| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | John Randolph |
| Namesake | John Randolph |
| Owner | War Shipping Administration (WSA) |
| Operator | Waterman Steamship Corp. |
| Ordered | as type (EC2-S-C1) hull,MCE hull 19 |
| Awarded | 14 March 1941 |
| Builder | Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard,Baltimore, Maryland[1] |
| Cost | $1,354,256[2] |
| Yard number | 2006 |
| Way number | 6 |
| Laid down | 15 July 1941 |
| Launched | 30 December 1941 |
| Completed | 27 February 1942 |
| Identification | |
| Fate | Sunk byAlliedNaval mine, 5 July 1942 |
| General characteristics[3] | |
| Class & type |
|
| Tonnage | |
| Displacement | |
| Length | |
| Beam | 57 feet (17 m) |
| Draft | 27 ft 9.25 in (8.4646 m) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 11.5knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph) |
| Capacity |
|
| Complement | |
| Armament |
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SSJohn Randolph was aLiberty ship built in theUnited States duringWorld War II. She was named afterJohn Randolph, aplanter and aCongressman fromVirginia who served in theHouse of Representatives at various times between 1799 and 1833 and theSenate from 1825 to 1827. He was alsoMinister to Russia under PresidentAndrew Jackson in 1830.
John Randolph was laid down on 15 July 1941, under aMaritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MCE hull 19, by theBethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard,Baltimore, Maryland; and was launched on 30 December 1941.[1][2]
She was allocated toUnion Sulphur & Oil Co., Inc., on 27 February 1942.[4]
John Randolph was severely damaged after striking anAlliedmine on the night of 5 July 1942.[5]
Having leftMurmansk, on 27 June 1942, Convoy QP-13 encountered fog on 5 July 1942, north west ofIceland. Due to the overcast weather and poor visibility, about one mi (1.6 km),Commander Cubison, aboard the escort shipHMS Niger, ordered the convoy to form up in two columns, from five, to pass betweenStraumnes and theNorthern Barrage minefield. At 20:00 Commander Cubison had estimated his location at66°45′N22°22′W / 66.750°N 22.367°W /66.750; -22.367 and suggested that the convoy alter course to 222°. At 22:00Niger mistook what was later identified as an iceberg for Iceland's North Cape, at a bearing of 150° and one mile range. Cubison ordered the convoy to change course to 270°. At 22:40Niger exploded and sank with a heavy loss of life, this included Commander Cubison. The convoy had entered the minefield at this time and the merchant shipsSS Heffron,SS Hybert,SS Massmar, andSS Rodina struck mines and were sunk,John Randolph andSS Exterminator were seriously damaged.[6][4]
The forepart was salved but broke tow on 1 September 1952, and was wrecked atTorrisdale Bay, Sutherland, Scotland, on 5 September.[7][8]
Original wreck location:66°39′N22°33′W / 66.650°N 22.550°W /66.650; -22.550[4]
Location of fore section:58°32′N4°15′W / 58.533°N 4.250°W /58.533; -4.250[8]
Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in July 1942 | |
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| Shipwrecks |
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| Other incidents |
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