SS James Eagan Layne facts for kids
The SS James Eagan Layne was a special kind of cargo ship called a liberty ship. During World War II, this ship was sunk near Whitsand Bay in Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Launching of the James Eagan Layne
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United States |
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| Name | SS James Eagan Layne |
| Operator | US Navigation Company, New York City |
| Builder | Delta Shipbuilding Corporation, New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Yard number | 157 |
| Laid down | 23 October 1944 |
| Launched | 2 December 1944 |
| Completed | 18 December 1944 |
| Fate | sunk on 21 March 1945 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Liberty ship |
| Tonnage | 7,176 tons |
| Length | 422.8 ft |
| Beam | 57 ft |
| Draft | 27 ft 9.25 in |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 11 to 11.5 knots (20 to 21 km/h) |
| Crew | 69 |
Contents
The Story of the SS James Eagan Layne
Building and Final Journey
The James Eagan Layne was built in 1944 by the Delta Shipbuilding Corporation in New Orleans, Louisiana. It was managed by the US Navigation Company from New York City. The ship was named after James Eagan Layne, an engineer who died when his ship, the Esso Baton Rouge, was sunk in 1942 during the war.
The James Eagan Layne's last trip was part of a group of ships called convoy BTC-103. It was carrying 4,500 tons of equipment for the United States Army Corps of Engineers. This cargo was going from Barry, Wales, to Ghent, Belgium. The ship also carried motorboats and wood on its deck.
On March 21, 1945, a German submarine, U-399, spotted the James Eagan Layne. The ship was sailing about 12 miles off the coast of Plymouth. The submarine fired a torpedo, hitting the ship on its right side. The James Eagan Layne was badly damaged.
Two tugboats, Flaunt and Atlas, tried to pull the damaged ship to safety. They managed to get it to Whitsand Bay in Cornwall. However, the ship slowly sank to the bottom and was declared a complete loss. Luckily, all 69 crew members on board survived.
The Shipwreck Today
After the sinking, some of the ship's cargo was saved. Later, in 1953 and 1967, more items were taken from the wreck by other companies.
Today, the wreck of the James Eagan Layne is a very popular place for scuba divers. It lies about 540 meters east of another famous wreck, HMS Scylla. The ship rests in about 22 meters of water. Its front part, called the bow, is located at 50°19.602′N 4°14.714′W / 50.326700°N 4.245233°W.
In June 2011, three divers had trouble while exploring the wreck, and sadly, one person died.
In March 2015, people marked the 70th anniversary of the James Eagan Layne's sinking. To celebrate this, a project called "Liberty 70" was started. Its goal was to learn and share everything about this ship's life. This included its time as a wartime transport, its sinking, the salvage work, and its current role as a popular dive site and artificial reef.
Images for kids
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Wreckage of the SS James Eagan Layne in 2014
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