SS Alexander S. Clay

History
United States
Name	Alexander S. Clay
Namesake	Alexander S. Clay
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 2364
Builder	J.A. Jones Construction, Brunswick, Georgia
Cost	$1,060,209[1]
Yard number	149
Way number	3
Laid down	3 May 1944
Launched	30 June 1944
Sponsored by	Miss Vaida V. Clay
Completed	15 July 1944
Identification	Call Signal: WQAF [1]
Fate	Laid up in National Defense Reserve Fleet, Mobile, Alabama, 22 September 1948 Sold for scrapping, 29 August 1969
General characteristics [2]
Class and type	Liberty ship type EC2-S-C1, standard
Tonnage	10,865 LT DWT 7,176 GRT
Displacement	3,380 long tons (3,434 t) (light) 14,245 long tons (14,474 t) (max)
Length	441 feet 6 inches (135 m) oa 416 feet (127 m) pp 427 feet (130 m) lwl
Beam	57 feet (17 m)
Draft	27 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	1 × triple-expansion steam engine,  (manufactured by Joshua Hendy Iron Works, Sunnyvale, California) 1 × screw propeller
Speed	11.5 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	38–62 USMM 21–40 USNAG
Armament	Varied by ship Bow-mounted 3 inches (76 mm)/50 caliber gun Stern-mounted 4 inches (102 mm)/50 caliber gun 2–8 × single 20 millimeters (0.79 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons and/or, 2–8 × 37 millimeters (1.46 in) M1 AA guns

SS W. P. Few was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Alexander S. Clay, a member of the Georgia House of Representatives and United States Senator from Georgia.

Construction[edit]

Alexander S. Clay was laid down on 3 May 1944, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 2364, by J.A. Jones Construction, Brunswick, Georgia; she was sponsored by Miss Vaida V. Clay, and launched on 30 June 1944.^[3][1]

History[edit]

She was allocated to the South Atlantic Steamship Lines Inc., on 15 July 1944. On 22 September 1948, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Mobile, Alabama. On 29 August 1969, she was sold, to Southern Scrap Material, Co., Inc., for scrapping. She was removed from the fleet on 26 September 1969.^[4][5]

References[edit]

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