1929 William G. Clyde 2011
Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter
Built at Lorain OH by American Ship Building Co., Hull 804
Launched June 22, 1929
604’9” LOA, 580’ LBP, 60’ beam, 32’ depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, hatches @ 24’, coal-fired boilers, triple expansion engine, 2400 IHP
Enrolled at Cleveland OH Aug 10, 1929
587.25 x 60.25 x 27.43, 7945 GT, 6337 NT US 228886 to:
Pittsburgh Steamship Co., Cleveland OH (home port Duluth MN)
(Original tonnages 7879 GT, 6146 NT. Changed Feb 10, 1930)
Entered service Aug 15,1929 clearing Lorain OH light for Duluth MN
Permanent enrollment at Duluth MN Aug 18, 1929
Fleet reincorporated 1949 in Delaware (home port to Wilmington DE)
Fleet merged July 1951 into parent United States Steel Corporation (home port to New York NY)
Remeasured 1952 to 27.8 depth and 7943 GT, 6113 NT
Transferred 1960 to Bradley Transportation Line, Detroit MI
Converted to self-unloader 1961 at Manitowoc WI by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Inc. and renamed Calcite II.
Remeasured to 8243 GT, 6324 NT
Repowered 1964 with diesel engine at Lorain OH by American Ship Building Co.
Fleet transferred 1967 to United States Steel Great Lakes Fleet (home port to Wilmington DE)
Fleet made a subsidiary of United States Steel Corporation 1981, renamed USS Great Lakes Fleet Inc., Duluth MN (home port to Duluth MN)
Remeasured in 1980s to 8188 GT, 6301 NT
Sold 2001 to Grand River Navigation Co., Avon Lake OH, a subsidiary of Lower Lakes Towing Ltd. and renamed Maumee.
Sold for scrap at the end of the 2011 season to International Marine Salvage, Port Colborne ON. Towed to Port Colborne and scrapped there.
IMO 5057709
2902
My grandparents served on the Clyde in (at least) 1948. They met on a freighter when Pepa, who couldn’t boil water was hired as the chief cook. Mema was hired as the second cook after working at the Ojibwa Hotel in the U.P. Pepa (known as Bob) would tell his pals that he wanted to get a “cup of jo” so he could talk to the cute second cook. She’s been known as Jo in her adopted hometown for the last 60+ years, and she says it’s her initials flipped, but I think the actual story is better!