Although not a weapon in the traditional sense of the word, arguably no item in the Allied arsenal contributed as much to the defeat of the Axis during WWII as did the Liberty ships. The 2710 Liberty ships placed into service between 1941 and 1945 provided a vital link in the supply chain not only of U.S. but also Allied forces during WWII. Although the basic design itself was obsolete even before the first one slid down the builder's ways, it had the advantage of being relatively easy to produce, and simple to operate and maintain. Thus, the vessels were mass-produced by no fewer than 18 shipyards. Building time, initially 244 days, dropped to forty-two days per ship, although as a publicity stunt the "Robert E. Peary" was launched four days and fifteen and a half hours after the keel was laid.
Group
Books (first-hand)
Author
Doyle, David
Title
Liberty Ships. America's Merchant Marine Transport in World War II
Details
English text, 177 bw-photos. 128 pages.
State
new
Schiffer Publishing Ltd. 77 Lower Valley Road PA 19310 Atglen, Vereinigte Staaten von Amerika
