WILLIAM MOULTRIE Liberty vessel

[aukepalmhof]

William Moultrie (1730-1805) was a South Carolina planter and politician who became a general in the American War of Independence (the last man appointed by Congress to that rank). After independence, Moultrie advanced as a politician. He was the Governor of South Carolina 1785-1787 and again 1792-1794.

Tristan da Cunha Post info.

Built as a cargo vessel under yard no 9 design EC2-S-C1 by North Carolina Shipbuilding Comp., Wilmington, NC. For the USA Government.
05 February 1942 laid down.
22 May 1942 launched as the WILLIAM MOULTRIE a Liberty vessel.
Tonnage 7176 GRT, 4360 net, 10.800 dwt, dim. 134.6 x 17.3m, length bpp. 126.8m.
Cargo capacity: 9,140 ton cargo, 499,573 cubic feet.
Powered by two oil fired triple expansion steam engines, 2,500 hp (1.864 kW),
Single screw, speed 11.5 knots.
Crew 41.
Armament: 1 × 4 in (100 mm) stern-mounted deck gun
Variety of anti-aircraft guns.
She was built in 126 days.
11 June 1942 delivered to the War Shipping Administration.

SS WILLIAM MOULTRIE a Liberty ship built by North Carolina Shipbuilding Company, was delivered to the U.S. Maritime Commission on June 11, 1942. Operating under a general agent agreement with the Seas Shipping Company, its first mission was to join convoy PQ-18 and transport war supplies from Loch Ewe, Scotland to Archangel, Russia. In order to avoid the German-occupied Norwegian coast, the convoy sailed around the western and northern coasts of Iceland and crossed the Greenland Sea.
The convoy departed Loch Ewe, Scotland on September 2. On September 13, while traversing the Barents Sea, German submarines and bombers attacked the convoy. WILLIAM MOULTRIE ‘s Naval Armed Guard destroyed three torpedo bombers and damaged six more, including a bomber that had silenced its engines to attack after dusk.
On September 14, German bombers attacked again. Early in the day, WILLIAM MOULTRIE ‘s Armed Guard shot down two more planes, including one that crashed into SS MARY LUCKENBACH, a vessel carrying a cargo of TNT. MARY LUCKENBACH exploded with such concussive force that many of WiILLIAM MOULTRIE ‘s crew were knocked off their feet on deck. Despite this, the Armed Guard was able to shoot down two more planes and damage an additional five throughout the day.
On September 18, German bombers attacked the convoy again. Although the attack was repulsed, a bomber launched four torpedoes at WILLIAM MOULTRIE, one of which was destroyed in the water by the vessel’s Armed Guard.
Convoy PQ-18 arrived in Archangel on September 21, where WILLIAM MOULTRIE successfully delivered its cargo. For their actions during the running battle in the Barents Sea, WILLIAM MOULTRIE ‘s Naval Armed Guard received letters of commendation from the Chief of Naval Personnel and the Naval Armed Guard’s officer-in-charge was awarded the U.S. Navy’s Silver Star.
She returned with the QP 15 convoy on 17 November from Archangel, which arrived on 30 November 1942 in Loch Ewe, Scotland.
Where she was used for between 1942 and 1944 I could not find out.
She was used for a second voyage to Russia, when she left Loch Ewe on 27 March 1944 in convoy JW 58 The convoy reached Kola Inlet 04 April 1944.
She was in Convoy RA 59 homeward bound, sailed from North Russia on 28 April 1944, and arrived 6 or 7 May in Loch Ewe or in the Clyde

After the war, WILLIAM MOULTRIE was laid up in the James River anchorage of the National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF). The vessel was briefly activated and operated by Grace Lines in 1951 and 1952, but was returned to inactive status and remained at the NDRF’s Mobile, Alabama Reserve Fleet until it was sold for scrap in August 1970.

She was broken up at Panama City on 08 September 1970 by Union Minerals & Alloys Corp.
https://www.maritime.dot.gov/history/ga ... m-moultrie https://www.miramarshipindex.nz/ship/5391105
Convoys to Russia 1941-1945 by Bob Ruegg and Arnold Hague.
Tristan da Cunha 2023 85p and £1.15 sg?, Scott?