Built as a Liberty type EC-S-C1 under Hull No. 3098 by the New England Shipbuilding Corporation, West Yard, Portland Main for the US Maritime Commission.
03 February 1945 launched under the name JAMES A. BUTT, named after an American sailor lost on the S.S. SANTA RITA when it was torpedoed and shelled on 09 July 1942 by a German submarine off Puerto Rico.
Tonnage7.217 gross, 4.431 net, dim. 441.6 x 57 x 27.9ft. (draught).
One triple expansion steam engine of 9.350 ihp., speed 17.5 knots.
February 1945 delivered.
After delivery she was managed by the Calmar Steamship Corporation, New York.
Early1946 management was taken over by States Marine Corporation, New York.
January 1947 Sold to States Marine Corporation of Delaware, Wilmington, renamed LONE STAR STATE,
1955 Sold to Ace S.S. Corp. (Overseas Navigation Corp., New York), renamed ANNISTON.
1957 Sold to Caldwell Transportation Corp., Monrovia (managed by Overseas Navigation Corp., New York) and renamed in CALDWELL.
The same year sold to Ridgefield Navigation Co. Ltd., Liberia, (managed by Seaways Shipping Corp., New York), renamed in RIDGEFIELD.
1959 Managed by Marine Transport Lines Inc., New York.
1961 She made three trips to the Great Lakes and another in 1962.
She ran aground east of Grand Cayman in position 19 18N 81 05W on 18 December 1962 on a voyage in ballast from Maracaibo, Venezuela for an US Golf coast port.
Salvage attempts were useless and the crew abandoned her. She became a total loss. Thereafter she quickly broke in two parts.
Around 1995 when I passed the wreck site she was still visible, but with many holes in her hull.
Cayman Islands 1984 50c sg589, scott?
Source: some web-sites. Liberty Ships in Peacetime by I.G. Stewart.