SS Arthur M. Huddell

Arthur M. Huddel was laid down on 25 October 1943, under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, MC hull 1215, by the St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company, Jacksonville, Florida; she was sponsored by Mrs. Arthur M. Huddell, the widow of the namesake, and was launched on 7 December 1943.[1][2]

She was allocated to A.H. Bull & Co., Inc., on 18 December 1943.[2]

After Arthur M. Huddell loaded explosives and general cargo in Jacksonville, she sailed for New York, in February 1944, where she joined a convoy for London. Returning to Norfolk, Virginia, in March 1944. Carrying explosives again, this time from Charleston, South Carolina, for Oran, Algeria, she set sail at the end of April 1944.[4]

During the summer of 1944, the ship was converted to a fuel pipe carrier. She transported pipe in her aft two holds from the United States to England, that was used in the construction of a fuel pipeline under the English Channel, as part of Operation PLUTO, following the Normandy landings.[5][6] She departed New York, 22 September 1944, carrying 70 mi (110 km) of pipe and general cargo. She then spent 84 days in London, unloading 17 mi (27 km) of pipe into cable laying ship, and unloading the remainder at the dock.[7] This turned out to be Arthur M. Huddell's first and only fuel pipe transport mission. For the remainder of the war and immediate post war period she carried coal, general cargo, and personnel. She returned to Baltimore, Maryland, in July 1945.[7] She was then laid up in the James River Reserve Fleet, Lee Hall, Virginia, 25 September 1945, with $20,000 worth of costly repairs needed.[8]

She was chartered by AT&T, 23 February 1956, and was converted to a cable transport and layer.[5][8] After operations in support of Distant Early Warning (DEW) line she was transferred to the Suisun Bay Reserve Fleet, Suisun Bay, California, 11 October 1957. With a brief service in 1963, she was again returned to Suisun Bay, 10 July 1964. On 13 December 1977, the US Navy took delivery of Arthur M. Huddell, reclassified as a barge after conversion July 1978, to support cable operations for the Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS).[5][9] She was again laid up at James River Fleet, 22 August 1983.[8]

After that date, many components, including the rudder, were removed and used as spare parts for SS John W. Brown. Arthur M. Huddell is one of three Liberty ships remaining afloat, with the others being John W. Brown and Jeremiah O'Brien.[10]

In 2008, she was transferred to Greece for conversion to a maritime museum and was renamed Hellas Liberty.[11][12] On 6 December 2008 she left Norfolk, under tow for Piraeus harbor.[13] General repairs and conversions took place at Perama and Salamis, during 2009 and 2010, including installation of a new rudder and propeller. The rudder was fabricated new in Greece, but the propeller was donated by the US government to the Greek government. The propeller was a spare Victory ship propeller, which is the same diameter of 18 ft (5.5 m), as on a Liberty ship. The difference is that the Liberty has an output of 2,500 hp (1,900 kW) while the Victory is 7,500 hp (5,600 kW). They had a different pitch, but as it isn't turning, it doesn't make a difference. In June 2010, she was presented to the public in her restored form in Piraeus harbor in Athens.

• Historic American Engineering Record (HAER) No. VA-132, "Arthur M. Huddell, James River Reserve Fleet, Newport News, Newport News, VA"
• Business Plan for a National Hellas Liberty Ship Memorial Museum
• Official website of Hellas Liberty