Shipwreck Discovered In Brunswick, Georgia

Brunswick, Georgia, has a rich history dating back to 1738, but it was during World War II that the city's shipyards played a pivotal role in the war effort. Between 1942 and 1945, the Brunswick shipping yard employed over 16,000 men and women, including many brave women who stepped up to work in physically demanding roles. Together, they constructed 99 Liberty ships, delivering vital supplies and troops to America's allies. The Liberty ships were quick to build and relatively cheap, measuring 441 feet in length and capable of carrying over 10,000 tons of cargo. Today, Brunswick's Old Town district is the largest small-town urban National Register of Historic Places district in Georgia, preserving the city's unique history.

World War II shipbuilding in Brunswick

Brunswick, Georgia, played a critical role in the U.S. Maritime Commission's $350 million Emergency Shipbuilding Program during World War II. The natural harbour of Brunswick, located at the confluence of three rivers, was used as an exportation port for goods such as cotton and rice before the war. In 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt announced the Emergency Shipbuilding Program, and Brunswick was chosen as one of sixteen ports to construct cargo vessels for the Allied forces in Europe.

The J.A. Jones Construction Company, a North Carolina-based company, was responsible for building the Liberty Ships in Brunswick. The Brunswick shipyard employed over 16,000 men and women during its peak production years of 1943 and 1944. The workforce included a large number of women and African Americans, as many of the male workers had been sent overseas. The workers built 99 ships, 85 of them Liberty Ships, from 1941 to 1945. These ships were capable of hauling thousands of tons of cargo across the Atlantic Ocean and played a crucial role in supporting the Allies' global war effort.

The construction of Liberty Ships in Brunswick followed a new design adapted from existing British plans. These 441-foot emergency cargo vessels were quick and cheap to build and were nicknamed "ugly ducklings" due to their ungainly appearance. The first ship launched from the Brunswick shipyard was the SS James M. Wayne, which was laid in mid-1942 and launched on March 13, 1943. The last ship was the SS Coastal Ranger, launched on August 25, 1945, shortly after the war ended.

The shipbuilding program in Brunswick faced some challenges, such as the initial delay in completing the first ships. However, with the change in management to the J.A. Jones Construction Company, the production ramped up, and most ships were built in about two months, with an average construction time of 89 days per ship. The dedication and proficiency of the workforce, including women like the Surrency sisters and Ida Mae Lawson, were instrumental in reducing the construction time and ensuring the success of the program.

The Liberty Ships built in Brunswick were assigned to U.S. shipping companies and Allied governments. They played a crucial role in transporting matériel, food, and supplies to the European and Pacific Theatres. Without these ships, there would have been no D-Day and no liberation of Europe. The shipbuilding industry in Brunswick during World War II was a testament to the hard work and sacrifice of its diverse workforce, who rose to the challenge of supporting the war effort.

The J.A. Jones Construction Company

The company was incorporated in the early 1920s as the J.A. Jones Construction Company, with James Addison Jones and his sons, Edwin and Raymond, listed as the three founders. During the 1920s, the company grew into a formidable regional construction company, working on various projects, including textile mills, warehouses, power plants, and office buildings.

The Great Depression slowed the company's growth, but it survived due to its low debt and a contract to build a new military airbase in the Canal Zone in Panama. This project also helped the company secure other government projects during the 1930s.

During World War II, the J.A. Jones Construction Company played a significant role in the U.S. Maritime Commission's $350 million shipbuilding program. The company built 212 cargo ships and tankers, including 99 "Liberty ships" constructed at the Brunswick shipping yard in Georgia. The company also built Camp Shelby in Mississippi and the K-25 and K-27 production plants for manufacturing Uranium-235 at the Clinton Engineer Works in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

In the postwar period, the company continued to expand and diversify, taking on projects such as missile bases, launching facilities, atomic energy plants, and giant skyscrapers. It established branch offices across the United States and internationally.

In 1979, the company merged with Germany's Philipp Holzmann AG, one of the largest construction conglomerates in the world. Under this ownership, J.A. Jones constructed the 88-story Petronas Towers, which were the tallest buildings in the world at the time. However, financial difficulties in the late 1990s led to the bankruptcy of the company in 2003, and its subsidiaries were sold as going concerns.

The SS James M. Wayne

After the war, the SS James M. Wayne was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Wilmington, North Carolina, on April 24, 1948. Eventually, on February 21, 1967, the ship was sold to Union Minerals & Alloys for $48,259 and scrapped.

Today, Brunswick, Georgia, is known for its thriving port and shrimp industry, and it continues to be a centre of economic activity on the eastern seaboard.

The SS Richard Randall

Five years later, on July 29, 1949, the SS Richard Randall was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet in Mobile, Alabama. It remained there until October 23, 1964, when it was sold to Pinto Island Metals Co. for scrapping. The ship was removed from the fleet on November 3, 1964, and sold for $54,240.

The SS Patrick B. Whalen

Following its launch, the SS Patrick B. Whalen underwent several ownership changes and renaming. On July 19, 1949, it was sold to Atl. Marine Transport Co. for commercial use and renamed "Christiam," then "Bostonian," and later "Manhattan." The ship continued to change hands and names over the years, with sales to National Transocean Carriers, Inc., Phoenix Steamship Corp., Navigator Steamship Corp., Cargo Ships & Tankers, Inc., and a Liberian shipping company.

Eventually, in March 1967, the ship was sold to Debbie Mae Shipping Corp. and renamed "Debbie Mae." However, its long journey finally came to an end in May 1967 when it was sold for scrapping in Taiwan.

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