{{Short description|Liberty ship of WWII}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox ship |section1={{Infobox ship/image |image= |image_caption= }}
|section2={{Infobox ship/career |hide_header= |country=United States |flag= {{USN flag|1949}} |name= ''William Patterson'' |namesake=William Patterson |owner = War Shipping Administration (WSA) |operator = A.H. Bull & Co., Inc. |awarded = 14 March 1941 |ordered = as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MCE hull 48 |builder= Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland{{sfn|Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyards|2008}} |original_cost= $1,063,819{{sfn|MARCOM}} |yard_number= 2035 |way_number= 9 |laid_down= 29 April 1942 |launched= 26 June 1942 |completed= 13 July 1942 |sponsor= Miss Gladys Mitchell |identification = *Call sign: KFVC *{{ICS|Kilo}}{{ICS|Foxtrot}}{{ICS|Victor}}{{ICS|Charlie}}{{sfn|MARCOM}} |refit= converted to EC2-G-8g, 14 September 1957 |motto= |fate=* Laid up in the Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York, 23 September 1948 * Laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, North Carolina, 16 May 1952 * Transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service, 14 September 1957 |notes= |badge= }}
|section3={{Infobox ship/career |hide_header=title |country=United States |flag={{USN flag|1960}} |name=''William Patterson'' |namesake= |owner= Military Sea Transportation Service |operator= Lykes Brothers Steamship Co., Inc. |original_cost= $1,857,999 (refit cost) |acquired= 14 September 1957 |in_service= 14 September 1957 |out_of_service= 23 March 1961 |renamed= |reclassified= |refit= |struck= |reinstated= |homeport= |identification = |motto= |nickname= |honors= |fate= *Laid up in the Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York, 23 March 1961 *Sold for scrapping, 23 November 1970, withdrawn from fleet, 1 January 1971 |notes= |badge= }}
|section4={{Infobox ship/characteristics | hide_header = | header_caption ={{plainlist|* {{sfn|Davies|2004|p=23}} * {{sfn|USMA}} }} | class ={{Liberty ship class}} | type = EC2-G-8g (1955-) (refit) | tonnage = {{Liberty ship tonnage}} | displacement = {{Liberty ship displacement}} | length =* {{cvt|441|ft|6|in}} oa * {{cvt|467|ft|3|in}} oa (refit) | beam = {{Liberty ship beam}} | draft = {{Liberty ship draft}} | capacity = {{Liberty ship cargo capacity}} | hold_depth = | power =* 2 × Oil fired {{cvt|450|F}} boilers, operating at {{cvt|220|psi}} (removed in refit) * {{cvt|2500|hp}} * 6 × Cleveland Diesel Engine Division gas generators (refit) * 2 × Gas turbines * {{cvt|6000|hp}} (refit) | propulsion =* 1 × triple-expansion steam engine, (manufactured by Worthington Pump & Machinery Corp, Harrison, New Jersey) (removed in refit) * 1 × Geared reduction drive (refit) * 1 × screw propeller | complement = {{Liberty ship complement}} | armament = {{Liberty ship armament}} | speed =* {{Liberty ship speed}} * {{cvt|15.4|kn}} (refit trial) | notes = New cargo handling gear installed during refit }} }}
'''SS ''William Patterson''''' was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after William Patterson, a businessman, a gun-runner during the American Revolution, and a founder of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad.
==Construction== ''William Patterson'' was laid down on 29 April 1942, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCE hull 48, by the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland; she was sponsored by Miss Gladys Mitchell, the daughter of John Mitchell, the Baltimore representative of the US Salvage Association, and was launched on 26 June 1942.{{sfn|Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyards|2008}}{{sfn|MARCOM}}
==History== She was allocated to A.H. Bull & Co., Inc., on 13 July 1942.{{sfn|MARAD}}
On 23 September 1948, she was laid up in the Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York. On 31 October 1949, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain. She returned loaded on 14 November 1949. On 2 March 1951, she was withdrawn from the fleet to have her load of grain unloaded. On 16 May 1952, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, North Carolina. On 14 September 1955, she was withdrawn from the fleet for test conversion to gas generator fed gas turbine power. Bethlehem Steel, in Baltimore, performed the conversion and she was reclassified EC2-G-8g. Her hull was lengthened at the bow to {{cvt|467|ft|3|in}}, and six new Cleveland Diesel Engine Division free piston gas generators, producing {{cvt|1200|hp}} each, and two reversible {{cvt|3000|shp}} gas turbines, connected directly to the ship's propeller through double reduction gear, were installed. The free piston generators provided moderate pressure gas which fed the gas turbines. At trials she ran {{cvt|15.4|kn}}, above the requested {{cvt|15|kn}}.{{sfn|USMA}}
After conversion she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service. She was operated by Lykes Brothers Steamship Co., Inc. under a bareboat charter.{{sfn|USMA}}
On 23 March 1961, she was laid up in the Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York. She was sold for scrapping on 23 November 1970, to Hierros Ardes, SA., along with three other ships, for $267,070. She was removed from the fleet, 17 January 1971.{{sfn|MARAD}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==Bibliography== {{refbegin}} * {{cite web | url = http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/emergencylarge/bethfairfield.htm | title = Bethlehem-Fairfield, Baltimore MD | publisher = www.ShipbuildingHistory.com | date = 14 August 2008 | access-date = 28 February 2020 | ref = {{sfnRef|Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyards|2008}} }} * {{cite web |url= https://vesselhistory.marad.dot.gov/ShipHistory/Detail/5309 |title=William Patterson |author=Maritime Administration |work=Ship History Database Vessel Status Card |publisher=U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration |access-date= 28 February 2020 |ref={{sfnref|MARAD}} }} * {{cite web |last= Davies |first= James |url= http://www.ww2ships.com/acrobat/us-os-001-f-r00.pdf |title= Specifications (As-Built) |page=23 |date= May 2004 |access-date= 28 February 2020 }} * {{cite web |url= http://usmaritimecommission.de/query.php?datalist=1&typeofquery=Name%20of%20Ship&valueofquery=William%20Patterson&code=B0048a |title= SS ''William Patterson'' |access-date= 28 February 2020 |ref= {{sfnRef|MARCOM}} }} * {{cite web |title = Liberty ship conversion and engine improvement program : cumulative report of progress as of November 1, 1957 |url = https://archive.org/details/USMALibertyShipConversionReport1957/mode/1up |date = 1 November 1957 |access-date = 28 February 2020 |ref = {{sfnRef|USMA}} }} {{refend}}
{{Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyards}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:William Patterson}} Category:Liberty ships Category:1942 ships Category:Ships built in Baltimore Category:Wilmington Reserve Fleet Category:Hudson River Reserve Fleet