SS UNITED STATES

U.S. Maritime Commission/Maritime Administration type P6-S4-DS1

In June 1952, SS United States became the final U.S. Maritime Commission vessel to be delivered, nearly two years after the agency ceased to exist.  Operated by U.S. Lines, United States had a 17-...

Ocean-going tug

U.S. Maritime Commission type V4-M-A1

The Maritime Commission’s V4 tug, with a length of 194 feet, displacement of 1,613 tons, and capable of a speed of 14 knots (6 knots towing), were among the largest and most powerful tugs in the world when they were built. Two diesel engines...

Coastal Tanker

U.S. Maritime Commission type T1-M-A1

The T1 was a small “coastal” gasoline tanker designed to be used either by the military (mostly sub-type A2) or transferred to the British Ministry of War Transport as part of the Lend-Lease program (mostly sub-type A1). The two sub-types were very...

Escort Carrier

U.S. Maritime Commission type S4-S2-BB3

Before the United States even entered World War II, the U.S. Maritime Commission participated in the Allies’ desperate chase for aircraft carrier superiority. Planners were learning that military air cover was a crucial component of convoy...

USS CIMARRON (AO-22)

U.S. Maritime Commission type T3-S2-A1

From 1934-1942 the U.S. Maritime Commission focused on mainly building dry cargo carriers to replace the aging and slow World War I-era vessels that made up the majority of the U.S. cargo fleet. The commission refrained from constructing tankers...

Victory Ship

U.S. Maritime Commission design type VC2-S-AP2

The Victory ship was 445 feet long with a capacity of 10,850 deadweight tons, slightly more than its forerunner the Liberty ship. Most importantly, the vessel was capable of a speed of just over 15 knots, which put it in the same class as...

N3-S-A1 Type

The Maritime Commission designed this coastal cargo ship to be used by the British Ministry of War Transport and all 36 built were transferred to that country as part of the Lend-Lease program. The vessels were among the smallest self-propelled cargo ships produced by the U.S. Maritime...

Concrete Ship

U.S. Maritime Commission design type C1-S-D1

Thirty six of these concrete-hull ships were built for the U.S. Maritime Commission. Originally designed to carry sugar, the U.S. Army converted many into floating warehouses and intentionally sank several to form beachheads following the...

SS SCHUYLER OTIS BLAND

U.S. Maritime Commission design type C3-S-DX1

The only vessel of the C3-S-DX1 design, SS Schuyler Otis Bland was the final vessel ordered by the U.S. Maritime Commission, and the first vessel launched by the newly-created Maritime Administration. The vessel’s name honored the...

T2-SE-A1 Type

Although the early focus of the U.S. Maritime Commission’s shipbuilding efforts had been dry cargo ships, by early winter in 1941, German U-boats and commerce raiders were exacting a heavy toll on Allied tankers. These mounting losses lead the agency to commission a tanker, based on a standard...