship captured = 
| Ship fate = [[Ship breaking|Scrapped]], 1958
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}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = <ref name="davies"/>
| Ship class = {{Liberty ship class}}
| Ship type = 
| Ship tonnage = {{Liberty ship tonnage}}
| Ship displacement = {{Liberty ship displacement}}
| Ship length = {{Liberty ship length}}
| Ship beam = {{Liberty ship beam}}
| Ship draft = {{Liberty ship draft}}
| Ship capacity = {{Liberty ship cargo capacity}}
| Ship hold depth = 
| Ship power = {{Liberty ship power}}
| Ship propulsion = {{Liberty ship propulsion|8}}
| Ship complement = 12 officers, 170 enlisted
| Ship armament = *1 × single [[5-inch/38-caliber gun|5"/38 cal gun]]
*3 × single [[3-inch/50-caliber gun|3"/50 cal gun]]s
*8 × single [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]]s
| Ship speed = {{Liberty ship speed}}
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}
'''SS ''Peter H. Burnett''''' was an American [[Liberty ship]] built in 1942 for service in [[World War II]]. She was later acquired by the [[United States Navy]] and renamed '''USS ''P.H. Burnett'' (IX-104)'''.  Her namesake was [[Peter Hardeman Burnett]], an American [[Governor]] from 1849 to 1851.

== Description ==
{{main|Liberty ship}}
The ship was {{Convert|442|ft|8|in|m|2|abbr=on}} long overall ({{Convert|417|ft|9|in|m|2|abbr=on}} [[Length between perpendiculars|between perpendiculars]], {{Convert|427|ft|0|in|m|2|abbr=on}} [[Length at the waterline|waterline]]), with a beam of {{Convert|57|ft|0|in|m|2|abbr=on}}. She had a depth of {{convert|34|ft|8|in|m|2|abbr=on}} and a draught of {{Convert|27|ft|9|in|m|2|abbr=on}}. She was assessed at  {{GRT|7,210}}, {{NRT|4,880}}, {{DWT|10,856}}.<ref name="davies">{{cite web|last=Davies|first=James|year=2012|title=Liberty Cargo Ships|url=http://ww2ships.com/acrobat/us-os-001-f-r00.pdf|work=ww2ships.com|page=23|accessdate=7 May 2012}}</ref><ref name="BHM43">{{cite journal|year=1943|title=Lloyd's Register, Steamers and Motorships|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/44/44b0113.pdf|journal=Lloyd's Register|publisher=Lloyd's|accessdate=21 June 2021}}</ref>

She was powered by a [[triple expansion steam engine]], which had cylinders of {{convert|24.5|in|cm}}, {{convert|37|in|cm}} and {{convert|70|in|cm}} diameter by {{convert|70|in|cm}} stroke. The engine was built by the Worthington Pump & Machinery Corporation, [[Harrison, New Jersey]]. It drove a single screw [[propeller]],<ref name="BHM43" /> which could propel the ship at {{convert|11|kn|km/h}}.<ref name="davies" />

== Construction and career ==
This particular ship was built by [[California Shipbuilding Corporation]] in [[Los Angeles]].  She was [[Keel laying|laid down]] on 29 June 1942 and [[Ceremonial ship launching|launched]] on 10 August 1942, later delivered on 29 August 1942.<ref>{{Cite web|date=August 7, 2021|title=CALIFORNIA SHIPBUILDING|url=http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/emergencylarge/kcalifornia.htm|website=shipbuildinghistory}}</ref> The [[War Shipping Administration|United States War Shipping Administration]] gave the operations of the ship to [[American President Lines]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Liberty ships built by California Shipbuilding, Terminal Island, CA|url=http://www.usmm.org/l/calship.html|access-date=2022-02-03|website=www.usmm.org}}</ref>

On 22 January 1943, ''Peter H. Burnett'' was on her voyage carrying 18,154 [[Wool|bales of wool]] from [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]] to [[San Francisco]]. At 21:55, she was traveling at 11 knots when a [[torpedo]], fired by [[Japanese submarine I-21]], exploded on the ship's [[starboard]] side, at the no.5 hatch. 5 lifeboats were launched and stayed alongside the damaged ship for the night. But the no.3 lifeboat drifted 90 miles southeast to be rescued by [[USS Zane (DD-337)|USS ''Zane'']]. [[HMAS Mildura|HMAS ''Mildura'']] then towed the damaged ship to Sydney for repairs. One armed guard onboard the ship was seriously injured and later died from his injuries.<ref>{{Cite book|last=M. Browning, Jr.|first=Robert|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6JUZDgAAQBAJ&dq=Peter+H.+Burnett+1942&pg=PA209|title=United States Merchant Marine Casualties of World War II, rev ed.|publisher=McFarland & Company, Inc.|date=15 June 2011|isbn=978-0-7864-4600-1|location=[[North Carolina]] 28460|pages=209}}</ref>

''Peter H. Burnett'' carried cargo in the [[Pacific Ocean|Pacific]] until 15 June 1943 when she was acquired by the Navy from the Maritime Commission under a bareboat charter. Renamed USS ''P. H. Burnett'' and designated as an unclassified vessel, IX-104, on 18 June, she was accepted by [[Service Squadron|Commander Service Force]], [[United States Seventh Fleet|Seventh Fleet]], at 8:00 a.m. on 2 July 1943 at [[Sydney]], [[Australia]], and placed in service as a [[Freighter (cargo ship)|freighter]] on 30 August 1943, Lt. D. Ruos, officer-in-charge.

As a dry cargo provisions ship, ''P.'' ''H. Burnett'' served at staging areas in the Pacific during the remainder of the war. With a cargo capacity in excess of 130,000 cubic feet, she hauled and discharged thousands of tons of supplies, joining Service Squadron 8 on 1 February 1944 and continuing her vital logistical operations as the westward advance of the Allies progressed.

Following the [[Surrender of Japan|Japanese surrender]] in 1945, ''P.'' ''H. Burnett'' remained in the [[Pacific War|Pacific theater]] until ordered to return to the [[United States]] early in 1946. On 20 April 1945, she left [[Jayapura|Hollandia]] for [[Manila]] with Convoy GI 22.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Convoy GI.22|url=http://www.convoyweb.org.uk/misc/index.html?yy.php?convoy=GI.22!~miscmain|access-date=2022-02-03|website=www.convoyweb.org.uk}}</ref>

Under tow, she proceeded from the [[Western Pacific Ocean|Western Pacific]], via [[Midway Atoll|Midway]], to [[Seattle]], [[Washington (state)|Washington]], where she arrived that summer. Placed out of service on 7 August 1946, ''P.'' ''H. Burnett'' was transferred to the [[Reserve fleet|Reserve Fleet Division]] of the War Shipping Administration the following day (8 August 1946) at [[Olympia, Washington|Olympia]], Washington, at 3:00 p.m.

Stricken from the [[Navy Directory|Naval Register]] on 8 October 1946, ''P.'' ''H. Burnett'' remained in custody of the Maritime Administration (formerly Maritime Commission) until purchased by the [[National Metal & Steel Corporation|National Metal & Steel Corp.]], on 20 October 1958. Removed from the Reserve Fleet at 1000 hours on 17 November 1958, she was broken up for scrap subsequently.<ref>Miramar Ship Index</ref>

== Awards ==

* [[Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal|Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal]]
* [[World War II Victory Medal]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Peter H. Burnett}}
[[Category:Liberty ships]]
[[Category:Ships built in Los Angeles]]
[[Category:1942 ships]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1943]]


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