SS Johns Hopkins

Liberty ship SS Johns Hopkins, 11 April 1943
History
United States
Name	Johns Hopkins
Namesake	Johns Hopkins
Owner	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator	North Atlantic & Gulf Steamship Co.
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MCE hull 947
Awarded	30 January 1942
Builder	Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland [1]
Cost	$1,067,726 [2]
Yard number	2097
Way number	2
Laid down	15 January 1943
Launched	28 February 1943
Completed	27 March 1943
Identification	Call sign: KKMY [2]
Fate	Sold, 6 November 1946
Honduras
Name	Thetis
Owner	Compania Internacional de Vapores, Ltd. (1946–1950) Compania Commercial Maritima (1950–1952)
Operator	Simpson, Spence & Young (1946–1949) North American Shipping & Trading Co. (1949–1950)
Fate	Sold, 1952
Honduras
Name	Santa Elena
Owner	Compania de Commercio y Vapores, Ltd.
Operator	D.J. Negroponte
Fate	Sold, 1960
Greece
Name	Eleni K.
Owner	Eleni Shipping Co.
Operator	Taflambas Bros. (1960–1961) Stathatos & Co. (1961–1966)
Fate	Wrecked and abandoned, 1966
General characteristics [3]
Class & type	Liberty ship type EC2-S-C1, standard
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 feet 6 inches (135 m) oa 416 feet (127 m) pp 427 feet (130 m) lwl
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) 2,500 hp (1,900 kW)
Propulsion	1 × triple-expansion steam engine,  (manufactured by Vulcan Iron Works, Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) 1 × screw propeller
Speed	11.5 knots (21.3  km/h; 13.2  mph)
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-inch (76 mm)/50-caliber gun Stern-mounted 4-inch (102 mm)/50-caliber gun 2–8 × single 20-millimeter (0.79 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons and/or, 2–8 × 37-millimeter (1.46 in) M1 AA guns

SS Johns Hopkins was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Johns Hopkins, was an American merchant, investor, and philanthropist. Following his death, his bequests founded numerous institutions bearing his name, most notably Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Johns Hopkins University system.

Construction

Johns Hopkins was laid down on 15 January 1943, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCE hull 947, by the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland; she was launched on 28 February 1943. ^{[1] [2]}

History

She was allocated to the North Atlantic & Gulf Steamship Co., on 27 March 1943. ^[4]

On 2 October 1944, at 01:50, she struck a mine, at 43°16′48″N05°08′28″E / 43.28000°N 5.14111°E / 43.28000; 5.14111 , while en route from Marseille to Toulon, France. The mine struck between the #3 hold and the engine room on the port side. The ship lost power as the engine room and #3 hold began to flood rapidly. The shaft alley began to flood which caused the #4 and #5 holds to slowly flood. Johns Hopkins quickly took on a 35° list to port and began to drift in the high winds. Distress calls where sent out after repairs to the radio, that was damaged in the blast, were made. Hobson arrived around 02:30, but was unsuccessful in her attempts to come along the damaged Johns Hopkins, due to the rough seas and high winds. Hobson stood by until ATR-127 arrived at 06:00 and towed Johns Hopkins back to Marseille, where she arrived at 04:00, on 3 October 1944. ^[4]

Johns Hopkins had been carrying US and Free French Army personnel, in addition to general cargo, vehicles, and half-tracks and trucks placed on all the cargo hatches, except hold #3. Two lifeboats were lost when they were lowered and lost in the rough seas. Of the 536 aboard, only a US Army major was injured when he broke his leg falling into the #3 hold. ^[4]

She was repaired and placed back in service. ^[5]

On 6 November 1946, she was sold for $544,200, to Compania Internacional de Vapores, Ltd., and renamed Thetis. ^[4] She was later renamed Santa Elena in 1952 and Eleni K. in 1960. On 29 September 1966, 8 mi (13 km) out from Thevenard, Australia, en route from Port Lincoln to the United Kingdom, with a load of wheat, she broke in two in heavy seas and foundered in shallow waters. On 17 November 1966, she was refloated and beached on Goat Island, 32°18′S133°32′E / 32.300°S 133.533°E / -32.300; 133.533 . ^[6]

References

1. Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyards 2021.
2. MARCOM.
3. Davies 2004, p. 23.
4. MARAD.
5. Williams 2014, p. 55.
6. Sawyer & Mitchel 1985, p. 43. sfn error: no target: CITEREFSawyerMitchel1985 (help)

Bibliography

• "Bethlehem-Fairfield, Baltimore MD". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
• Maritime Administration. "Johns Hopkins". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
• "SS Johns Hopkins" . Retrieved 30 July 2025.
• Williams, Greg H. (2014). The Liberty Ships of World War II. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Company, Inc. ISBN   9780786479450.
• Sawyer, L.A.; Mitchell, W.H. (1985). The Liberty Ships. Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, Great Britain: St. Edmundsbury Press Ltd. ISBN   1850440492.