Isthmian Line -Liberty Ships -Victory Ships -WWII

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Isthmian Name:	Steel Traveler	Period:	Modern

Gross Tonnage:	8,022	Net:	4,727
Dimensions:	492' 0" x 69' 7" x 29' 5"	MC Type:	C3-S-A2

Builder:	Ingalls Shipbuilding Corp. Pascagoula, MS	Hull # USMC Hull # Date of Build: Delivered:	423 879 1945 1/31/45
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
1945	247198	*Sea Hawk (II)*	US War Shipping Administration	ANJU	New Orleans	USWB
1946	247198	*Sea Hawk (II)*	US Maritime Commission	ANJU	New Orleans	US
1947	247198	*Steel Traveler*	Isthmian Lines, Inc. New York	KRRL	New York	US

Events:
3/29/44: Keel laid.
10/6/44: Launched, sponsored by Mrs. Howard Vickery, wife of the Deputy Vice Chairman of the U.S. Maritime Commission.
1/31/45: Delivered.
1946: U.S. Maritime Commission.
11/48: Hit submerged object, fracturing two propeller blades. Renew propeller, draw and test shaft at a cost of $14,760.
12/48: Heavy weather destroyed starboard accomodation ladder.
2/49: Hit dock damaging plates; repair cost $2,150.
6/21/50: Fire at Houston, damaging $25,000 of cargo; vessel undamaged, cause undetermined.
12/21/50: At Singapore, on voyage Kohsichang to New York, spark from welder's torch caused fire in #5 lower tween deck damaging cargo of hemp and bales of rubber. Also damaged were 8,000 ft. electric cable, circuits and junction boxes; repairs at Baltimore.
2/6 - 2/18/52: Heavy weather. Remove #1 lifeboat plates & gunwale bars, fair and replace at Baltimore.
2/27/52: Tailshaft failure discovered while drawn for classification society requirements. Remove and renew at Baltimore.
3/25/52: At New York, moored, struck by stevedore barge.
1/6/53: From barge striking 3/25/52, bronze propeller renew, shaft draw and test in lathe, together with sundry damages; repairs and dry docking at New York.
6/2/53: At 1707 struck by SS BANGOR BAY, which broke mooring in heavy storm at King George's Dock Buoys damaging both vessels.
6/6/53: Left Calcutta for Mobile.
9/3/53: Grounding.
6/7/54: From collision 6/2/53, renew 1 plate, 2 release and fair, together with sundry damages. From grounding 9/3/53, renew port bilge keel, together with tank cleaning. All repairs and drydocking at Baltimore.
11/16/57: On voyage from Philadelphia to Kaighn Point, struck Pennsylvania Railroad Bridge fender at Fisher Point Railroad Bridge.
11/29/57: From striking Bridge fender, 5 shell plates renew, 4 partially renew and 1 fair, frames, beams, bulkheads and 'tween deck plating straighten and partially renew, together with sundry damages and removals. Surveyor reports no temporary repairs were considered necessary at the time of this survey.
4/22/58: On voyage Houston for Pusan vessel struck wharf and damaged bow while berthing at Kobe. Vessel will drydock today at Mitsubishi yard.
4/27/58: Vessel left Kobe for Yawata.
5/7/58: From Kobe: Stem bar broken and distorted at approximately 26 ft. draught mark and welding connection of stem bar to bow plating fractured. Third and fourth strakes below sheer shell plating, port and starboard, fractured and distorted at stem connection.
9/8/58: From striking railroad bridge 11/16/57, 5 shell plates renew and 5 partially renew, frames, beams, bulkheards, brackets, 'tween deck plating and stringers straighten and partially renew, together with sundry damages and removals. Repairs completed at Galveston.
7/13/61: At Inchon, steamer STEEL TRAVELER had fire in No. 4 hold; extinguished. Vessel and cargo damaged. Fire smouldered, became uncontrollable and hatch covered. Shortly afterwards, explosion lifted two pontoons. All available water and foam used and fire finally extinguished around 9 PM 7/14/61; surveyor appointed.
7/17/61: Steamer STEEL TRAVELER at Inchon with U.S. Navy assistance, pumped out No. 4 lower 'tween deck. Nature and extent of vessel's damage obtainable least five days later, view jettisoning swollen grain in lower hold. Hull damage apparently slight; visible decks slightly buckled in crew's cabin after midshiphouse main deck. Holes burnt on port side in order to drain water and holes one each after midshiphouse samson posts in order to pump foam. All wiring including winch wiring, fire and water damaged. U.S. Navy damage control party standing by to assist in case fire breaks out again, which possibility remains until dangerous cargo is discharged.
7/19/61: STEEL TRAVELER at Inchon: Except for 1340 tons of water damaged Longview - Keelung wheat, other is all Inchon, Okinawa and Formosa military cargo, of which 315 tons total loss and 156 tons partially damaged by fire and water. Pusan was last port, Okinawa and Keelung are next ports.
7/21/61: No repairs at Inchon except temporary repairs to holes in port side. Fire caused by careless use of matches by consignee's labor in hold where highly inflammible cargo stowed.
7/26/61: Steamer STEEL TRAVELER sailed from Inchon at 10:45 AM for Keelung via Okinawa.
9/10 -9/12/61: Damaged at Galveston by Hurricane "Carla"
11/6/61: From damage alleged sustained 9/10 - 9/12/61 at Galveston during Hurricane "Carla": One shell plate renew, two partially renew and one fair, 13 shell frames straighten and partially renew, propeller remove, recondition and return as spare, tailshaft draw for examination, spare propeller install, stern gland repack, port accomodation ladder partially renew, No. 2 deep tanks, port and starboard, and No. 4 lower hold wash down, together with sundry damages and removals. Repairs completed at Galveston. The vessel was drydocked at this time for examination on account of fire damage on 7/13 - 7/14/61. Repairs on account of this casualty required two additional lay days on dry dock. The owners state that various items of equipment lost or damaged during the hurricane have been replaced in addition to the above.
2/5 - 2/6/63: Damaged in consequence of encounting heavy weather while on passage from Long Beach to Yokohama.
8/27/63: From New York: From damage alleged sustained 2/5 - 2/6/63 in consequence of encountering heavy weather while on passage from Long Beach to Yokohama: Two keel plates renew and one fair, port side bottom shell plate renew, three partially renew and one fair, starboard bottom shell, one plate renew and one partially renew, internals straighten and partially renew, tanks steam, clean and test, together with sundry damages and removals. Repairs deferred.
12/15/63: Steamer STEEL TRAVELER, Penang for Baltimore, in collision about 6 AM with Atlantic Cement Carriers, Inc. barge ADELAIDE in Cape Cod Canal. STEEL TRAVELER proceeded and arrived New York same day.
12/17/63: From New York: In consequence of colliding with barge on 12/15/63: Four shell plates renew, two partially renew and one fair, internals straighten and partially renew, together with sundry damages and removals. Repairs in progress.
12/18/63: Barge ADELAIDE surveyed without predjudice on behalf of STEEL TRAVELER: Three bow shell plates renew and one partially renew, two deck stringer plates renew, internals straighten and partially renew, together with sundry damages and removals. Repairs in progress.
12/23/63: STEEL TRAVELER left New York for Norfolk.
12/11/65: From New York: Steamer STEEL TRAVELER, damage alleged sustained 2/5 - 2/6/63, in consequence of encountering heavy weather while on voyage from Long Beach to Yokohama: Bottom shell four plates renew, four partially renew and two fair, internals straighten and partially renew, tanks clean, gas-free and test, together with sundry damages and removals; repairs completed.
2/5/66: Damage in consequence of manoeuvering in heavy ice in the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal while on voyage from Baltimore to Philadelphia, and Bangkok in partially loaded condition.
2/15/66: From New York: From damage alleged sustained 2/5/66 in consequence of manoeuvering in heavy ice: Propeller remove and recondition, spare propeller install, tailshaft draw for examination, stern tube bearing rewood, main reduction gears examine, main and auxiliary circulating pumps liquid ends examine, together with sundry damages and removals; repairs completed.
2/27 - 3/24/67: Damaged on Voyage No. 38, Pusan to San Francisco, due to heavy weather.
2/5/68: Steamer STEEL TRAVELER, Houston for Calcutta, at Shed 2, Erie Basin, Brooklyn, on fire in No. 2 hold about 5:40 PM. Fire Dept. and Marine Units on scene. Fire extinguished at 10:30 PM.
2/7/68: From New York: Partial cargo in No. 2 hold consisted of baled cotton. The fire was brought under control by use of carbon dioxide gas. It is reported the affected hold will be opened to discharge damaged cargo and reload the cargo not damaged by fire. Vessel is expected to sail a few days behind schedule; she had been due to leave today. 2/10/68: From damage alleged sustained 2/5/68 in consequence of an outbreak of fire in baled cotton cargo stowed in No. 2 hold at Brooklyn: No. 2 hold 'tween deck and lower hold port side three deck plates renew, six deck beams renew, 24 hatch boards renew, power and lighting cables megger-test, hold space clean and partially repaint, carbon dioxide system bottles replenish and test, together with sundry damages and removals; repairs partially completed, partially deferred.
2/11/68: STEEL TRAVELER left New York for Khorramshahr.
6/21/68: From New York: Steamer STEEL TRAVELER, from heavy weather damage alleged sustained 2/27 - 3/24/67: Rudder casting repair, rudder plating remove for access and rudder pintles rebush, together with sundry damages and removals; repairs completed.
2/3/69: Damaged in consequence of striking Alexandria Dock in Bombay while berthing.
6/25/69: From damage alleged sustained 2/5/68 in consequence of fire in No. 2 hold at Brooklyn: Three 'tween deck plates renew, six deck beams renew and hatch area clean and paint, together with sundry damages and removals; repairs completed. From damage alleged sustained 2/3/69 at Bombay, striking dock while berthing: Port side shell two plates fair, internals straighten and partially renew and vessel drydock, together with sundry damages and removals; repairs completed.
12/20/69: Damaged in consequence of striking dock at Calcutta.
3/27/70: From Galveston: Steamer STEEL TRAVELER, from damage alleged sustained 12/20/69 in consequence of striking dock at Calcutta: Propeller remove, recondition and replace, tailshaft draw and examine, stern bush rewood, together with sundry damages and removals; drydocking necessary. Part permanent repairs in hand. Owners elected to fit vessel's spare propeller at this time. Owner's repairs requiring drydocking carried out concurrently with these damage repairs.
3/15/72: At Mobile collided with tank barge Brown 520, no loss of life. Minor damage to STEEL TRAVELER, Brown 520 of Brown Marine Services of Pensacola, FL extensively damaged with approximately 35,000 gallons of gasoline lost. Barge in tow of tug Zeus Traveller.
3/16/72: Arrived Beaumont, TX and left 3/17/72.
3/17/72: Surveyed at New Orleans in respect of damage alleged sustained, time and place unknown in consequence of striking submerged object while en route from Colombo to Cape Verde Islands; repairs being carried out.
1/10/73: Damaged by underwater explosion at Kompong Som, Khmer Republic at 20:00 GMT. Damage located in #1 hold, flooded with 900 tons of rice.
1/20/73: Vessel sailed for U.S. to complete permanent repairs; dry docking considered necessary.
1/23/73: Surveyor advised vessel arrived at Hong Kong for examination of underwater damage. Exam showed plates F16, F17, E17 and E18 holed, requiring removal of 4 plates with corresponding internals in way. Temporary repairs effected at Kompong Som further strengthened by addition of internals cement boxes.

Disposition Date	Comments
1973	Arrived at Kaohsiung 7/12/73. Sold to I. Chon Steel & Iron Works who began work 8/28/73. Scrapped 8/73 Kaohsiung. Reported 9/73: 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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