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09/06/2008: "OUR CORAL SEA LIBERTY SHIP ...... 21.51S 153.38E approx"
During WW2 USA was supplying UK and Australia via merchant ships. The American shipbuilding effort was incredible, and worth a good documentary being made.
Liberty ships were being constructed at 16 shipyards. A new ship launched every day. At the peak, one ship was built and fitted out in just seven days. The secret was welding the ships together instead of using rivets.
2300 ships were built in 1942-43. The German U-boats could not sink them fast enough. Plenty survived.
Once the keel was laid, sections of the ship fabricated elsewhere would be brought to the site and assembled. The expected life of a liberty ship was five years if not sunk beforehand. Many survived 25 years of service.
These merchant ships were fitted with a 4" rear deck gun. The anti-aircraft guns were one 12 pounder, 20mm and 40mm Bofors, and PAC rockets.
The Francis Preston Blair wreck was purchased by the Australian government in 1952 for target practice, especially in later years by the RAAF flying F-111's from Amberley air base near Brisbane.
We were at Saumarez during one of these missions. Very exciting to have the swing-winged aircraft flying low above Coralita (international dive charter boat) at high speed with wings folded back.
The Francis Preston Blair (7 196 tons) was built by Sudden & Christensen, San Francisco. Launched 8 January 1943, grounded on Saumarez Reef at 9:30 am 15 July 1945 while traveling between New Guinea and Sydney.
Our captain, Wally Muller, first visited the wreck shortly after the stranding and found a number of empty 4" shell cases near the rear deck gun, summarizing the ship had been firing when it went aground - perhaps being followed by a Japanese submarine. This might have explained an explosion hole in the bow, below the water line.
The military has no knowledge of any enemy action having occurred causing the the stranding.
