1943                                           Thomas Wilson    2                              1987

Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter

Built at Lorain OH by American Ship Building Co., Hull 826
Keel laid May 2, 1942, launched Nov 14, 1942
Built for U. S. Maritime Commission, Class L6-S-A1 under its World War II vessel construction program.  Delivered at commissioning to Wilson Transit Co., taking in trade two older vessels of the fleet for part of the purchase price

620’ LOA, 605’ LBP, 60’ beam, 35’ depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, 18 hatches @ 24’, coal-fired boilers, compound engine, 2500 IHP

Enrolled at
604.8 x 60.2 x 30.2, 8758 GT, 6472 NT     US 243357     to:
Wilson Transit Co., Cleveland OH (home port Wilmington DE)

Entered service May 14, 1943 clearing Lorain OH light for Duluth MN

Fleet renamed Wilson Marine Transit Co. 1957

Sold 1973 to Kinsman Marine Transit Co., Cleveland OH

Sold 1974 to Columbia Transportation Division, Oglebay Norton Co., Cleveland OH. Chartered back to Kinsman Marine Transit Co. for balance of 1974 season.

Boilers converted to oil firing 1977 at Cleveland OH

Laid up Dec 16, 1979 at Toledo OH and did not operate again

Sold for scrap 1987 to Corostel Trading Ltd.  Resold to Taiwan shipbreakers. Cleared Quebec QC Dec 18, 1987 with str. Ashland towed by Liberian tug Osa Ravensturm.  Broke loose from tug Dec 30 in heavy seas and sank.  (Ashland later grounded off Bermuda and was rerouted to Colombia for scrapping.)

IMO 5359676

See history in Great Lakes Ships We Remember III p. 407

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