Sieling & Jarvis Inc. was a shipping company that operated tanker ships and some cargo ships. Sieling & Jarvis was started by David B. Jarvis and Dick Sieling in New York City. Later David B. Jarvis was the company president and later became the sole owner of Sieling & Jarvis Inc. Mr. Sieling was the vice president and a partner in Sieling & Jarvis. Sieling & Jarvis supported the World War II effort by operating United States owned ships. [1]
Before starting Sieling & Jarvis, David B. Jarvis was with the Three Star Line, in Red Hook, Brooklyn, starting in 1921. Three Star Line had passenger service to Spain, North Africa and Marseilles from the Erie Basin, Red Hook Brooklyn. Before the Three Star Line Jarvis was with Callaghan, Atkinson & Company, a tanker firm, that was founded in 1914 in New York City. Sieling & Jarvis fleet of ships were used to help the World War II effort. During World War II Sieling & Jarvis operated Merchant navy ships for the United States Shipping Board. During World War II Sieling & Jarvis was active with charter shipping with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. Sieling & Jarvis operated fuel tanker ships for the merchant navy. The ship was run by its Sieling & Jarvis crew and the US Navy supplied United States Navy Armed Guards to man the deck guns and radio. [2] [3] [4]
Sieling & Jarvis were shipping agents for the United Tanker Corporation in 1949, United Tanker was founded on December 10, 1947. Post war Sieling & Jarvis became agents for Collin & Gissel's tankers. [5] Sieling & Jarvis became operating agents for ships for the Soviet Union in 1949, to take fuel to North China. Sieling & Jarvis used the tankers: SS Kettleman Hills and SS St. Christopher. In April 1950 Sieling & Jarvis the United States Department of State told Sieling & Jarvis that US ships could not be used to support the Soviet Union or China, as Economic Cooperation Administration funds were involved. The Korean War started June 25, 1950, and China was supporting North Korea. Sieling & Jarvis transferred to a London company. the Sieling & Jarvis as operating agents China shipping was discussed in a Sale of Government-Owned Surplus Tanker Vessels Hearings before the United States Congress in March 1952. David B. Jarvis testefided that the charter was routine commercial operation made with the complete knowledge of the State Department. [1] [6]
For World War II, Sieling & Jarvis operated 20 tankers by 1943. Most tankers were type T2 tankers and a few T1 tankers. [7]
The SS Foundation Star was a steam tanker that broke in two 130 miles off Cape Hatteras in Charleston, South Carolina on September 10, 1952. Foundation Star was owned by Foundation Shipping Corporation which had purchased the ship early in the year from Vatis J. & A.T. The Foundation Star was built by Craig, Taylor & Co. Ltd. in Stockton-on-Tees, England in 1916 as the RFA Laurelleaf for the British Government. RFA Laurelleaf operated as a fleet oiler for the Royal Fleet Auxiliary during World War I. After the war she became a Mercantile Fleet Auxiliaries ship. Under construction, the Laurelleaf name was the RFA Olalla. Foundation Star broke in two at 34°37′00″N75°17′00″W / 34.616667°N 75.283333°W in a sea storm, while traveling with a cargo of molasses from Vera Cruz to Philadelphia. [20] [21] [22]