''Booker T. Washington'' was a

United States Maritime Commission The United States Maritime Commission (MARCOM) was an independent executive agency of the U.S. federal government that was created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which was passed by Congress on June 29, 1936, and was abolished on May 24, 195 ...

(MC)

Liberty ship Liberty ships were a class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Though British in concept, the design was adopted by the United States for its simple, low-cost construction. Ma ...

and the first major oceangoing ship and first of 17 Liberty ships that were named after African-Americans. The ship was named for

Booker T. Washington Booker Taliaferro Washington (April 5, 1856November 14, 1915) was an American educator, author, orator, and adviser to several presidents of the United States. Between 1890 and 1915, Washington was the dominant leader in the African-American c ...

, notable educator, author, orator, and advisor to presidents of the United States. At launch

Mary McLeod Bethune Mary Jane McLeod Bethune ( McLeod; July 10, 1875 – May 18, 1955) was an American educator, philanthropist, humanitarian, womanist, and civil rights activist. Bethune founded the National Council of Negro Women in 1935, established the organi ...

gave the address and notable singer

Marian Anderson Marian Anderson (February 27, 1897April 8, 1993) was an American contralto. She performed a wide range of music, from opera to spirituals. Anderson performed with renowned orchestras in major concert and recital venues throughout the United ...

christened the ship. Hugh Mulzac, the first African-American earn a

United States Merchant Marine United States Merchant Marines are United States civilian mariners and U.S. civilian and federally owned merchant vessels. Both the civilian mariners and the merchant vessels are managed by a combination of the government and private sectors, an ...

master's license and only African American to have such license was selected to command a ship after acceptance trials. In 1942, the ship had an integrated crew of 18 nationalities. Between 1942 and 1947, it had made 22 round trip voyages ferrying troops and supplies to Europe and the Pacific theatre.

Construction

''Booker T. Washington'', MC hull number 648, was laid down on 19 August 1942 and launched on 29 September by

California Shipbuilding Corporation __NOTOC__ California Shipbuilding Corporation built 467 Liberty and Victory ships during World War II, including ''Haskell''-class attack transports. California Shipbuilding Corporation was often referred to as Calship. The ''Dictionary of Ame ...

Terminal Island Terminal Island, historically known as Isla Raza de Buena Gente, is a largely artificial island located in Los Angeles County, California, between the neighborhoods of Wilmington and San Pedro in the city of Los Angeles, and the city of Long B ...

, Los Angeles. The ship was the first large oceangoing ship named after an African American and first of seventeen Liberty ships to be so named. Mary McLeod Bethune gave the address at the launching ceremony and Marian Anderson christened the ship. As part of the Maritime Commission plan the ship was to be delivered after sea trials and acceptance to the command of the only African American in the nation to hold a master's certificate, Captain Hugh Mulzac. The ship was delivered to the

War Shipping Administration The War Shipping Administration (WSA) was a World War II emergency war agency of the US government, tasked to purchase and operate the civilian shipping tonnage the United States needed for fighting the war. Both shipbuilding under the Maritime C ...

(WSA) for operation on 17 October 1942 with Luckenbach Steamship Company as the WSA agent. Captain Mulzac remained in command for the next four years commanding an integrated crew composed of seventeen nationalities. ''Booker T. Washington'', official number 342392, was a standard Liberty of the cargo configuration, designated type EC2-S-C1. Specifications were for a five hold ship of ,The Maritime Commission standard GRT. The MARAD status card at time of disposal shows which could reflect either modifications or different calculation method. . The standard Liberty cargo type dimensions of length overall, length between perpendiculars, waterline length, beam, with a draft of applied. Though the nominal speed of the Liberty type was the Maritime Administration vessel status card has 11 stricken with an annotation of . Cargo capacity, given in two measures of dry cargo volume as, was bale and grain.

Crew

The captain, second officer, third officer, and the Chief Engineer were African American. Other officers were white. The crew was composed of African Americans, whites, and other races. On completion of the ship's maiden voyage morale was high, each man gave a pint of blood and purchase of war bonds was high. The crew and officers donated to buy a gold watch for Captain Mulzac. Captain Mulzac apparently thought those initiating the experiment of an integrated crew under an African American captain and other officers expected it would fail. Instead it was successful over twelve voyages in the North Atlantic, Caribbean and to North Africa.

Operations

From delivery to WSA on 17 October 1942 the ship was operated by Luckenbach Steamship Company for WSA supporting wartime logistics. In early 1943 ''Booker T. Washington'' made its first trans-Atlantic crossing. On 23 March 1947 the arrangement was converted from the wartime operation agreement to a bareboat charter to Luckenbach until 19 November when the ship was put under agreement with A. L. Burbank & Company, Ltd, possibly in preparation for layup in the Hudson River Reserve Fleet on 22 December 1947. On 19 July 1951 the ship was again operated under a then Maritime Administration agreement until entering the Olympia Reserve Fleet 26 September 1952. From then until sold in 1969 the ship was part of the Grain Program in which surplus grain was stored in

National Defense Reserve Fleet The National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) consists of ships of the United States of America, mostly merchant vessels, that have been "mothballed" but can be activated within 20 to 120 days to provide shipping during national military emergencies ...

ships with ships being activated only to load or unload grain.

Disposal

The ship was sold for $40,404.04 on 21 May 1969 to Zidell Explorations, Inc. and removed from the Reserve Fleet, Olympia, Washington on 24 June 1969 for scrapping.

In popular culture

* The captain Hugh_Mulzac.html" ;"title=" Hugh Mulzac"> Hugh Mulzacand the

he commanded 'SS_Booker_T._Washington''.html" ;"title="SS_Booker_T._Washington.html" ;"title="'SS Booker T. Washington">'SS Booker T. Washington''">SS_Booker_T._Washington.html" ;"title="'SS Booker T. Washington">'SS Booker T. Washington''were featured on ''Combat Ships - Hidden Figures (Season 4 Episode 3)''

Footnotes

References

External links

Construction of the liberty ship ''Booker T. Washington''. Ernest Enloe Cotton, former Tuskegee student now employed by the California Shipbuilding Corporation, is shown with a lead man examining the weld-head put on a section of the double bottom of a liberty ship.Construction of the liberty ship ''Booker T. Washington''. Jesse Kermit Lucas, skilled Negro worker, regulates electric current from generator as lead man looks on.Christening of ''Booker T. Washington'' liberty ship, Sept. 29, 1942, California Shipbuilding Corporation's yards, Wilmington, California (Photo, University of Southern California)
at the U.S. National Archive

at USMM.org {{DEFAULTSORT:Booker T. Washington 1944 ships Liberty ships Ships built in Los Angeles Booker T. Washington