SS James Iredell

SS James Iredell (MC contract 867) was a Liberty ship in World War II that was attacked in Naples and scuttled on June 8, 1944, to protect Omaha Beach.

History
United States
Name	James Iredell
Namesake	James Iredell
Operator	Agwilines Inc
Ordered	as SS James Iredell EC2-S-C1 hull
Yard number	45
Way number	9
Laid down	25 October 1942
Launched	29 November 1942
Acquired	1943
Commissioned	1943
Decommissioned	1944
Stricken	23 October 1943, in Naples
Fate	Scuttled on 8 June 1944, to protect Omaha Beach
General characteristics
Class & type	Crater-class cargo ship
Displacement	4,023 t.(lt) 11,565 t.(fl)
Length	441 ft 6 in (134.57 m)
Beam	56 ft 11 in (17.35 m)
Draft	28 ft 4 in (8.64 m)
Propulsion	reciprocating steam engine, single shaft
Speed	12 kts.
Complement	206

SS James Iredell circa 1941

History

SS James Iredell had its keel laid down on 25 October 1942, by the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company, of Wilmington, North Carolina. She was launched on 29 November 1942. She suffered minor damage while in a convoy in 1943.

She was quickly repaired, and bombed in Naples, on 23 October 1943, with three direct hits.^[1][2][3] The gasoline the ship was transporting caught on fire and the ship was abandoned. The fire burned for 64 hours, but there were no casualties among the 44-man merchant crew, the 28-man United States Navy contingent, or the 28 passengers.^[4]

She was repaired, and was sunk as a blockship off Omaha Beach on 8 June 1944.^[5]