SS William McKinley

History
United States
Name	Levi Woodbury, before 14 October 1942 William McKinley, renamed 14 October 1942
Namesake	Levi Woodbury William McKinley
Owner	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator	American West African Line Inc.
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MCE hull 932
Awarded	30 January 1942
Builder	Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland
Cost	$1,074,665
Yard number	2082
Way number	11
Laid down	7 December 1942
Launched	21 January 1943
Sponsored by	Miss Edythe Louys
Completed	6 February 1943
Identification	Call sign: KKGA
Fate	Laid up in Reserve Fleet, 22 October 1945, sold for scrap 12 March 1971
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 Ellicott Machine Corp., Baltimore, Maryland) 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

SS William McKinley was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after William McKinley, a member of the Republican Party and the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901.

Construction

William McKinley was laid down on 12 December 1942, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCE hull 932, by the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland; she was sponsored by Miss Edythe Louys, an Elementary School Principal, in Fostoria, Ohio, and launched on 21 January 1943.

History

She was allocated to the American West African Line Inc., on 6 February 1943.

On 22 October 1945, she was laid up in the James River Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, Virginia, needing $27,190 in repairs. On 29 January 1947, she was withdrawn from the fleet for repairs. On 2 June 1954, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain under the "Grain Program 1954", she returned loaded with grain on 10 June 1954. She was withdrawn from the fleet on 21 January 1961, to have the grain unloaded, she returned empty on 2 February 1961. She was withdrawn from the fleet on 26 September 1961, to be loaded with grain, she returned loaded with grain on 20 October 1961. She was withdrawn from the fleet on 24 October 1963, to have the grain unloaded, she's list as returning loaded with grain on 8 November 1963. On 3 December 1963, she's listed as "Released (unable to read) Agriculture", she was most likely unloaded at this time. On 12 March 1971, she was sold for $41,165, to Union Minerals & Alloys Corp., to be scrapped. On 12 May 1971, she was withdrawn from the fleet.

Bibliography

• "Bethlehem-Fairfield, Baltimore MD". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 7 August 2021. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
• Maritime Administration. "William McKinley". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
• Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 17 July 2025.
• "SS William McKinley". Retrieved 17 July 2025.