Isthmian Line -Liberty Ships -Victory Ships -WWII

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Isthmian Name:	Steel Apprentice	Period:	Modern

Gross Tonnage:	8,062	Net:	4,769
Dimensions:	492' 0" x 69' 7" x 29' 5"	MC Type:	C3-S-A2

Builder:	Western Pipe & Steel Co. San Francisco, CA	Hull # USMC Hull # Date of Build: Delivered:	128 1551 1944 10/12/44
Engines:	2 Steam Turbines DR Geared to Single Screwed Shaft	Engine Builder:	General Electric Co. Lynn, MA
Navigation:	DF, ESD, GC, RDR, RT	Decks, etc.:	2 Decks & Open Shelter Deck

Began Isthmian Service:

1947

Ended Isthmian Service:

1973

----------------------------------- Vessel History -----------------------------------

Date	Vessel #	Vessel Name	Vessel Owner	Call Ltrs	Home Port	Flag
1944	247321	*Sea Adder (I)*	US War Shipping Administration	ANMH	New Orleans	USWB
1944	-----	*USS Gladwin*	US Navy	-----	-----	US
1944	APA 106	*USS Hansford*	US Navy	-----	-----	US
1946	247321	*USS Hansford*	US Maritime Commission	ANMH	New Orleans	US
1947	252498	*Steel Apprentice*	Isthmian Lines, Inc. New York	KIWI	New York	US

Events:
12/10/43: Keel laid as SEA ADDER (I). Taken over by the US Navy for completion as a Transport.
4/25/44: Launched as GLADWIN (APA 106), sponsored by Mrs. Edward C. Cahill.
8/25/44: Transferred to U.S. Navy, renamed HANSFORD (APA 106).
10/12/44: Delivered and commissioned as Attack Transport, Cmdr. William A. Lynch in command.
11/25/44: After shakedown cruise to San Pedro, departed for landing exercises in Hawaii. Vessel remained in Pacific theatre shuttling troops until April 1946.
2/45: Participated in Iwo Jima landings, returning with casualties.
4/45: Participated in Okinawa landings, returning with casualties.
8/27/45: Departed Leyte for Tokyo Bay and Japanese surrender.
4/46: Returned Seattle from Nagoya with troops; sent to Norflok.
5/2/46: Arrived Norfolk.
6/14/46: Decommissioned at Norfolk and redelivered to U.S. Maritime Commission.
1946: Conversion contract awarded to Bethlehem Steel Shipbuilding Division, Simpson Plant, East Boston, MA, at a cost of $490,694.
1947: 55,000 cubic feet of reefer space installed by Ingalls Shipbuilding, Birmingham, AL.
5/20/47: Sold to Isthmian Lines.
11/48: Generator damage due to alleged crew negligence. Disassemble, bearings and packing renew and thrust repair; repair cost $3,380.
1/49: Boiler fire. Renew 4 boiler economiser tube elements, partially renew casings and brickwork; repair cost $10,235.
7/50: Collision with barge. Propeller repair and shaft renew; repair cost $17,000.
1/16/51: Hit fender; propeller repair, fit spare and draw shaft at Baltimore.
2/6/52: At Saigon, collision with SS NINFEASA while on voyage Baltimore to Belawan, no damage.
9/18/52: Hit dock; propeller damage.
7/21/53: From striking pier 9/18/52, propeller reconditioned, tailshaft withdrawn and examined and replaced, together with sundry damages; repairs and dry docking at Baltimore.
10/8/53: Grounded, voyage Banda Shapur for Baltimore.
10/20/53: Inbound to Philadelphia on voyage to Persian Gulf, hit and demolished Cross Ledge Lighthouse in Delaware Bay in dense fog; damaged 16 plates and 68 frames. Vessel proceeding to Philadelphia in dense fog.
11/24/53: From grounding 10/8/53, renew rudder stock, open high pressure turbine, renew packings, remetal bearings, rebalance rotor, together with sundry damages; repairs at Baltimore.
3/3/54: From striking Cross Ledge Lighthouse on 10/20/53, 16 plates renew and 10 fair, 68 frames renew or partially renew, together with sundry damages and removals; repairs and drydocking at Baltimore.
12/21/54: Tug EUGENE T. MESECK sank in Erie Basin when caught between sea wall and STEEL APPRENTICE. Police harbor squad reports propeller of STEEL APPRENTICE tore side of tug open and she sank in 30 ft of water as tug MARY MORAN was towing her to Pier A Erie Basin. Crew taken off. STEEL APPRENTICE sailed at night for Philadelphia and Norfolk.
12/22/54: Merritt's derrick barge MONARCH commences salvage of tug.
12/24/54: Tug EUGENE T. MESECK was raised by MONARCH and drydocked.
7/6/55: From striking tug 12/21/54, renew 1 side plate and 1 fair, frames and brackets straighten and partially renew, together with sundry damages; repairs at Baltimore.
2/8/56: STEEL APPRENTICE, Manila for New York, in collision with M.V. JALAZAD, Bombay for U.K., in Suez Roads at 9:53 PM. STEEL APPRENTICE, with slight bow damage joined the night convoy at 10:30 PM through the Suez Canal. JALAZAD, with heavy damage to her hull, remained at Suez for repairs.
2/13/56: At Port Said, bound for Halifax; temporary repairs completed, seaworthy certificate granted, sailed in morning.
3/5/56: From collision 2/8/56, 5 bow plates renew and 3 partially renew, frames, brackets and deck plating straighten and partially renew, together with sundry damages and removals. Repairs proceeding on owner's instructions, overtime basis, at New York.
4/16 - 4/17/58: Damaged in consequence of encountering heavy weather on voyage from New York to Houston.
1/29/59: From damage sustained 4/16 - 4/17/58 in consequence of encountering heavy weather, voyage New York to Houston: Three bottom shell plates renew, two partially renew and one fair, internals straighten and partially renew, double bottom tanks steam, clean and test, rudder pintles and gudgeon bushes renew, together with sundry damages and removal; partial permanent repairs completed at Baltimore, partial repairs deferred to bottom plating. Suveyor considers damage to be cumulative.
7/22/59: From damage sustained 4/16 - 4/17/58 in consequence of encountering heavy weather on passage from New York to Houston: Three shell plates renew, two partially renew and three fair, together with sundry damages and removals. Repairs at Brooklyn, NY.
6/7/66: While lying at outer anchorage at Manila, contacted by motor tank barge LSCO SIKATUNA while the tanker was coming alongside to bunker the vessel.
9/19/66: STEEL APPRENTICE, Baltimore for Penang, struck pier at Philadelphia while manoeuvering, assisted by tugs SATURN and VENUS in loaded condition.
10/21/66: From New York: From damage alleged sustained on 9/19/66 in consequence of striking pier in Philadelphia while being assisted by tugs: Starboard side two shell plates crop and partially renew, after bulkhead at frame No. 105 crop and partially renew, frames Nos. 106 and 107 crop and partially renew and frame No. 108 release, fair and reweld, together with sundry damages and removals; repairs deferred. Internals of starboard fuel oil settler tank could not be examined at this time.
2/6/67: From New York: From damage alleged sustained 6/7/66 in consequence of being contacted by motor tank barge LSCO SIKATUNA while lying at the outer anchorage at Manila: Starboard side three shell plates renew, adjacent plate edges fair, internals straighten and partially renew, together with sundry damages and removals; repairs completed.
5/31/67: From New York: From damage alleged sustained 9/19/66, in consequence of striking the pier at Philadelphia while docking, assisted by tugs SATURN and VENUS: Three starboard side shell plates partially renew, internals straighten and partially renew, settling tank steam, clean and gas-free, together with sundry damages and removals; repairs completing.
7/27/67: Collided with steamer SYLVIA LYKES, Galveston for Saigon, in Saigon River.
8/4/67: From Yokohama: STEEL APPRENTICE, Saigon for Seattle, in consequence of collision with SYLVIA LYKES in the Saigon River 7/27/67: Nine port side shell plates in way of Nos. 3 and 4 holds set in, one to renew, three crop and partially renew, one fair, remainder to dress scratches, bulkheads between No. 3 hold and refrigerator-room also associated with internals buckled, to crop and partially renew; all repairs deferred.
8/22/67: From Portland, OR: From damage alleged consequent upon collision with steamer SYLVIA LYKES on 7/27/67: Survey afloat at Coos Bay and Seattle revealed severe damage to port side upper shell plating and internal parts, necessitating renewal of six plates and, internals in way, together with sundry damages and extensive removals in refrigerated chambers and machinery spaces.
6/5/68: From Saigon: American steamers STEEL APPRENTICE and GRETNA VICTORY rocket-attacked early morning. Former hull damaged, latter port boom No. 2 hatch broken and rigging damaged. Six dockers seriously wounded.
2/3/72: Collision at Houston, from Calcutta, with MV ARCADIA WIEN. STEEL APPRENTICE being surveyed.
2/3/72: Vessel left Houston.

Disposition Date	Comments
1973	Arrived at Kaohsiung 4/21/73, having sailed from Yokohama 4/5/73. Sold to Tai Kien Industry Co., Ltd. to whom she was delivered at Kaohsiung 5/4/73. Scrapped 5/73 Kaohsiung. Reported 6/73: Sold to the Republic of China (Taiwan) for Scrapping.

The information on this page is the kind contribution of Skip Lewis. Skip, whose dad sailed for Isthmian, is an avid collector and researcher of everything Isthmian. In his quest, he has used many sources and publications including Lloyd's of London and Imperial Steel by John Atherton. Thank you, Skip. Copyright © 2003-2007 - All rights reserved.

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