SS Edward A. Filene

SS Edward A. Filene was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Edward A. Filene, an American businessman and philanthropist. He is best known for building the Filene's department store chain and for his decisive role in pioneering credit unions across the United States.

History
United States
Name	Edward A. Filene
Namesake	Edward A. Filene
Owner	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator	American West African Line, Inc.
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 2472
Awarded	23 April 1943
Builder	St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida
Cost	$1,157,453
Yard number	36
Way number	6
Laid down	9 February 1944
Launched	6 April 1944
Sponsored by	Catherine Filene Shouse
Completed	20 April 1944
Identification	Call sign: KWUO
Fate	Laid up in the, National Defense Reserve Fleet, Astoria, Oregon, 23 December 1948 Sold for nontransportation use, 30 December 1965, removed from fleet, 11 February 1966
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 Filer and Stowell, Milwaukee, Wisconsin) 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

Edward A. Filene was laid down on 9 February 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2472, by the St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida; she was sponsored by Catherine Filene Shouse, the niece of the namesake, and was launched on 6 April 1944.

History

She was allocated to the American West African Line, Inc., on 20 April 1944. On 23 December 1948, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Astoria, Oregon. On 28 July 1954, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain under the "Grain Program 1954", she returned loaded on 7 August 1954. On 9 December 1957, she was withdrawn to be unload, she returned on empty 13 December 1957. She was sold for nontransportation use, 30 December 1965, to Foss Launch and Tug Co., for $60,000. She was removed from the fleet on 11 February 1966. She was sunk at Cook Inlet, Alaska, as a breakwater and dock.

Bibliography

• "St. John's River Shipbuilding, Jacksonville FL". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 16 October 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
• Maritime Administration. "Edward A. Filene". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
• "SS Edward A. Filene". Retrieved 20 January 2020.