Requisitioned Auxiliary – W H Libby

 

 WH Libby

 

Official Number:                       220951  

Laid down:

Builder:                                   G M Standifer Construction Corp, Vancouver, Wa

Launched:                               15 December 1920

Into Service:                            WW2

Out of service:                         WW2

Fate:                                       1950 scrapped

Items of historic interest involving this ship: –

 

Background Data:  One of an additional group of American ships requisitioned during WW2 to serve as Escort Oilers

Career Data:

15 December 1920 launched by G M Standifer Construction Corp, Vancouver, Wa as Yard Nr: 17 named W. H. LIBBY for Standard Oil Co of New Jersey, New York

January 1921 completed
 
25 January 1921 at 12 noon reported by radio to the US Naval Communications Centre that she was 695 nmiles south of San Francisco
 
17 April 1921 berthed at New York
 
7 May 1921 berthed at New York from Galveston
 
4 June 1921 cleared to sail from New York to Texas City
 
13 February 1922 sailed New York for Thames Haven
 
18 May 1922 sailed New York to Newport News
 
17 June 1922 arrived Port Arthur, Texas from Newport News
 
16 November 1922 at 12 noon reported by radio to the US Naval Communications Centre that she was 118 nmiles south of Hatteras
 
18 November 1922 berthed at New York on Pier 5 from New Orleans
 
20 November 1922 sailed New York for Baton Rouge

1927 owners became Standard Shipping Co Inc, Wilmington name unchanged

26 January 1930 sailed Port Eades – ran aground outside of South Pass

31 January 1930 refloated after lightening the ship. While assisting her being refloated the American ship Walter Jennings went aground herself

18 August 1933 went aground in the Panuco River

1935  owners restyled as Standard Oil Co of New Jersey, Wilmington name unchanged

3 September 1939 berthed at Boston to discharge cargo. The ships Master was Captain Alfred J Thorson

18 October 1939 sailed New York independently to Quebec arriving 16 November 1939

23 November 1939 sailed Quebec

6 December 1939 sailed Caripito independently to Guaira arriving 8 December 1939

14 January 1940 sailed Halifax in convoy escorted HX16 to Le Harve arriving on 30 January 1940 with a cargo of crude oil

4 May 1940 sailed Le Harve independently to St Helens Road arriving 6 May 1940

7 May 1940 sailed Southampton in escorted convoy OA143GF from Southend. The convoy reformed as OG29F on 9 May 1940. The sailed independently to New York arriving 25 May 1940

11 July 1940 sailed New York

9 October 1940 sailed Baltimore independently to Aruba arriving 19 October 1940

1940 transferred to Panama Transport Co, Panama name unchanged

21 October 1940 sailed Aruba independently to Freetown arriving 7 November 1940

11 November 1940 sailed Freetown independently to Caripito arriving 23 November 1940

26 November 1940 sailed Carpito independently to Trinidad arriving the same day

27 November 1940 sailed Trinidad independently to Teneriffe arriving 12 December 1940

15 December 1940 sailed Teneriffe independently to Aruba arriving 28 December 1940

31 August 1941 sailed Hampton Roads independently to Houston arriving 8 September 1941

10 September 1941 sailed Houston independently to Sydney, Cape Breton arriving 21 September 1941

24 September 1941 sailed Sydney, Cape Breton in escorted convoy SC46 to Loch Ewe arriving 10 October 1941

10 October 1941 sailed Loch Ewe joining unescorted convoy WN191 arriving at Methil 12 October 1941

19 October 1941 sailed Methil and joined unescorted convoy EC87 from Southend to Loch Ewe arriving 22 October 1941 thence independently to New York arriving 10 November 1941

11 November 1941 sailed New York independently to Curacao arriving 18 November 1941

19 November 1941 sailed Curacao independently to Halifax arriving 29 November 194

18 December 1941 sailed Halifax in escorted convoy HX164 to Reykjavik arrving 21 December 1941 with a cargo of FFO

4 January 1942 sailed Reykjavik and joined in escorted convoy ON52 until dispersal on 11 January 1942 then independently to Hampton Roads arriving 23 January 1942

24 January 1942 sailed Hampton Roads independently to Baltimore arrivingthe next day

1942 registered in Britain (O.N. 168226) and manned by a British crew

7 March 1942 sailed Curacao independently to Cape Town to discharge cargo

9 April 1942 sailed Cape Town independently for Abadan

20 April 1942 chartered by the US War Shipping Administration – name unchanged

1943  reverted to American flag, name unchanged

1946  returned to WSA Reserve Fleet and laid up

1st Quarter 1950 arrived Baltimore for demolition by Patapsco Scrap Co