Two coal-fired water tube boilers *(some coveted to diesel engine)
TheType L6 ship is aUnited States Maritime Administration (MARAD) designation forWorld War II as aGreat Lakes drybreak bulkcargo ship. The L-TypeGreat Lakes Dry Bulk Cargo Ships were built in 1943 to carry much-needed iron ore from the upper Great Lakes to the steel and iron production facilities on Lakes Erie and Ontario in support of the war effort. The ships have a 15,675 tonnedeadweight tonnage. The L6 ships were built by two companies:American Ship Building Company, in the case of the type L6-S-A1 models, of which 6 were built; andGreat Lakes Engineering Works,Ashtabula, Ohio/ Great Lakes Engineering Works,River Rouge, Michigan, in the case of the type L6-S-B1, which produced 10 ships. Steel supply needed for World War was great. To supplyiron ore fromLake Superior to steel foundries, the United States Commission had a series of L6 Lakers ship built. The Maritime Commission ordered ten Great Lakes Bulk Carriers of the L6-S-B1 type. The L6-S-B1 was design with a 3-cylinder triple expansion steam engines. The L6-S-A1 used a lentz 4-cylinder compound engine. All L6 ships werecoal burning and delivered between May and November 1943.[1] L6-S-B1 was built for the US Maritime Commission under USMC contract MCc-1834 in 1943 at the River Rouge yard. Each L6 ship cost $2.265 million. The first L6-S-B1 was the SSAdirondack/Richard J. Reiss, hull 290, keel was laid on March 9, 1942 and launched on September 19, 1942. The ships are often called theMaritimer Class Lake Bulk Freighter now.[2]
Thomas Wilson Hull #826USMC #565, Sank in Sank 1987.
Sewell Avery Hull #827USMC #566 Used as a dock at Sault Ste Marie,Ont. 1987[5]
J. Burton Ayers, renamedCuyahoga Hull#828 USMC #567 Converted Diesel 3,084 bhp in 1999[6]
E. G. Grace, renamedLincolnshire Hull #829USMC #568, Scrapped 1984 at Port Colborne Ont.[7]
Belle Isle, renamedChamplain Hull #1009USMC #569 Scrapped in Turkey October 1987[8]
John T. Hutchinson Hull #1010USMC #570 Scrapped in Taiwan Oct 2, 1988[9]
L6-S-B1Maritimer class
Adirondack, renamedRichard J. Reiss, thenManistee Hull #290 USMC #579 Converted to 2,950 horsepower diesel engine in 1976[10]
Lake Angelina, renamedCadillac Hull #291USMC #580 Scrap in 1962 at Hamilton Ont.[11]
Hill Annex , renamedGeorge A. Sloan thenMississagiHull #292USMC #581 Converted in 1984 to 4,500 bhp 12-cylinder diesel engine. Sent for scrap in 2021[12]
Pilot Knob, renamedFrank Armstrong Hull #522USMC #582 Scrapped in Turkey 1988.[13]
Clarence B. Randall Hull #523USMC #583 Scrapped in Taiwan Oct 2, 1988[14]
McIntyre, renamedFrank PurnellHull #293USMC #584 Used as barge, now laid up on the Calumet River.[15]
Robert C. Stanley Hull #294USMC # 585 Scrapped in Turkey May,1989.
' "Lehigh," renamed "Joseph X. Robert," then "Willowglen," scrapped in 2006.
SSThomas Wilson After worked on the Lakes from 1943 to 1987. She was sold for scrap to Corostel Trading Co. ofMontreal, Que. Canada in September 1987. Tugs were towing her toTaiwan for scrapping. On December 21, 1987 they hit a storm in theAtlantic Ocean and the towline broke. TheThomas Wilson sank 250 miles northeast ofBermuda,[17] sank near 34 08'N by 61 35'12"W.[18]
SSSewell Avery was sold 1986 to A. B. McLean Ltd., she was sunk in May 1987 to be used as part of adock atSault Ste. Marie, Ontario.[19]
J. Burton Ayers grounded at Stoneport, MI resulting on September 10, 1980, with much bottom damage, she was repaired. She was also grounded in the Detroit River, near the Renaissance Center, on May 8, 1981; she was released by three tugs.
