Victory ships in shipyard, c. 1944. raised forecastle, and a "cruiser" stern. They were desigrzed for wartime use but also with features that would allow easy conversion to the merchant service for postwar oceangoing commerce. Victory ships were armed with one five-inch stern gun, one three-inch bow antiaircraft gun, and eight 2 0-mm machine guns, while Liberty ships carried a stern-mounted 4-inch gun plus an assortment of smaller weapons for anti-aircraft purposes. Liberty ships were named after famous Americans, starting with the sigrzatories of the Declaration of Independence. The first Victory ship, SS Uni red Victory, was launched on 28 February 1944. The first few dozen Victory ships were named for each of the Allied nations. More than 2 00 were named after American cities, and another 15 0 were named after educational institutions. Both were manned by the US Merchant Marine and a naval armed guard. - DO'R
To get a first hand look at these ships, you can visit the Liberty Ships Jeremiah O'Brien (in photo) in San Francisco, CA, or the John Brown in Baltimore, MD. The Victory Ships Red Oak Victory in Richmond, CA, Lane Victory in San Pedro, CA, and the American Victory, berthed in Tampa, FL, also operate as museum ships and are open to the public.
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Godspeed's Authenticity The original Godspeed sailed in the early 17rh century. In the article introducing us ro the new reproduction of that vessel (Sea History, 11 9, page 18), the autho r uses the word "authentic." "Wilson expertly creates authentic fully functioning sails by combining natural and modern synthetic materials with traditional sailmaking techniques." I dislike it very much when people use this word when discussing replicas . We see it used mostly in replicas, reenactments, etc. when in fact they are far from it. The word authentic is: "having a genuine original or authori ty, in opposition to that which is false, fictitious, or counterfeit; being what it purports ro be; genuine; true...." What I object to is the continual and improper use of the wo rds, "authentic," "exact copy," "historically accurate," etc. What should be used is: "This ship somewhat resembles the ship of the 15th, 16th, 17th or 18 th century (whichever), ro the best of our knowledge." Anytime I have raised this objection in the past, the response I receive is: "The public doesn't know the difference so who cares." I have said roo much, let the arguments begin .
sails by combining natural and modern synthetic materials with traditional sailmaking techniques. " This sentence almost gets us off the hook by not actually saying that ALL the sails he makes are "authen tic, "if that darned "combining natural and MODERN SYNTHETIC MATERIALS" wasn't thrown in. So, with this last point acknowledged, you win this one and the point was well taken. - DO'R
Poor Treatment of Sailors Not Confined to Race Ketchikan, Alaska In the story about USS Maso n (Sea H istory, From the Merriam- Webster dictionary: "au- 11 8), Jim Graham said that "Black sailors thentic (2b): conforming to an original so as lived in drafty Quonset huts instead of to reproduce essentialfeatures- 'an authentic regular barracks." I am white, and I, roo, reproduction of a colonial farmhouse; ' (2c): traveled to Norfolk with three other white made or done the same way as an original. " sailors to join our various ships' crews. The listing goes on to refine the definition: We arrived just before Thanksgiving of ''authentic implies being fully trustworthy as 1943, and we all were assigned ro those according with fact 'an authentic account of cold, drafty Quonset huts. I lived in that the perilous journey;' it can also stress pains- Quonset hut until 28 D ecember 1943. taking or faithful imitation of an original, The black sailors were not being singled 'an authentic reproduction. "' With these out for punishment. All sailors, black or definitions in mind, the ''authentic" item in white, who went ro Norfolk ro join ships' question does not have to be an exact match crews ended up in the Quonset huts. I, or the real thing, but as close as could be. Sail- roo, h ated Norfolk. I hated the signs on maker Nathaniel Wilson has the ability and lawns w hich read, "Sailors and dogs keep has, when the customer requests (and is will- off the grass." I hated the billboard advering to pay for the extra labor!), made "pains- tising a dance, which read, "Sailors and taking or faithful imitations ofthe original. " dogs not allowed." To this day I have no The point, ofcourse, is that the term is tossed love for Norfolk, and even though I have around indiscriminately and inappropriate- heard that now Norfolk is a friendly city ly. I am fairly certain that Godspeed' s sails for Service personnel, I have no desire to were constructed with combinations of natu- go back and visit because of the treatment ral and synthetic materials, and I am sure I got when I was there in 1943. the seams were machine-stitched. Now, your ]O E DAVI S comment was with regards to the use of the Former Fire Comrolman 3rd Class, word as was used in this sentence: "Wilson USS McNair DD 679 expertly creates authentic fully functioning Salina, Kansas LOUIE BARTOS
SEA HISTORY 120, AUTUMN 2007