page_title: William Francis Gibbs
section_title: Gibbs & Cox
hierarchical_section_title: William Francis Gibbs / Gibbs & Cox
caption_attribution_description: English: Cover of Royal Hawaiian Hotel banquet menu for the first voyage of the Matson Lines ship Malolo to Hawaii by Arman Manookian, 1927, private collection
context_page_description: William Francis Gibbs was an American naval architect of the mid twentieth century. Though he began his career as an attorney, after World War I, he became recognized as a skilled project manager in the restoration of a former German ocean liner for American use. In 1922, in partnership with his brother Frederic Herbert Gibbs, he began the firm which would eventually become Gibbs & Cox; they were among the major designers of World War II era warships and cargo vessels, including the Liberty ships and Fletcher-class destroyers. Gibbs was a pioneer in the areas of efficient hull design and propulsion, along with being an staunch advocate for high standards of fire prevention and hull integrity. Although the Liberty ships were designed with a priority of production simplicity and economy, other Gibbs designs tended to be sturdy, light, fast, safe, and enduring.
  In the late 1940s and early 1950s the Gibbs brothers were among the promoters leading the United States government and military to subsidize the cost of building the ultimate ocean liner. In the end Gibbs and Cox was awarded the contract to design and supervise the building of SS United States, which entered service in 1952.
context_section_description: In February 1922 the Gibbs brothers started their own naval architecture firm, Gibbs Brothers, Inc.; their first major contract was to convert the former German liner Vaterland into the American luxury liner SS Leviathan. When shipbuilders Blohm + Voss asked over $1 million for the original plans, Gibbs decided to draw his own. Between 100 and 150 draftsmen documented the existing ship and designed its new layout. Gibbs Brothers was renamed Gibbs & Cox in 1929.
  The Gibbs designed a series of four trim white-hulled ocean liners for the Matson Lines service to Hawaii, starting with the design of SS Malolo in 1924. Malolo was built at William Cramp & Sons under the Gibbs Brothers' exacting supervision and tolerances. At the time she was launched, Malolo was the largest and fastest passenger liner built in the United States. During sea trials in May 1927, Malolo was rammed by SS Jacob Christensen; the Gibbs brothers' modern design and safety features were credited with keeping the disabled ship afloat while she was towed back to the yard.  Three sister ships to Malolo would be built in the 1930s: SS Monterey and SS Mariposa in 1931 and SS Lurline in 1932.
  The Grace Line contracted with Gibbs & Cox for four smaller 9,000 ton ocean liners in 1930, receiving the SS Santa Rosa, Santa Paula, Santa Lucia, and Santa Elena in 1932. Gibbs & Cox also designed the SS America for the United States Lines, which was completed in 1940. All nine of these ships served as U.S. troopships in the war.
  During the war, Gibbs & Cox created plans for thousands of American warships and cargo vessels, including destroyers, LST landing craft, minesweepers, tankers, cruisers, and Liberty ships. Between 1940 through 1946, 63 per cent of all merchant ships of 2,000 tons up and 74 per cent of all American naval vessels (destroyers, landing craft, escort carriers, etc.) were built to the designs or working plans of Gibbs & Cox.
  After the war, the Gibbs brothers were among the promoters for the US government and military to subsidize the construction and operation of a new 1,000-foot ocean liner. After overcoming resistance in the Truman administration for government involvement and competing designs, Gibbs & Cox was awarded the contract to design and supervise the construction of the SS United States. This ship was the culmination of Gibbs career, and he was fastidious in the incorporation of fire safety concepts, to the point that the United States surpassed most present day passenger ships in fire prevention and containment. The design was also revolutionary in the use of lightweight materials and construction techniques, including a welded hull and aluminum superstructure.  While rivaling the largest liners for physical size, she was much lighter, enabling higher speeds.
  The United States entered service in 1952, after five years of design and 28 months of construction. On her maiden voyage, she won the Blue Riband as the fastest ship to cross the Atlantic Ocean, averaging 35.59 knots (65.91 km/h; 40.96 mph), and reducing the crossing time by 10 hours. Between 1952 and 1969, the ship completed 400 voyages, with an excellent safety record. She was the largest liner ever built in the United States and the fastest liner built anywhere. While fast and safe, she was panned by some passengers, as the use of exclusively fireproof materials in the décor and furnishings limited the aesthetic and luxury appeal.
caption: Cover of banquet menu for SS Malolo by Arman Manookian (1927)
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