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''William S. Ladd'' came under attack on December 10th, 1944 while anchored off Leyte, Philippines unloading her cargo of gasoline and ammunition. A Japanese Kamikaze crashed into the ship, and after a two hour fire-fighting battle, ''Ladd'' sank. ''Ladd'' was the last of the ships built in the Pacific Northwest to fall to enemy action.<ref name="McCurdy">Gordon Newell, Maritime Events of 1945, H.W.McCurdy, Marine History of the Pacific Northwest, p. 528.</ref>
''William S. Ladd'' came under attack on December 10th, 1944 while anchored off Leyte, Philippines unloading her cargo of gasoline and ammunition. A Japanese Kamikaze crashed into the ship, and after a two hour fire-fighting battle, ''Ladd'' sank. ''Ladd'' was the last of the ships built in the Pacific Northwest to fall to enemy action.<ref name="McCurdy">Gordon Newell, Maritime Events of 1945, H.W.McCurdy, Marine History of the Pacific Northwest, p. 528.</ref>


==Construction and design==
==Construction and design==
[[File:Planlibertyship.jpg|thumb|border|left|450px|alt=Liberty Ship Compartment Layout|Liberty Ship Compartment Layout]]
[[File:Planlibertyship.jpg|thumb|border|left|450px|alt=A colored diagram of compartments on a ship|A colored diagram of compartments on a Liberty ship, from the right side, front to the right]]
''William S. Ladd'' was powered by two oil-fired boilers and a single {{convert|2500|hp|0|abbr=on}} [[marine steam engine#Vertical|vertical]] type, [[marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|triple-expansion]] [[reciprocating engine|reciprocating]] [[marine steam engine|steam engine]]. Using the color-coded image at the left, The machinery space (dark blue) was located at the middle of the ship. The single [[propeller]] was driven through a long propeller shaft that ran through a tunnel (lower green area) under the aft cargo holds. The propeller rotated at 76 rpm, giving a speed of about 11 [[knot (unit)|knots]]. There were two decks running the full length of the ship, with seven watertight [[Bulkhead (partition)|bulkheads]] dividing the machinery space and five cargo holds (light blue), three ahead of the machinery space and two [[aft]]. Crew accommodations were provided in a large three-deck structure located in the middle of the ship (medium blue), directly above the machinery space, and in a small structure(medium blue) located at the [[stern]]. The bridge, radio room and Captain's quarters are located on the top deck (yellow) of the three-deck structure. The fuel for the boiler is carried in several tanks (red) located at various locations. Ship's storage (light green) is located at the bow and above the machinery space. Gun crew quarters and the ship's hospital were located in the stern structure. <ref name="esg">{{cite web | url=http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/liberty_ships/BuildingLibertyShips/| title=Liberty Ship design and construction}}</ref><ref name="brown">{{cite web | url=http://www.liberty-ship.com/html/vtour/index.php| title=Virtual tour of a Liberty Ship}}</ref> When armed, the [[Barbette|gun 'tubs']](white) are located at the bow and stern, and above the bridge. These could be any mixture of [[5"/38 caliber gun|5"]], [[4"/50 caliber gun|4"]], [[3"/50 caliber gun|3"]], [[Bofors 40 mm#Naval|40mm]], [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon#Description|20mm]] and/or [[M2 Browning|.50 caliber]] guns.
''William S. Ladd'' was powered by two oil-fired boilers and a single {{convert|2500|hp|0|abbr=on}} [[marine steam engine#Vertical|vertical]] type, [[marine steam engine#Triple or multiple expansion|triple-expansion]] [[reciprocating engine|reciprocating]] [[marine steam engine|steam engine]]. Using the color-coded image at the left, The machinery space (dark blue in the picture) was located at the middle of the ship. The single [[propeller]] was driven through a long propeller shaft that ran through a tunnel (lower green area in the picture) under the aft cargo holds. The propeller rotated at 76 rpm, giving a speed of about {{convert|11|kn|lk=on}}. There were two decks running the full length of the ship, with seven watertight [[Bulkhead (partition)|bulkheads]] dividing the machinery space and five cargo holds (light blue in the picture), three ahead of the machinery space and two [[aft]]. Crew accommodations were provided in a large three-deck structure located in the middle of the ship (medium blue in the picture) directly above the machinery space, and in a small structure (medium blue in the picture) located at the [[stern]]. The bridge, radio room and Captain's quarters were located on the top deck (yellow in the picture) of the three-deck structure. The fuel for the boiler was carried in several tanks (red in the picture) located throughout the ship. Ship's storage (light green in the picture) was located at the bow and above the machinery space. Gun crew quarters and the ship's hospital were located in the stern structure. </ref> When armed, the [[Barbette|gun 'tubs']] (white in the picture) were located at the bow, stern and above the bridge. These could be any mixture of [[5"/38 caliber gun|{{convert|5|in|mm}}]], [[4"/50 caliber gun|{{convert|4|in|mm|2}}]], [[3"/50 caliber gun|{{convert|3|in|mm}}]], [[Bofors 40 mm#Naval|{{convert|40|mm|in|2}}]], [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon#Description|{{convert|20|mm|in|2}}]] and/or [[M2 Browning|{{convert|.5|in|mm|2}} caliber]] guns.


The ship's steering was by a [[unity of opposites|contrabalanced]] rudder(black, at left), with its associated steering gear located in a compartment(green) above the rudder and below the aft structure. Steam-powered generators provided electric power for radios, navigation equipment, refrigeration compressors, pumps, lighting, and [[degaussing]]. An [[Evaporator (marine)|evaporator]] produced fresh water for the boilers and for the crew.<ref name="esg" />
The ship's steering was by a [[unity of opposites|contrabalanced]] rudder (black, at left in the picture), with its associated steering gear located in a compartment (green in the picture) above the rudder and below the aft structure. Steam-powered generators provided electric power for radios, navigation equipment, refrigeration compressors, pumps, lighting, and [[degaussing]]. An [[Evaporator (marine)|evaporator]] produced fresh water for the boilers and for the crew.
⚫
Large [[trapdoor|hatches]] above the cargo holds allowed steam winches and booms rigged to three centerline masts to quickly load or unload cargo.<ref name="victory">{{cite web | url=http://www.lanevictory.org/laneVtour_mast_boom.php| title=Hoist, masts and rigging}}</ref> Liberty ships carried weapons, ammunition, food, tools, hardware, vehicles, and other things needed for the war effort. They could also be equipped to carry a large number<ref name="build">{{cite web | url=http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/liberty_ships/BuildingLibertyShips/index.html#config|title=Liberty Ship design and construction}}</ref> of troops by rigging bunks in the holds similar to those used by the Armed guard.<ref name="brown">{{cite web | url=http://www.liberty-ship.com/html/vtour/cargoholds.php| title=Virtual tour of a Liberty ship's hold}}</ref>

⚫
Large [[trapdoor|hatches]] above the cargo holds allowed steam winches and booms rigged to three centerline masts to quickly load or unload cargo.<ref name="victory">{{cite web | url=http://www.lanevictory.org/laneVtour_mast_boom.php| title=Hoist, masts and rigging}}</ref> Liberty ships carried weapons, ammunition, food, tools, hardware, vehicles, and anything and everything that was needed for the war effort. Liberty Ships could also carry a large number of troops, when equipped to do so.<ref name="esg" />


==History==
==History==

Revision as of 16:00, 11 November 2012

Typical Liberty Ship at sea.
History
United States
NameSS William S. Ladd
NamesakeWilliam S. Ladd an American who served as Oregon’s mayor in the 1850s.
BuilderOregon Shipbuilding Company, Portland, OR
Laid downNovember 20, 1942
LaunchedDecember 15, 1942
AcquiredDecember 23, 1942
FateLost December 28, 1944 off Mindoro, P.I. due to Kamikaze strike
General characteristics
TypeLiberty ship
Displacement14,245 long tons (14,474 t)
Length422 ft 10 in (128.88 m)
Beam57 ft 0 in (17.37 m)
Draft27 ft 10 in (8.48 m)
Depth of hold34 ft 10 in (10.62 m)
PropulsionTwo oil-fired boilers, triple-expansion steam engine, single screw, 2,500 hp (1,864 kW)
Speed11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph)
Complement41 crew, 29 Armed Guard, 70 total
ArmamentCombination of 4"/50, 40mm, 20mm, and .50 caliber guns

SS William S. Ladd (MC hull number 2084) was an American Liberty ship built during World War II, one of the 2,710 type 'EC2-S-C1' ships that carried all kinds and types of dry cargo during the war.[1]. SS William S. Ladd was named for William S. Ladd an American politician and businessman in Oregon. He twice served as Portland, Oregon’s mayor in the 1850s. Ladd was one of the 2,710 Liberty Ships that carried all kinds and types of dry cargo during the war. William S. Ladds keel was laid August 29, 1943 and 15 days later, on September 13, the hull was launched.[1] William S. Ladd was fitted out in seven days, and was delivered to the US Navy on September 20. The Navy placed Ladd under charter to Weyerhaeuser Steamship Co.[2]

William S. Ladd came under attack on December 10th, 1944 while anchored off Leyte, Philippines unloading her cargo of gasoline and ammunition. A Japanese Kamikaze crashed into the ship, and after a two hour fire-fighting battle, Ladd sank. Ladd was the last of the ships built in the Pacific Northwest to fall to enemy action.[3] 

==Construction and design==
A colored diagram of compartments on a ship
A colored diagram of compartments on a Liberty ship, from the right side, front to the right

William S. Ladd was powered by two oil-fired boilers and a single 2,500 hp (1,864 kW) vertical type, triple-expansion reciprocating steam engine. Using the color-coded image at the left, The machinery space (dark blue in the picture) was located at the middle of the ship. The single propeller was driven through a long propeller shaft that ran through a tunnel (lower green area in the picture) under the aft cargo holds. The propeller rotated at 76 rpm, giving a speed of about 11 knots (20 km/h; 13 mph). There were two decks running the full length of the ship, with seven watertight bulkheads dividing the machinery space and five cargo holds (light blue in the picture), three ahead of the machinery space and two aft. Crew accommodations were provided in a large three-deck structure located in the middle of the ship (medium blue in the picture) directly above the machinery space, and in a small structure (medium blue in the picture) located at the stern. The bridge, radio room and Captain's quarters were located on the top deck (yellow in the picture) of the three-deck structure. The fuel for the boiler was carried in several tanks (red in the picture) located throughout the ship. Ship's storage (light green in the picture) was located at the bow and above the machinery space. Gun crew quarters and the ship's hospital were located in the stern structure. </ref> When armed, the gun 'tubs' (white in the picture) were located at the bow, stern and above the bridge. These could be any mixture of 5 inches (130 mm), 4 inches (101.60 mm), 3 inches (76 mm), 40 millimetres (1.57 in), 20 millimetres (0.79 in) and/or .5 inches (12.70 mm) caliber guns.

The ship's steering was by a contrabalanced rudder (black, at left in the picture), with its associated steering gear located in a compartment (green in the picture) above the rudder and below the aft structure. Steam-powered generators provided electric power for radios, navigation equipment, refrigeration compressors, pumps, lighting, and degaussing. An evaporator produced fresh water for the boilers and for the crew. Large hatches above the cargo holds allowed steam winches and booms rigged to three centerline masts to quickly load or unload cargo.[4] Liberty ships carried weapons, ammunition, food, tools, hardware, vehicles, and other things needed for the war effort. They could also be equipped to carry a large number[5] of troops by rigging bunks in the holds similar to those used by the Armed guard.[6]

History

Like many Liberty Ships, William S. Ladd transported war materials between the United States and the rear areas of the Pacific Front, often calling at Pearl Harbor, Australia, Guadalcanal, Hollandia and Manaus. The SS William S. Ladd was the last ship to be sunk while laying at anchor off Leyte, in the Philippines Islands. Before she went down in Leyte Gulf, she established a record of four Japanese planes destroyed. She accounted for the first one plane on the afternoon of December 5 and knocked down three on December 10. It was one of these three planes crashed into her sending her to the bottom.[7]

The attack

William S. Ladd was preparing to unload 500 barrels of gasoline and 150-tons of ammunition when a Japanese Kamikaze smashed into the ship’s after mast. The shredded plane continued on to hit the mid ship house, then falling toward the stern and into the #4 cargo hold. The plane’s bombs exploded once inside of the hold, shattering the engine room bulkhead. A number of explosions in No. 4 and No. 5 holds followed. Fires started throughout the ship, and with fire lines severed by the blast, they soon raged out of control. At 1750 the after-guns were secured and the men manning them were ordered to abandon ship. At 1830, after a 2-hr futile battle to save the ship, Captain Nels F. Anderson of Silverdale, Washington ordered all hands off the ship as it settled by the stern. At 1840 forward guns No. 1 to 5 were ordered secured and the Armed Guards were ordered to abandon ship. At 1930 the last Navy personnel and ship’s officers abandon the doomed vessel. No one was killed, eight Armed Guards were wounded and hospitalized on Leyte.[3]

Aftermath

Today, SS William S. Ladd lay at the bottom Leyte Gulf at approximately 10° 15'N / 125° 10'E.[8]

See also

References

Notes
  1. ^ a b "Oregon Shipbuilding".
  2. ^ "US Maritime Commission".
  3. ^ a b Gordon Newell, Maritime Events of 1945, H.W.McCurdy, Marine History of the Pacific Northwest, p. 528.
  4. ^ "Hoist, masts and rigging".
  5. ^ "Liberty Ship design and construction".
  6. ^ "Virtual tour of a Liberty ship's hold".
  7. ^ Lumber's Unknown Fleet ""WEYERHAEUSER_LUMBERS_UNKNOWN_FLEET"". {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ Cressman, p 590
Bibliography

Liberty Ship Resources

Template:Liberty ships W

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