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Requisitioned Ships: Illustrations

Ames Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Seattle


Requisitioned: 13 ships: Yard nos. 4-5 (2), plus 8 as Design 1013 and 3 as Design 1080.
The requisitioned precursors to the EFC designs are documented with those designs.



Click on the photographs below to prompt larger views of the same images.

Two tankers, each 9000 tons dwt., building for Standard Oil, later reconveyed to owners.

S.S. L. J. Drake (Yard no. 5)

This ship was delivered to the EFC on 30 September 1918 and reconveyed to Standard Oil of New Jersey on 8 February 1919. She is shown here in Esso service between the wars.

Photo No. None
Source: Ships of the Esso Fleet in World War II (1946)

  S.S. L. J. Drake
S.S. L. J. Drake (Yard no. 5)

Shown here in a U.S. Coast Guard photo while anchored in an American port on 11 April 1942. While carrying gasoline from Aruba she was torpedoed by U-68 on 5 June 1942 near San Juan, Puerto Rico, with no survivors. Her World War II armament included one 4", one 3", and four machine guns.

Photo No. None
Source: The Steamship Historical Society of America (Alex. Shaw)


  S.S. L. J. Drake
S.S. Valerian Kuibishev, ex Montrolite (Yard no. 4)

At San Francisco, Calif., circa 1943 after having been transferred to the Soviet Union under Lend Lease. Note the Soviet flag and name displayed under the bridge. She was returned by the Soviets in 1944, probably because of defects, and soon became the station tanker USS Marmora (IX-189). She had been delivered to the EFC and reconveyed to Standard Oil of New Jersey on 12 August 1918.

Photo No. NH 91262
Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command


  S.S. Valerian Kuibishev, ex Montrolite