Liberty Ships of World War ll

Approaching liberty ships

As we came into Chesapeake Bay, VA, we passed under the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel Bridge and behind some old, scuttled, liberty ships.  We would be anchoring for the first time after three overnight passages from Rhode Island.

The liberty ships were built because the Germans in World War ll were sinking all the ally ships that were trying to get to Britain to bring supplies.  President Roosevelt started the liberty ship campaign to solve the problem.  He opened up forty-nine new seaports, and began immediate construction on hundreds of liberty ships.  The liberty ships were built out of ferro concrete and had  metal rebar supporting it. The object was simple: build ships faster than the Germans could sink them.  By 1943, three liberty ships were completed each day. 

Rebar showing through

After the war, in 1970, liberty ships were still being used, even though they were only supposed to last 5 years.  Now the liberty ships are used for a breakwater for boats to anchor behind.  It seems fitting for the sea to be their final resting place.

Bit rusty, I think