SS ''Arthur R. Lewis'' was a

Liberty ship Liberty ships were a ship class, 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 cons ...

built in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. She was named after Arthur R. Lewis, a shipping magnate. Lewis founded American and Cuban Steamship Lines, Seas Shipping Company, Planet Line, Overseas Company, and Atlantic Coast Shipping Company.

Construction

''Arthur R. Lewis'' was laid down on 13 March 1944, under a

Maritime Commission The United States Maritime Commission was an independent executive agency of the U.S. federal government that was created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which was passed by Congress on June 29, 1936, and was abolished on May 24, 1950. The c ...

(MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2475, by the St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company,

Jacksonville Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...

, Florida; she was sponsored by Mrs. Arthur M. Tode, the wife of the president of the Propeller Club of the United States, and was launched on 27 April 1944.

History

She was allocated to the Seas Shipping Co., Inc., on 5 May 1944. On 2 December 1947, she was laid up in the

National Defense Reserve Fleet The National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) consists of Ship, ships of the United States, mostly Merchant ship, merchant vessels, that have been Reserve fleet, mothballed but can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping during nationa ...

, Wilmington, North Carolina. She was sold for scrapping, 22 September 1964, to Northern Metal Co., for $45,000. She was removed from the fleet on 22 October 1964.

References

Bibliography

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Arthur R. Lewis Liberty ships Ships built in Jacksonville, Florida 1944 ships Wilmington Reserve Fleet