Re: WW2 trade-in tonnage

From: Jeff G.
Location: Dearborn Hts. MI
Email:
Remote Name: 64.12.116.16
Date: 07/28/04
Time: 03:05:25 PM

Comments

I'm a bit confused. I can offer this: Many WW2 boats were converted to bulk carriers/self-unloaders on the lakes. Some are the Middletown, Cliffs Victory, Lee A. Tregurtha, and Paul H. Carnahan. The Middletown was laid down as USS Neshanic (1942) and earned 9 battle stars. Was damaged by bombs off Saipan. In 1947, she became Gulfoil. Renamed Pioneer Challenger in 1961. Became a bulk freighter in 1962 named Middletown (named after Middletown Ohio)for Columbia Star Transit, now known as Oglebay Norton Marine. Was converted to a self-unloader. She is in service. The Cliffs Victory was laid down as Notre Dame Victory. Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Co. bought her on 12/10/1950. She ran into many length and height problems in the locks and in Chicago on her way to the Lakes. She was converted to a freighter. She can haul 26,300 tons. She was lenghthened once after. Her engine was located amidships. She was a favorite of many boatwatchers, and the unofficial 'Speed Queen of the Lakes'. Efforts failed in 1984 for her to be a marine museum in Toledo(her fleetmate Willis B. Boyer earned this honor)and she was sold to a scrapping company. Her name was now Savic, utilizing the S from Cliffs and the vic from victory with an a inserted. She ran into more problems as she made her way to South Korea to be scrapped. The Lee A. Tregurtha was laid down as Mobiloil then as USS Chiwawa. She earned 2 battle stars and seven other awards as USS Chiwawa. She was sold to Cleveland Cliffs too, converted to a frighter, and named Walter A. Sterling. Then was sold to Ford Fleet as William Clay Ford when Cliffs went out of business in the shipping world in 1985. In 1989, she went to the Interlake Steamship Company's Lakes Shipping Company, a division which brings steel to the Rouge Plant. She was named Lee A. Tregurtha. Was converted to a self unloader. She can haul 29,300 tons. She is in service. Finally, the Paul H. Carnahan was laid down as WW2 fuel tanker Honey Hill. She was sold to a refining company in 1946 and named Atlantic Dealer. In 1961, she was transferred to the National Steel Corporation and was converted to a bulk freighter named Paul H. Carnahan. She was taken with the George M. Humphrey to Taiwan to be broken up in 1986. She was one of 7 T2 tankers no longer in service. The rest were: Sharon(57-86), Red Wing(60-86), Hilda Marjanne(61-83), Northern Venture(61-83), Leon Falk Jr.(61-85), and Lake Winnipeg(62-85). You may want to check the original photo gallery for lengths and more info on the Lee A. Tregurtha and Middletown. Hope this helps, Shawn! --Jeff