The SS ''John Bascom'' was a United States-built Liberty ship during World War II. Named after John Bascom (1827–1911), an American educator and philosopher, the vessel served as a cargo transport for the Allied war effort.
Construction and Design
The SS ''John Bascom'' was an EC2-S-C1 type Liberty ship, part of the Emergency Shipbuilding Program initiated by the United States Maritime Commission to rapidly produce cargo vessels during World War II.
- Builder: California Shipbuilding Corporation, Terminal Island, Los Angeles, California
- Yard Number: 121
- Keel Laid: October 1, 1942
- Launched: October 26, 1942
- Completed: November 14, 1942
- Owner: United States War Shipping Administration
Service History
Upon completion, the SS ''John Bascom'' was assigned to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) and operated under various commercial shipping companies as managing agents. Like other Liberty ships, her primary role was to transport vital supplies, equipment, and raw materials across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans to support Allied forces and economies. These cargoes included everything from munitions, vehicles, and fuel to food and general merchandise.
Specific voyages or notable incidents for individual Liberty ships like the ''John Bascom'' are often not extensively documented unless they were involved in significant battles, sinkings, or rescues. However, her service contributed to the vast logistical network that sustained the Allied war effort.
Post-War and Fate
After the end of World War II, many Liberty ships, including the ''John Bascom'', were either kept in reserve fleets, sold to private shipping companies for commercial use, or eventually scrapped. The SS ''John Bascom'' continued in service for a period before ultimately being decommissioned.
- Fate: Scrapped in 1961.
See Also
- Liberty ship
- List of Liberty ships
- United States Maritime Commission
- John Bascom
References
- Maritime Administration (MARAD) Ship History Database. https://www.marad.dot.gov/
- Lane, Frederic C. (2001). Ships for Victory: A History of Shipbuilding under the U.S. Maritime Commission in World War II. Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 0-8018-6752-1.
- Sawyer, L. A.; Mitchell, W. H. (1985). The Liberty Ships: The History of the "Emergency" Type Cargo Ships Constructed in the United States During the Second World War. Lloyd's of London Press Ltd. ISBN 1-85044-049-5.