To supply the Allied forces, Liberty Ships delivered a staggering variety and quantity of goods and matériel into every port and theater of war. They could transport up to ten thousand tons in their five cargo holds and across their decks. This equates to 2,000 jeeps, 440 light tanks, or 230 million rounds of ammunition.
Service men and women would also look forward to the delivery of smaller, personal items from cigarettes, chewing gum, and chocolate to new shoes and socks. The white Plimsoll lines marked on the hull indicate the maximum depth to which a ship may be safely loaded with cargo for specific seas and conditions.
Below is a sample of the types of typical cargo carried by Liberty Ships
AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT AIRCRAFT [WHOLE AND REPLACEMENT PARTS] ALCOHOL AMMUNITION ARMY COTS ARTILLERY ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT BARGES VAUXITE ORE BEER BOMBS BOOTS BRIDGE PARTS BURLAP BAGS CANNED FOOD CEMENT MIX CHOCOLATE CHROME ORE CIGARETTES COAL COFFEE COFFINS/GRAVE MARKERS CONSTRUCTION COTTON | CRANES DAMAGED EQUIPMENT FOR REPAIR/SCRAPPING DDT DIESEL OIL ELECTRIC GENERATORS EMPTY BEER BOTTLES EMPTY AMMO CASES EQUIPMENT EXPLOSIVES FLOUR FIELD TELEPHONES FUEL GASOLINE (DRUMS) GLIDERS GLYCERINE GRAVE MARKERS GROUND NUTS [PEANUTS] GUNPOWDER HIDES ILMENITE JEEPS JUTE KEROSENE [DRUMS] LANDING CRAFT | LIME LUBRICATING OIL LOCOMOTIVES MACHINE TOOLS MAGNESITE MAGNESIUM MANGANESE ORE MEDICAL SUPPLIES MUSTARD GAS NICKEL ORE NITRATE ORE PACK MULES PAINT PHOSPHATE ORE POWDERED EGGS POWDERED MILK PRINTING PRESSES PRISONERS OF WAR PT BOATS RELIEF SUPPLIES RESIN RUBBER SEARCHLIGHTS SEWING MACHINES | SHOE REPAIR MACHINERY SILVER BULLION SMALL ARMS SOFT DRINKS SPAM STEEL STEEL RUNWAY MATS SUBMARINE NETS SUGAR TANKS TIMBER TIRES TOBACCO TROOPS TRUCKS UNIFORMS WAR BRIDES WATER PURIFIERS WAX WHEAT WHISKY WIRE WOOD WOOL |
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Next, we'll outline the wartime voyages of the SS Jeremiah O'Brien.