1943                                        Moses Gay                                   1943 (1959)

Steel St. Lawrence River canal size ocean cargo vessel

Built at Superior WI by Walter Butler Shipbuilders, Hull 18
Launched May 9, 1943
(Christened by one of the Dionne quintuplets of Callender ON.  Vessel christenings and the use of famous people as vessel sponsors were used extensively during World War II to publicize the war effort and to sell Savings Bonds.  The five vessels of this class which were used temporarily for a short time in the Great Lakes grain trade were all launched the same day, each sponsored by one of the quintuplets.)

260’ LOA, 240’ LBP, 41’ beam, 18’ depth
Coal-fired boilers, triple expansion engine, 1300 IHP

Built for the U. S. Maritime Commission under its World War II shipbuilding program.  USMC Hull 416.  N3-S-A1 cargo ship.  Lend-leased to British Ministry of War Transport.

Participated temporarily in the Great Lakes grain trade before leaving the Great Lakes.

Enrolled at
250.6 x 41.3 x 18.4, 1772 GT, 1017 NT     Br 169727    

Entered Great Lakes service Aug 5, 1943

Renamed Eskridge 1951, Bencas (Norway) 1952, Helena (Finland) 1955 and Heangura 1959

Grounded Nov 21, 1959 in Ostra Kvarken, Sweden, Gulf of Bothnia enroute from Yxpila Finland to Norway, and abandoned to the underwriters as a constructive total loss.  Towed to Turku Finland and scrapped.

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