1943 Lehigh 3 1994 (2005)
Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter
Built at River Rouge MI by Great Lakes Engineering Works, Hull 295
Keel laid Dec 29, 1942, launched July 24, 1943
Built for U. S. Maritime Commission, Class L6-S-B1 under its World War II vessel construction program. Launched as Mesabi. Renamed Lehigh and delivered at commissioning to Bethlehem Transportation Corporation, taking in trade (for this vessel and str. Steelton) three older vessels of the fleet for part of the purchase price
620’6” LOA, 604’ LBP, 60’ beam, 35’ depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, 18 hatches @ 24’, coal-fired boilers, triple expansion engine, 2500 IHP
Enrolled at
603.8 x 60.2 x 30.2, 9057 GT, 6793 NT US 244450 to:
Bethlehem Transportation Corporation, Cleveland OH
Entered service Nov 1, 1943 clearing River Rouge MI for Marquette MI
Boilers converted to oil firing 1971 at Manitowoc WI by Manitowoc Shipbuilding Corporation
Remeasured to 9032 GT, 5760 NT
Laid up at end of 1979 season at Erie PA and did not operate again for this fleet
Sold 1981 to Pierson Steamships Ltd. (Soo River Co.), Thorold ON and renamed Joseph X. Robert.
Enrolled Canadian Can 393816 (home port to Hamilton ON)
Measured at 604 length and 10258 GT, 6974 NT
Fleet went into receivership 1982 and sold to P & H Shipping Ltd., Mississauga ON and vessel renamed Willowglen.
Laid up Dec 21, 1992 at Owen Sound ON and did not operate again
Sold 1994 to Goderich Elevators Ltd., Goderich ON for use as a grain storage vessel in Goderich harbor. Towed to Goderich Aug 1994.
Sold for scrap 2005 to Turkish shipbreakers. Arrived under tow at Aliaga Turkey Oct 28, 2005
IMO 5205526
4315
Great info. I was ship’s porter 6-1966 thru. 9-1966. I will tell my story on Inlandseas.org. Again, thank you.
Stephen M. Stewart,
I was on the Lehigh about the same time as you. I was transferred From the Arthur B, Homer, as a Fireman. I got on in Lackawanna, NY around 2200 and started the 0000 to 0400 watch and just in time to get underway for Duluth. It was quite a trip for first time firing a coal burner. I learned on oil fired boilers, very big difference. It was quite the trip up. When I went on watch up on Lake Superior we got in quite storm, lost electrical power for awhile and the captain couldn’t get her out of the trough. Got pretty damn scary down in the fire hole not knowing what was going on topside and the old girl was doing some serious listing back and forth. I know when we got up to Superior and they checked thing out the said she was about to lose her rudder and it had to be fixed before we went back down. On the way down I got my draft notice when we went back through the Soo and I had to get off in Detroit. Joined the Navy and volunteered for the Seabees and became a Heavy Equipment Operator.
I noticed you did stay very long, were you a vacation replacement?
Hope to hear back from you.