SS William Patterson

William Patterson was laid down on 29 April 1942, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCE hull 48, by the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard, Baltimore, Maryland; she was sponsored by Miss Gladys Mitchell, the daughter of John Mitchell, the Baltimore representative of the US Salvage Association, and was launched on 26 June 1942.[1][2]

She was allocated to A.H. Bull & Co., Inc., on 13 July 1942.[5]

On 23 September 1948, she was laid up in the Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York. On 31 October 1949, she was withdrawn from the fleet to be loaded with grain. She returned loaded on 14 November 1949. On 2 March 1951, she was withdrawn from the fleet to have her load of grain unloaded. On 16 May 1952, she was laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet, Wilmington, North Carolina. On 14 September 1955, she was withdrawn from the fleet for test conversion to gas generator fed gas turbine power. Bethlehem Steel, in Baltimore, performed the conversion and she was reclassified EC2-G-8g. Her hull was lengthened at the bow to 467 ft 3 in (142.42 m), and six new Cleveland Diesel Engine Division free piston gas generators, producing 1,200 hp (890 kW) each, and two reversible 3,000 shp (2,200 kW) gas turbines, connected directly to the ship's propeller through double reduction gear, were installed. The free piston generators provided moderate pressure gas which fed the gas turbines. At trials she ran 15.4 kn (28.5 km/h; 17.7 mph), above the requested 15 kn (28 km/h; 17 mph).[4]

After conversion she was transferred to the Military Sea Transportation Service. She was operated by Lykes Brothers Steamship Co., Inc. under a bareboat charter.[4]

On 23 March 1961, she was laid up in the Hudson River Reserve Fleet, Jones Point, New York. She was sold for scrapping on 23 November 1970, to Hierros Ardes, SA., along with three other ships, for $267,070. She was removed from the fleet, 17 January 1971.[5]