SS Benjamin F. Coston

SS Benjamin F. Coston was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Benjamin F. Coston, a US Navy officer and scientist. Coston was the chief scientist at the Washington Navy Yard, and is credited with inventing the Coston Signal Flare.

History
United States
NameBenjamin F. Coston
NamesakeBenjamin F. Coston
OwnerWar Shipping Administration (WSA)
OperatorUnion Sulphur & Oil Co. Inc.
Orderedas type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 2318
BuilderJ.A. Jones Construction, Panama City, Florida
Cost$925,723[1]
Yard number59
Way number3
Laid down31 July 1944
Launched6 September 1944
Completed23 September 1944
Identification
Fate
StatusSold for scrapping, 8 October 1964
General characteristics [2]
Class and type
Tonnage
Displacement
Length
  • 441 feet 6 inches (135 m) oa
  • 416 feet (127 m) pp
  • 427 feet (130 m) lwl
Beam57 feet (17 m)
Draft27 ft 9.25 in (8.4646 m)
Installed power
  • 2 × Oil fired 450 °F (232 °C) boilers, operating at 220 psi (1,500 kPa)
  • 2,500 hp (1,900 kW)
Propulsion
Speed11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity
  • 562,608 cubic feet (15,931 m3) (grain)
  • 499,573 cubic feet (14,146 m3) (bale)
Complement
Armament

Construction

Benjamin F. Coston was laid down on 31 July 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2318, by J.A. Jones Construction, Panama City, Florida; and launched on 6 September 1944.[3][1]

History

She was allocated to Union Sulphur & Oil Co. Inc., 23 September 1944. On 27 October 1945, she struck a mine while sailing to Genoa, Italy. On 14 May 1946, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York.[4]

She was reallocated to Union Sulphur & Oil Co. Inc., 10 July 1946, 28 March 1947, and 15 August 1947, before being placed in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, North Carolina, 21 September 1947.[4]

She was sold for scrapping, 9 July 1964, to Imperial Salvage Corp., for $48,620. She was withdrawn from the fleet, 8 October 1964.[4]

References
  1. MARCOM.
  2. Davies 2004, p. 23.
  3. J.A. Panama City 2010.
  4. MARAD.

Bibliography
  • "Jones Construction, Panama City FL". www.ShipbuildingHistory.com. 13 October 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  • Maritime Administration. "Benjamin F. Coston". Ship History Database Vessel Status Card. U.S. Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration. Retrieved 9 December 2019. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  • Davies, James (May 2004). "Specifications (As-Built)" (PDF). p. 23. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  • "SS Benjamin F. Coston". Retrieved 9 December 2019.


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