SS Walter M. Christiansen

History
United States
Name	Walter M. Christiansen
Namesake	Walter M. Christiansen
Owner	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator	American Range Liberty Line
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 2511
Awarded	23 April 1943
Builder	St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida
Cost	$920,654
Yard number	75
Way number	3
Laid down	15 November 1944
Launched	16 December 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs. Russell Knapp
Completed	27 December 1944
Identification	Call sign: ANDI
Fate	Sold for commercial use, 17 January 1951, withdrawn from fleet, 21 February 1951
United States
Name	Sea Comet
Owner	Zenith Steamship Co.
Operator	D.J. Negroponte Inc.
Fate	Sold, 1951
United States
Name	Ocean Ulla
Owner	Ocean Transportation Co.
Operator	Maritime Overseas Corp.
Fate	Sold, February 1959
United States
Name	Valiant Hope
Owner	Hope Steamship Corp.
Operator	Ocean Carriers Corp.
Fate	Sold, March 1960
Liberia
Name	Ocean Rover
Owner	Pacific Ocean Shipping Co.
Operator	Amerind Steamship Co.
Fate	Sold, 1960
Liberia
Name	Pacific Venture
Owner	Interocean Navigation Co.
Operator	Associated Maritime Industries
Fate	Scrapped, 1967
General characteristics
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 inches (76 mm)/50 caliber gun Stern-mounted 4 inches (102 mm)/50 caliber gun 2–8 × single 20 millimeters (0.79 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons and/or, 2–8 × 37 millimeters (1.46 in) M1 AA guns

SS Walter M. Christiansen was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Walter M. Christiansen, the Chief Engineer of SS W. L. Steed, which was sunk 2 February 1942, by German submarine U-103.

Construction

Walter M. Christiansen was laid down on 15 November 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2511, by the St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida; she was sponsored by Mrs. Russell Knapp, the widow of the namesake, and launched on 16 December 1944.

History

She was allocated to American Range Liberty Line, on 27 December 1944. On 25 March 1948, she was placed in the Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York. She was sold for commercial use, 17 January 1951, to Zenith Steamship Co. She was withdrawn from the fleet, 21 February 1951.

Bibliography

• "St. John's River Shipbuilding, Jacksonville FL". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 16 October 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
• Maritime Administration. "Walter M. Christiansen". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 10 February 2020.
• "SS Walter M. Christiansen". Retrieved 10 February 2020.