SS Francis Scott Key

SS Francis Scott Key was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Francis Scott Key, an American lawyer, author, and amateur poet from Frederick, Maryland, who is best known for writing the lyrics for the American national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner".

History
United States
Name	Francis Scott Key
Namesake	Francis Scott Key
Owner	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator	Lykes Brothers Steamship Company
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MCE hull 16
Awarded	14 March 1941
Builder	Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland[1]
Cost	$1,470,687[2]
Yard number	2003
Way number	3
Laid down	21 June 1941
Launched	15 November 1941
Completed	29 January 1942
Identification	Call sign: KTBH [2]
Fate	Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Astoria, Oregon, 20 October 1949 Sold for scrapping, 14 September 1967, withdrawn from fleet, 29 August 1967
General characteristics [3]
Class and 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 General Machinery Corp., Hamilton, Ohio) 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

Construction

Francis Scott Key was laid down on 21 June 1941, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCE hull 16, by the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland; and was launched on 15 November 1941.^[1][2]

History

Francis Scott Key was allocated to Lykes Brothers Steamship Company, on 29 January 1942. On 20 October 1949, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Astoria, Oregon. On 22 June 1954, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain under the "Grain Program 1954", she returned loaded on 9 July 1954. On 14 March 1957, Francis Scott Key was withdrawn to be unload, she returned empty 19 March 1957. She was sold for scrapping on 14 August 1967, to Zidell Explorations, Inc., for $54,001. She was removed from the fleet, 29 August 1967.^[4]

References

1. Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyards 2008.
2. MARCOM.
3. Davies 2004, p. 23.
4. MARAD.

Bibliography

• "Bethlehem-Fairfield, Baltimore MD". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 14 August 2008. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
• Maritime Administration. "Francis Scott Key". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
• "SS Francis Scott Key". Retrieved 13 February 2020.