overengineered, using fully welded joints. Built to a single design, they had cavernous holds that could take 300 railroad box cars.
Build times to launch were initially months but the quickest build of a Liberty ship was just four days 15 hours and 29 minutes. The keel of SS James Egan Layne was laid on 35 October 1944 and she was launched on 2 December and fully fitted in just 56 days.
American troops on the ground in Europe during the Second World War needed supplies. SS James Eagan Layne was just one ship among the many crewed by civilians that filled that need. On that final voyage she was carrying 4,500 tonnes of US Army Engineering supplies. With 42 crew, including 27 US Navy armed guards, the ship left Barry in South Wales to join a convoy. At 08.20 on 21 March 1945 the convoy and its 18 escorts were off Lizard Point. James Eagan Layne was the lead ship on the starboard side. In calm seas, winds easterly force 2, noone saw any sign of the torpedo launched by U399, which struck the ship aft of amidships on the starboard side.
An immediate list to stern caused the ship to be abandoned and she was taken in tow by HMS Flaunt. To avoid blocking the busy shipping lanes into Plymouth, she was
The Liberty Ship production line
Oceanic triggerfish on the wreck
PHOTO: KIRSTY ANDREWS
The Liberty 80 Conference 37