Type C2 ships were designed by the

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 ...

(MARCOM) in 1937–38. They were all-purpose cargo ships with five holds, and U.S. shipyards built 328 of them from 1939 to 1945. Compared to ships built before 1939, the C2s were remarkable for their speed and fuel economy. Their design speed was , but some could make on occasion. The first C2s were long, broad, and deep, with a

draft Draft, The Draft, or Draught may refer to: Watercraft dimensions * Draft (hull), the distance from waterline to keel of a vessel * Draft (sail), degree of curvature in a sail * Air draft, distance from waterline to the highest point on a vesse ...

. Later ships varied somewhat in size. Some, intended for specific trade routes, were built with significant modifications in length and capacity. In 1937, MARCOM distributed tentative designs for criticism by shipbuilders, ship owners, and naval architects. The final designs incorporated many changes suggested by these constituencies. The ships were to be reasonably fast but economical cargo ships which, with some government subsidies to operators, could compete with vessels of other nations. Building costs were to be minimized by standardization of design and equipment, and the ships were to have sufficient speed and stability that they could be used as naval auxiliaries in time of national emergency. The basic specifications called for a five-

hold Hold may refer to: Physical spaces * Hold (ship), interior cargo space * Baggage hold, cargo space on an airplane * Stronghold, a castle or other fortified place Arts, entertainment, and media * Hold (musical term), a pause, also called a Ferm ...

steel cargo ship with raked stem and cruiser stern, complete shelter and second decks, and a third deck in Nos. 1–4 holds. Dimensions of the hatches were , except for No. 2, which was , allowing such cargo as locomotives, naval guns, long bars, etc. Ventilation to the holds was provided by hollow

kingposts A king post (or king-post or kingpost) is a central vertical post used in architectural or bridge designs, working in tension to support a beam below from a truss Apex (geometry), apex above (whereas a crown post, though visually similar, support ...

, which also served as cargo masts. Cargo handling gear consisted of fourteen 5-ton cargo booms, plus two 30-ton booms at Nos. 3 and 4 hatches. Living accommodations were much improved over previous designs, with crew accommodations amidships, officers quarters on the boat deck, and the captain's quarters on the bridge deck, along with the wheelhouse, chartroom, gyro and radio room. Hot and cold running water was provided throughout. Many of the ships such as SS ''Donald McKay'' were converted by the

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...

for service during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. The commercial versions were operated by the government during the war. Beginning in late 1945, the commercial ships were sold to merchant shipping lines, with service until the early 1970s.

Cost

According to the War Production Board, in 1943 the C-2 had a relative cost of $313 per deadweight ton (10,800 deadweight tonnage) for $3,380,400; which at $14 to $1 inflation of 1945 to 2020 amounts to $48,136,896

Ships in class

Modified and Redesignated

* Stores Ship - AF (11) ** 3 (C2) *** , , ** 2 (C2-S-E1) *** , ** 6 of 10 (C2-S-B1-R) *** AF-50, AF-51, AF-52, AF-54, AF-60, AF-61 * Attack Transports - APA (1 + 6AP) ** 3 s (C2-S-B1) *** APA-49, APA-50, APA-51 (AP-94, AP-95, AP-96) ** 4 s (C2-S-E1) *** APA-52, APA-53, APA-54 (AP-97, AP-98, AP-99) *** APA-94 * Transports - AP (13) ** 7 (C2-S-B1) ** 3 (C2-S-A1) ** 2 (C2-S-AJ1) ** (C2-F) * Cargo ship - AK (21 + 1 AKA) ** ... ** ... , ** , ** ... ** ... ** (AKA-92) (in 1963) * Attack Cargo Ships - AKA (60 + 17AK) ** (AK-26) ** 11 (C2, C2-F, C2-T) *** AKA-1 ... AKA-4 (AK-18 ... AK-21) *** AKA-6 ... AKA-8 (AK-23 ... AK-25) *** AKA-11 ... AKA-14 (AK-28, AK-53, AK-55, AK-56) ** 32 (C2-S-AJ3) *** AKA-64 ... AKA-87, AKA-101 ... 108 ** 30 (C2-S-B1) *** AKA-15 ... AKA-20 (prev: AK-64 ... AK-69) *** AKA-53 ... AKA-63, AKA-88 ... AKA-100 * General Stores Issue Ship - AKS (2 + 2AK) ** 3 s *** , , (AK-54) ** (AK-42) * Ammunition ship - AE (15 + 2AKA) ** 7 (C2, C2-T, C2-N) *** , , , *** , *** ** 8 (C2-S-AJ1) ** Converted from in 1965 *** (prev: ) *** (prev: ) * Aviation Supply Ship - AVS (1AK) ** (AK-43) * Command ship - AGC (15) ** 4 *** ... , ** 8 *** ... ** 3 *** ...

Notable incidents

* ''Highflier'' a C2-S-B, exploded and sank in 1947. * ''Wild Rover'' a C2-S-B1, renamed ''Mormackite'' capsized in heavy seas and sank off Cape Henry on 7 October 1954. Survivors were attacked by sharks. * , a C2-S-AJ1, on 26 December 1969 with a full load of 8,900 bombs, rockets, shells and mines bound for Da Nang, South Vietnam, cargo shifted and a bomb went off in rough seas. On 5 January 1970 she sank north of Midway Atoll. 29 members of her crew died during the evacuation. * , a C2-S-AJ3, renamed SS ''Guam Bear'' wrecked and sank in 1967. She was in a collision outside

Apra Harbor, Guam Apra Harbor, also called Port Apra, is a deep-water port on the western side of the United States territory of Guam. It is considered one of the best natural ports in the Pacific Ocean. The harbor is bounded by Cabras Island and the Glass Breakwa ...

. A constructive total loss, the hulk was towed off shore and

scuttled Scuttling is the deliberate sinking of a ship. Scuttling may be performed to dispose of an abandoned, old, or captured vessel; to prevent the vessel from becoming a navigation hazard; as an act of self-destruction to prevent the ship from being ...

. * SS ''American Shipper'', a C2-S-AJ5. Delivered December 1945. Sank in 1974 in the Balintang Channel, southeast of

Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...

.''American Shipper''
/ref> USS Achernar

* was torpedoed in 1942 and sank off

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

. * was torpedoed in 1942, sank in North Atlantic. * SS ''Louise Lykes'' was torpedoed and sank in the North Atlantic in 1943. * SS ''Shooting Star'' was torpedoed and sank in South Atlantic in 1943, One US Armed Guard killed. * was wrecked and sank off Newfoundland in 1942. * exploded and sank in the

Admiralty Islands The Admiralty Islands are an archipelago group of 18 islands in the Bismarck Archipelago, to the north of New Guinea in the South Pacific Ocean. These are also sometimes called the Manus Islands, after the largest island. These rainforest-co ...

in 1944. * SS ''Fairport'' was torpedoed and sank in the North Atlantic in 1942. * SS ''Santa Catalina'' was torpedoed and sank off Georgia 1943. * SS ''African Star'' was torpedoed and sank in the South Atlantic in 1942. * SS African Dawn (CH-111) collided with a tanker in convoy, 2300 hrs, Oct 28 1943. USS Polaris (AF-11) off Korea in 1953

References

* *
United States Maritime Commission C2 Type Ships
{{DEFAULTSORT:Type C2 Ship Ship types Type C2-N ships Type C2-S-AJ1 ships of the United States Navy World War II auxiliary ships of the United States

Cost

Ships in class

Modified and Redesignated

Notable incidents

See also

References