Liberty Ships & WWII Ghosts, Part 2, at SS Jeremiah O'Brien in San Francisco

After our introduction to Liberty Ships on October 17, let’s go see the finished product. The Bay Area is fortunate enough to have one, the *SS Jeremiah O’Brien*, on exhibit in San Francisco. Admission is Dutch treat, with prices ranging from free (for small children and active Military people in uniform) to $20 per adult. These are payable at its Pier 35 entrance. For specific price breakdowns, go to:

[Visit the SS Jeremiah O'Brien — Pier 35, San Francisco Waterfront](https://ssjeremiahobrien.org/visit-us/)

Please wear comfortable shoes and clothes and consider the weather that day. Be aware that visiting this ship is may not be feasible for the mobility challenged. It requires climbing steep stairs and ladders and having to step over the port frames for doors.

For those interested in joining us for something to eat afterward, we’ll be walking down the street to have an early dinner at the Blue Mermaid Restaurant, located in the haunted Argonaught Hotel across the street from the cable car turnaround.

War demands moving troops and supplies to where they’re needed. During World War II, Liberty Ships were built for transporting passengers and cargo around the world. These ships were designed with a pattern easy enough to be mass produced, usually taking only five to eight weeks to be put together. They were built quickly and used triple-expansion steam engines similar to the one used on the *Titanic*. It only went 11 knots per hour, but they did their jobs. They would be superseded by Victory Ships, but the efficiency in building Liberty class made it easier to outnumber the others. Their primary purpose was cargo, so most were operated on orders by the War Shipping Administration (WSA), not the Navy. Hence, they were part of the Merchant Marines with the SS status in their individual names.

From 1942 to the end of the war in 1945, 2,710 were produced amongst the shipyards on both coasts. Many of these ships were assembled at the shipyards in East Bay, where Hendy Iron Works sent 754 engines to be installed. Henry J. Kaiser’s Richmond Shipyard had an excellent reputation for organization and expediency, in one case putting a ship together within five days. Today, only two Liberty Ships survive. Unlike the *SS John W. Brown* currently docked in Baltimore, the *O’Brien* retains the original design configuration.

Over the course of WWII, the *O’Brien* completed seven wartime voyages to destinations in Northern Ireland, India, Australia, and South America. She also made 11 crossings to the Normandy beachhead during the D‑Day landings.

When Madeleine and I paid a reconnaissance visit to the *O’Brien*, the volunteer staff had no on-board ghost stories to tell, but she had already picked up 20–30 astrals in residence. As we wandered around, she soaked in the vibes of soldiers feeling as if they were sacrificial lambs. For many of those young men, going to Normandy for D-Day was the last trip they would ever take. Even more surprising, the astrals told the *O’Brien*’s stories of stowaways.

According to the *Jeremiah O’Brien* website, what sets it “apart today is more than her wartime legacy. She is the only Liberty ship in the world that retains her original WWII configuration, preserved without modern alterations or conversions. Her machinery, interior layout, and construction remain faithful to 1943 standards.

“This remarkable authenticity does not come at the expense of functionality. The *SS Jeremiah O’Brien* is U.S. Coast Guard inspected and approved and maintains a current classification with the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)—a rare achievement for a historic vessel of her kind. She remains seaworthy and licensed to sail under her own power, a status no other Liberty ship can claim.”

Sadly, the *O’Brien*’s certification is about to expire, since the nearby office that does the certification inspection has closed. It will be sailing for the last time during this year’s Fleet Week.

I look forward to seeing other…