SS George E. Merrick

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History
US flag 48 stars.svgUnited States
NameGeorge E. Merrick
Namesake George E. Merrick
Owner War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator United States Lines
Orderedas type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 2476
Awarded23 April 1943
Builder St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida [1]
Cost$1,096,218 [2]
Yard number40
Way number4
Laid down20 March 1944
Launched4 May 1944
Sponsored byMrs. Louis V. Tallamy
Completed21 May 1944
Identification
Fate
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameSaxon
Owner Saxon Steamship Co.
FateSold, 1956
Flag of the United States.svgUnited States
NameSaxon
Owner Aspin Steamship Co.
Operator Isbrandtsen and Co.
FateSold, 1961
Flag of Greece.svgGreece
NamePanagia Kounistra
Owner Guiadoro Cia. Nav.
Operator Zaharias Sitinas
FateScrapped, 1972
General characteristics [3]
Class and type
Tonnage
Displacement
Length
  • 441 feet 6 inches (135 m) oa
  • 416 feet (127 m) pp
  • 427 feet (130 m) lwl
Beam57 feet (17 m)
Draft27 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
Speed11.5 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
Armament

SS George E. Merrick was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after George E. Merrick, a real estate developer who is best known as the planner and builder of the city of Coral Gables, Florida, in the 1920s, one of the first planned communities in the United States.

Contents

Construction

George E. Merrick was laid down on 20 March 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2476, by the St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida; she was sponsored by Mrs. Louis V. Tallamy, the president of the Ladies Auxiliary for the Harvey Seeds American Legion Post, Miami, and was launched on 4 May 1944. [1] [2]

History

She was allocated to the United States Lines, on 21 May 1944. On 2 December 1947, she was laid up in the Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York. She was sold for commercial use, 25 January 1951, to Saxson Steamship Co. She was removed from the fleet on 6 March 1951. George E. Merrick was renamed Saxon and remained flagged in the US. Saxon was sold to the Aspin Steamship Co. in 1956. In 1961, she was sold to Guiadoro Cia. Nav., and renamed Panaiga Kounistra and reflagged in Greece. She was scrapped in 1972, in Istanbul. [4]

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