SS Theodore Foster

SS Theodore Foster was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Theodore Foster, an American lawyer and politician from Rhode Island. He was a member of the Federalist Party and later the National Republican Party. He served as one of the first two United States senators from Rhode Island and served as Dean of the United States Senate.

History
United States
Name	Theodore Foster
Namesake	Theodore Foster
Owner	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator	Shepard Steamship Company
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MCE hull 43
Awarded	14 March 1941
Builder	Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland
Cost	$1,049,905
Yard number	2030
Way number	11
Laid down	31 March 1942
Launched	14 June 1942
Sponsored by	Miss Barbara W. Vickery
Completed	29 June 1942
Identification	Call sign: KFPV
Fate	Laid up in the Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York, 9 August 1949 Sold for scrapping, 24 March 1970, withdrawn from fleet, 26 June 1970
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 Worthington Pump & Machinery Corp, Harrison, New Jersey) 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

Construction

Theodore Foster was laid down on 31 March 1942, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCE hull 43, by the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland; she was sponsored by Miss Barbara W. Vickery, the daughter of Vice Admiral Howard L. Vickery, and was launched on 14 June 1942.

History

Theodore Foster was allocated to Shepard Steamship Company, on 29 June 1942. On 9 August 1949, she was laid up in the Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York. On 12 August 1953, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain under the "Grain Program 1953", she returned loaded on 24 August 1953. On 5 March 1956, Theodore Foster was withdrawn to be unload, she then returned empty 22 March 1956. On 24 July 1956, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain under the "Grain Program 1956", after which she returned loaded on 8 August 1956. On 17 June 1963, Theodore Foster was withdrawn to be unload, she returned empty 20 June 1963. She was sold for scrapping on 24 March 1970, to Hierros Ardes, SA., for $105,700. She was removed from the fleet, 26 June 1970.

Bibliography

• "Bethlehem-Fairfield, Baltimore MD". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 14 August 2008. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
• Maritime Administration. "Theodore Foster". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
• "SS Theodore Foster". Retrieved 26 February 2020.