SS Patrick Henry: The First Liberty Ship
On September 27, 1941, SS Patrick Henry was launched in Baltimore. It was the first of the Liberty ships that would carry vital supplies during World War II.
A ship built for a world at war
In 1941, the United States was building cargo ships to meet the growing demand for supplies across the Atlantic. On September 27, the first Liberty ship, SS Patrick Henry, was launched at a Baltimore shipyard.
The launch took place before the United States entered World War II in December 1941.
Why Liberty ships mattered
Liberty ships were designed as practical cargo vessels that could be built in large numbers. During the war, they transported food, equipment, and other essential supplies across the oceans.
SS Patrick Henry marked the beginning of that shipbuilding effort.
The story behind the name
The ship was named after Patrick Henry, the American Revolutionary figure associated with the words “Give me liberty, or give me death.” Its name gave the new class of ships a powerful historical connection.
What happened next?
SS Patrick Henry made its first voyage in January 1942. It later crossed the Atlantic multiple times and took part in a convoy carrying supplies to the Soviet Union.