Liberty ships were a class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Although British in concept, the design was adopted by the United States for its simple, low-cost construction. Mass-produced on an unprecedented scale, the Liberty ship came to symbolize U.S. wartime industrial output.
HMS Archer was a Long Island-class escort carrier built by the United States in 1939–1940 and operated by the Royal Navy during World War II. She was built as the cargo ship Mormacland, but was converted to an escort carrier and renamed HMS Archer. Her transmission was a constant cause of problems which led to her being withdrawn from front-line service. She was used as a stores ship and then as an accommodation ship before a refit and subsequent use as a merchant aircraft ferry ship, Empire Lagan.
USS Alameda, was a United States Navy tanker in commission from 1919 to 1922. She was built as the civilian tanker SS Alameda, but transferred to the U.S. Navy after completion in 1919. She was sold for commercial service and operated under the names SS Olean and SS Sweep before she was transferred to the Navy again in World War II as USS Silver Cloud (IX-143).
The Taiyō-class escort carrier was a group of three escort carriers used by the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during World War II. Two of the ships were built as cargo liners in the late 1930s and subsequently taken over by the IJN and converted into escort carriers, while the third ship was converted while still under construction. The first ship converted, Taiyō, ferried aircraft and supplies to Japanese possessions before the start of the Pacific War in December 1941 and also served as a training ship between transport missions. Once the war began she did much the same for the newly conquered areas. Her sister ship, Un'yō did much the same in 1942. Chuyō, the last of the three to be converted, only ferried aircraft between Japan and the naval base at Truk before she was sunk by an American submarine in December 1943. Her sisters sometimes had other destinations other than Truk in 1943, but it was also their primary destination until they were damaged by American submarines in late 1943 or early 1944. After finishing their repairs in 1944, the sisters combined convoy escort duties with their transport missions and often ventured as far south as Singapore. Taiyō was the first of the pair to be sunk, torpedoed by an American submarine in August, with Un'yō following her sister a month later.
Un'yō was a Taiyō-class escort carrier originally built as Yawata Maru (八幡丸), one of three Nitta Maru-class cargo liners built in Japan during the late 1930s. She was transferred to the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the Pacific War, renamed, and was converted into an escort carrier in 1942. The ship spent most of her service ferrying aircraft, cargo and passengers to various bases in the Pacific. Un'yō was badly damaged by an American submarine in early 1944. After repairs were completed in June, the ship resumed transporting aircraft and cargo. During a return voyage from Singapore in September, she was sunk by the submarine USS Barb.
Empire Beatrice was a 7,046 GRT cargo ship which was built by Lithgows Ltd, Port Glasgow in 1942. She was owned by the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and managed by David Alexander & Sons. Although badly damaged during the war, she was repaired and sold into merchant service after the war ended. She served with various shipping companies as Beatrice N, Mary K, Winchester Prowess and Grazia Bottigliere, eventually being scrapped in 1966.
Stettin was a 2,646 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1923 for the Stettiner Dampfer Compagnie. In 1930 she was sold to Norddeutscher Lloyd and renamed Akka. She was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine in 1940. Akka was seized as a war prize in 1945, passing to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and being renamed Empire Calder.
Holmbury was a 7,058 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1943 for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) as Empire Canyon. In 1947 she was sold and renamed Holmbury. In 1960, she was sold to Pakistan and renamed Ilyasbaksh. In 1965, she was detained by India as war had broken out between India and Pakistan. She was declared a war prize and seized by the Indian Government. She was scrapped in 1970.
Theresia L M Russ was a 1,694 GRT cargo ship that was built in 1927 by Neptun AG, Rostock, Germany for Ernst Russ. She was requisitioned by the Kriegsmarine for two years during the Second World War. In 1944, she was sunk by bombing at Gotenhafen, German occupied Poland. The ship was raised and repaired in 1945. She was seized by the Allies at Copenhagen and passed to the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) and renamed Empire Concrete.
SS Empire Celia was a 7,025 GRT cargo ship built in 1943 by Charles Connell and Company Ltd of Scotstoun, Glasgow for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT). In 1948 she was sold into merchant service and renamed Putney Hill. Further name changes were Castle Hill in 1949 and London Statesman in 1950. In 1951 she was sold to Panamanian owners and renamed Morella, being sold later that year to Polskie Linie Oceaniczne and renamed Jedność. She served until 1966, when she was scrapped.
MV Wotan was a 5,703 GRT tanker that was built in 1913 by Reiherstieg Schiffswerft & Maschinenfabrik, Hamburg, Germany. Requisitioned by the Imperial German Navy in 1914, she served until 1915 as SMS A and was then returned to her owners. Ceded to the United States in 1919, she was operated until 1920 then laid up following an engine failure.
USS Chourre (ARV-1) was a Chourre-class aircraft repair ship that saw service in the United States Navy during World War II and the Korean War.
SS Ben H. Miller was a British merchant ship of World War II. A Liberty ship built in the United States in 1943, she was bareboat chartered to the British Ministry of War Transport, with Ellerman and Papayanni as managers. Sold to her managers after the war, she was renamed SS City of Shrewsbury in 1947. Resold in 1959, she became the Compagnia de Navigazione Arcoul's SS Marucla, and was scrapped in 1969. Her original namesake was Ben H. Miller.
SS Carlos Carrillo was an American Liberty ship built in 1943 for service in World War II. Her namesake was Carlos Antonio Carrillo, an American Governor from 1837 to 1838.
SS Charles F. Amidon was an American Liberty ship built in 1943 for service in World War II. Her namesake was Charles F. Amidon, an American Judge from 1896 to 1928.
SS Samara was a British Liberty ship built in the United States during 1943 for service in World War II. The ship was bareboat chartered to the British Ministry of War Transport, with Ellerman and Papayanni as managers. When her keel was laid, she held the name of SS Emma Lazarus. Later that year, the ship was renamed SS Samshire while under the same management. In 1947, the ship was used by Ellerman Lines as SS City of Doncaster until 1961, when she was sold to Trader Line, Bermuda, as SS Pembroke Trader. Her final management was Doreen Steamship Corp. in Panama, as SS Galleta until she ran aground off Calcutta on 10 April 1970. She was finally scrapped in Hong Kong during July of the same year. Her namesake was Samara, a Russian city in Samara Oblast.
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.
SS M. H. De Young was an American Liberty ship built in 1943 for service in World War II. She was later acquired by the United States Navy and renamed USS Antelope (IX-109). Her namesake was M. H. de Young, an American journalist and businessman from 1865 to 1925.
SS John M. Clayton 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 Harcourt (IX-225). Her namesake was John M. Clayton, an American senator from 1853 to 1856.
Aircraft repair ship is a naval auxiliary ship designed to provide maintenance support to aircraft. Aircraft repair ships provide similar services to seaplane tenders, that also cared for the crew. Aircraft repair ships had their own stores of spare parts, like a depot ship. Aircraft repair ships had repair personnel and equipment to repair failures or battle damage on aircraft. Aircraft repair ship also did regular aircraft maintenance.
United States Navy