1940 Julius H. Barnes 1963 (19
Steel twin-screw New York State Barge Canal size bulk freighter
Built at Charleston SC by Charleston Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Hull 5500
Launched Feb 27, 1940
290’ LOA, 281’ LBP, 42’3” beam, 18’ depth
1 deck, 2 oil-fired diesel engines, 900 BHP
Enrolled at
281.3 x 42.2 x 16.0, 1623 GT, 1327 NT US 239491 to:
Erie & St. Lawrence Corporation, New York NY
Entered service to the Great Lakes through the New York State Barge Canal Sept 1940
Sold 1954 for off-Lakes service and left the Great Lakes
Sold 1957 to Toth Motorships Ltd., Toledo OH and returned to the Great Lakes
Sold 1963 for off-Lakes service and left the Great Lakes
Renamed Abocol (Br 316334) 1963
Grounded Nov 17, 1973 at Cartagena Spain enroute from Tampa FL. Returned to New Orleans LA for repair, abandoned to the underwriters as a constructive total loss and laid up. Converted to barge 1977
IMO 5177066
See history in Great Lakes Ships We Remember III p. 27
4002
The Julius H. Barnes was the merchant ship that my father (regular Army) served on during WWII. He was the communications officer on board. I have some great photo’s of him sitting on the wings of the planes and tanks that they were transporting to Europe for the war effort, and some great stories too. Rest in Peace dad.
Thank you for posting this, my Dad, Jim Lowry also served on this boat during the war.
I’m working on a little book about it now and any photos or stories would be greatly appreciated. I was excited to see your post and to actually see a photo of the ship. I think dad traveled nine times back-and-forth at the end of the war to deliver service people back to New York. Most of the time during the war was along the English Channel though they did also go to Italy, Spain and some other places.
Can you imagine traveling back-and-forth on rough seas with mines and bombers on a 297 x 40’ barge? So crazy. Thank you, Al Lowry.