Site Map | Search Warsailors.com | Merchant Fleet Main Page | Warsailors.com Home |
|
D/S Vadsø To Vadsø on the "Ships starting with V" page. Manager: Nortraship Built by J. A. Jones Construction Co., Brunswick, GA (177), launched on Dec. 20-1944 as Robert J. Banks, delivered Dec. 30. 1 of 10 ships transferred to the Norwegian flag in 1944 (Liberty ship). See my page "Ship Statistics & Misc." under "gains" 1944 for a list of all 10. Vadsø was taken over at Brunswick on the day of delivery Dec. 30. Captain: ? Ulriksen (previously of Stirlingville). This ship had a female, Canadian radio operator from Jan. 1945 till Oct.-1946 namely Barbara (Briggs) Ulrichsen (looks like she married the captain). She had previously served on M/S General Ruge. Additionally, the Canadian radio operator Cecile Richard served on Vadsø from Jan.-1945 till Sept. that year. A list of names of other female, Canadian radio operators on Norwegian ships can be found at the end of my page about M/S Mosdale.
According to the external website that I've linked to at the end of this page, Vadsø sailed in Convoy UGS 73, which left Hampton Roads on Febr. 7-1945 and arrived Gibraltar on the 23rd. The same site has her in a convoy with the designation PR 3, departing Piræus on March 2-1945, arriving Rabbitt Island the next day; Vadsø continued to Odessa, where she arrived on March 6. The following month we find her, together with Fridtjof Nansen, Heimvard and Toronto, in Convoy GUS 86, which left Oran on Apr. 27-1945 and arrived Hampton Roads on May 14 - in other words, VE Day was celebrated while at sea. She subsequently made independent voyages to London, Fowey, Delaware Capes, Methil etc., and in Aug.-1945 she travelled to Tromsø, Norway, later returning to the U.K. and the U.S.
Renamed Libreville in 1946 for Skibs-A/S Mandeville (A. F. Klaveness & Co, Oslo). Came under the Panamanian flag in 1951, Rio Valioso Cia. Nav. S.A., managed by Seacrest Shipping. Co., Inc., New York. Renamed Afros in 1952. In 1956 managers became Seaways Shipping Corp, New York. Came under the Lebanese flag in 1962 as Theodoros Lemos, Marleal Cia. Nav. S.A. (G. Lemos Bros. Co. Ltd., London). Managers became M. C. Fred Hunter, London in 1965, then Hunter Shipping Co. Ltd., London from 1967. Sold to Chinese breakers and arrived Shanghai on June 7-1967. Related external links: Liberty Ships - Alphabetical list. Robert J. Banks can be found in the R list. Back to Vadsø on the "Ships starting with V" page. The text on this page was compiled with the help of: "Nortraships flåte", J. R. Hegland, "Liberty Ships in Peacetime, and their Contribution to World Shipping History" I. G. Steward - 1992, and misc., including the first external website that I've linked to above.
|