SS Molly Pitcher

History
United States
Name	Ward Hunt, before 14 October 1942; Molly Pitcher, renamed 14 October 1942;
Namesake	Ward Hunt; Molly Pitcher;
Owner	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator	Prudential Steamship Corporation
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MCE hull 935
Awarded	30 January 1942
Builder	Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland
Cost	$1,074,267
Yard number	2085
Way number	9
Laid down	12 December 1942
Launched	30 January 1943
Completed	22 February 1943
Identification	Call sign: KEXY; ;
Fate	Torpedoed and sunk in Atlantic Ocean, 17 March 1943
General characteristics
Class & 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-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;

Name

Namesake

SS Molly Pitcher was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Molly Pitcher, a nickname given to a woman who fought in the American Revolutionary War. She is most often identified as Mary Ludwig Hays, who fought in the Battle of Monmouth in June 1778. Another possibility is Margaret Corbin, who helped defend Fort Washington in New York, in November 1776.

History

History




United States
Name	Ward Hunt, before 14 October 1942 Molly Pitcher, renamed 14 October 1942
Namesake	Ward Hunt Molly Pitcher
Owner	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator	Prudential Steamship Corporation
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MCE hull 935
Awarded	30 January 1942
Builder	Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland^[1]
Cost	$1,074,267^[2]
Yard number	2085
Way number	9
Laid down	12 December 1942
Launched	30 January 1943
Completed	22 February 1943
Identification	Call sign: KEXY ^[2]
Fate	Torpedoed and sunk in Atlantic Ocean, 17 March 1943


General characteristics ^[3]
Class & 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-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