World War II Liberty Ships and the Georgia Coast

June 6, 2024, marked an important milestone: the eightieth anniversary of D-Day. Although our area did not play a large role that day, the Georgia Coast was crucial in helping the Allies win the war through different means: the construction of Liberty ships.

Liberty ships were merchant vessels built quickly and efficiently in numbers high enough to overwhelm German efforts to blockade United States ports and disrupt the flow of supplies to Allied forces. They hauled trucks, tanks, ammunition, crated aircraft, heavy machinery, and a wide range of other supplies (including troops) to both the European and Pacific theaters.

“Give Me Liberty”

The first Liberty ship constructed in the United States was the SS Patrick Henry, which was launched in September of 1941. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who spoke at its launch, cited politician Patrick Henry’s 1775 speech which finished “Give me liberty or give me death,” stating that this new class of ship would bring liberty to Europe. His speech gave rise to the nickname “Liberty Ship.”

This first ship took 244 days to build, but by 1943, the median time required to complete each vessel dropped to 39 days. From 1941 to 1945, eighteen shipyards across the United States constructed 2,710 of these ships – an average of three ships every two days – but shipyards at Savannah and Brunswick contributed, too, producing nearly 200 of these vessels and employing 62,000 workers across the state.

Serving in Savannah

Southeastern Shipbuilding at Savannah began constructing Liberty ships in May of 1942 at its 96-acre facility with 500,000 square feet of floor space. In December of 1943, at peak production, 15,303 men and women were employed there over three shifts. Between 1942 and 1946, 46,766 workers clocked in, making it the largest industry ever in Savannah.

The first ship completed in Savannah was the SS James Oglethorpe, which its crewmen nicknamed the “Jim.” It launched on November 20, 1942, and headed for New York where it joined a convoy bound for Liverpool, England. However, on March 16, 1943, a German U-boat torpedoed the Oglethorpe, which sunk the next morning along with 44 of its 74-man crew. In spite of this setback, Southeastern Shipbuilding turned out 88 ships during the war years.

Patriotism in Brunswick

The J.A. Jones Shipyard in Brunswick, which began producing Liberty ships a few months later, outpaced its neighbor at its 105-acre facility located adjacent to today’s Sidney Lanier Bridge. It constructed 99 Liberty ships with a labor force of 16,000, more than the population of Brunswick before the war. This shipyard achieved these high production numbers by constructing multiple vessels simultaneously along its six slips in the Brunswick River, producing one of these 440-foot-long ships approximately every 89 days.

The workers of the J.A. Jones shipyard exemplified their dedication during December of 1944; receiving word that the Navy would require six ships that month, the workers instead promised seven and insisted they not be paid for their extra work. On Christmas Day 1944, approximately 1,500 workers (one of whom was dressed as Santa Claus) clocked in at the yard. With that extra day of work, they achieved their seven-ship goal – the only shipyard in the nation to do so – and the workers signed over their combined salary of $16,080 to the war effort. J.A. Jones matched that amount.

Where Are They Today?

Today, only two operational Liberty ships, the SS John W. Brown and the SS Jeremiah O’Brien, remain. Both are museum ships which still put out to sea regularly. In 1994, the Jeremiah O’Brien steamed from San Francsico to England and then to France for the fiftieth anniversary of D-Day. It was the only large ship from the original Operation Overlord fleet to participate in the anniversary.

Post-war, Georgia’s urban centers continued to thrive. Between 1946 and 1955, 500 new factories began production so that by 1950, more Georgians were employed in manufacturing than farming.

Therefore, Georgia’s aiding in wartime production catapulted it to further industrial success. Maybe now when you hear of World War II Liberty ships and their helping bring victory to the Allies, you will think of the Georgia Coast, its pivotal role in that process, and those ships’ helping shape the state as we know it today.

Learn more about St. Marys and World War II on our St. Marys Fugitives, Fighters, and Fudge Walking Tour!

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