One of these Liberty Ships was the Thomas J. Rusk (J for Jefferson) and was an EC2-S-C1 type. Other ships build by Houston Shipbuilding Corporation were the Sam Houston, Davy Crockett and James Bowie as a nod to Texas history.
Quite a few were named after Civil War persons such as Matthew Maury, Winfield Scott, A.P. Hill, James Longstreet, Joseph E. Johnston, J.E.B. Stuart, John B. Hood and Fitzhugh Lee.
Also, one was christened the Amelia Earhart.
To get an idea how fast these ships could be built, the Rusk had its keel laid 3 Sep 1942, was launched 11 Nov 1942 and delivered 26 Nov 1942.
One Liberty Ship was possibly the only one ever named after a living person. Francis J. O'Gara was the purser on the Jean Nicolet which was sunk by a Japanese submarine. It was thought that he had died, but he returned from a Japanese POW camp after the war.
Building 'Em Fast. --Cooter
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