SS Sea Owl


SS Sea Owl was a Type C3-S-A2-based troop transport built during World War II for operation by the War Shipping Administration which saw service in the European Theater of Operations.
At times mistakenly termed USAT Sea Owl, she shared her name with a Balao-class submarine USS Sea Owl, commissioned on 17 July 1944.
SS Sea Owl was one of an undetermined number of "Sea" prefixed C3-S-A2 transports built by Ingalls Shipbuilding and Western Pipe and Steel Company between 1943 and 1945. She was sold in 1947 to and operated commercially as the SS Steel Scientist until 1971.

History

Construction and operation

SS Sea Owl was laid down 22 July 1943 as a Type C3-S-A2 ship for the U. S. Maritime Commission as MC hull 407 by the Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation of Pascagoula, Mississippi. She was launched on 17 December 1943, and converted to a 2,156 troop transport by Ingalls for operation by the War Shipping Administration. She was delivered to the WSA 6 June 1944, which contracted ship handling to the American Export Lines.

In World War II (1944–1945)

As a transport allocated to the U.S. Army SS Sea Owl was crewed by United States Merchant Marines, protected by a contingent of the US Naval Armed Guards, and had a complement of the US Army Transportation Corps aboard for troop administration.
SS Sea Owl's shakedown cruise was from Pascagoula to New York City, followed by a steam to Newport News, Virginia, to pick up her first troop complement, an Army battalion headed for Naples.

Units transported

Units transported by the Sea Owl included:
The SS Sea Owl was also used to transport German POWs to the United States.

In mercantile service (1947–1973)

Sea Owl was transferred to the Maritime Commission in 1946. A $282,00 contract for conversion into a cargo ship was awarded to J.K. Welding Co., of Yonkers, NY, to be completed in 70 calendar days. In 1947 she was sold to of New York.
Beginning in 1947 it operated in Isthmian service as SS Steel Scientist hauling cargoes from Asia principally to U.S. Gulf ports carrying jute, gunnie sacks, shellac, and other materials. She was sold to Taiwan Shipbreakers, arrived at Kaohsiung 9 July 1971 and scrapped during that month.

Footnotes