The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1943-09-05
Shipyard Will Launch
Its First CO Ship Soon
Event To Climax Conver.
sion From Liberty To
Larger, Better Ship

The S. S. Storm King, first of
81 CO type ships to be built by the
North Carolina Shipbuilding COM
pany, will be launched at the yard
here about the middle of this
month, officials of the company
announced Saturday.
The christening of the new
freighter will climax many weeks
of converting the yards produc-
ton program from the Liberty YES
sci to the larger, faster and better
CO and marks another important
phase in the young but highly pro-
ductive life of North Cardinals
largest single industrial enterprise.
Lengthening Of the ways to ac-
commodate the new ships, I'M
provement of other facilities and
the construction of several addi-
tons to the shipyard has been un-
der way for sometime. All plans
for the CO program were made
before the company completed Its
contracts for 1875 Liberty ships with
the delivery OF the S. S. John
Branch late last month. The flrst
CO will slide down the ways APP
proximately three weeks after the
S. S John Branch was turned over
to the United States Maritime COM
mission. 1t will also be Launched
less than two months after keel
having which constitutes, officials
believe. a new national record.
Nabmed For Clipper
Like all C-2's the S. S. Storm
King is named for famous AM
erican Clipper ship, one that con-
tributed wide service to a golden
period in the nations world trade.
It will be sponsored by Mrs. r. r.
Halsey, wife of the company vice
president and general manager.
With all keels laid, the next elght
COS are expected to follow IN
close order. They have been named
the Cyclone, Eclipse, Fleet Wing
Flving Eagle, Kathay, Monsoon
Morning Star and Northern Light
Now rising in the ways, ooserv-
ers may notice the difference be-
tween the CTS and the familiar
Liberty ships in the early stages
of construction. The CTS overall
length is 459 feet and the moulded
depth is 405 feet. 1t is 10000 tons
deadweight. Its rakish lines are
much smarter than the slower Lib
ertv's silhouette and all shipbuild-
ing men agree that it is by far a
more handsome ship. Powered with
single screw. double reduction
geared compound turbine with 5000
SHIP at 90 RPM. its speed is in
excess of Is knots, an important
factor in safety from the threat OF
submarine attack which the Lib
erty does not have.
As the shipbuilding company ad-
vances into the CO program, it
bids farewell to a construction rec
ord ON Liberty ships that won it
the Maritime commissions highest
honor. the Maritime Merit Eagle
remnant for the delivery of YES
cells from all nine ways of the
yard into service IL consecutive
times under contract schedule. On.
" five other american shipyards
have received this pennant. 1t was
awarded it's 'M'' pennant from Ad-
miral Emory S. Land, chairman of
the commission, on August 30,
1919 The yard added many Gold
Stars to this flag before receiving
the Eagle and has gained the dis
tinction. bestowed by the Senate's
truman Investigating committee,
of being one on the two most eff
Gent builders of Liberty ships in
the nation.
In awarding the Eagle pennant
.t the launching of the S. S. John
Branch on August 81, Captain Ed
ward Mccauley, member of the
Commission, praised the yard high
" and explained that because it
has "proved as well as this award
testifies. it is now going into the
iob of building C-2s-faster ships
which we need. +"