World War I Concrete Ship, SS Palo Alto, Smashed in Half By Storm

From the January 23, 2017, Vancouver Sun by Ben Guarino, Washington Post.

This is a curious artifact of American history, the crumbling, but famous World War I-era tanker SS Palo Alto.

Since 1930, the unusual concrete hull, a symbol of Santa Cruz County, has been sitting at the end of the pier jutting out into Monterrey Bay.

Saturday, record high 34-foot waves pounded the ship.

During World War I German submarines, U-boats,  were sinking so many Allied ships that there was a fear that we would run out of steel.  In 1917, the Emergency Fleet Corporation was formed under President Woodrow Wilson.

Twenty-four concrete ships were built.

Sounds Heavy to Me.  --Cooter