1. SS Liberty was built in 1918 and was the first vessel of the US Shipboard design 1037 and the first vessel ever constructed and built by the Federal Ship Building Yard, located at Kearny, New Jersey.

2. Particulars:

gross tonnage: 6.211

length: 411ft

breadth: 55ft

depth: 31.4ft

4. Propulsion system:

Single screw, double-reduction-geared steam turbine, 2-oil fired boilers,

top speed 11kts

5. Engine makers:

General Electric Co.

The order was placed with the shipyard by the United States Shipping Board and she served the US Navy NOTS at the end of World War 1. She was not part of the US Navy after 1919 and was either laid up in reserve or chartered by various agents/shipping companies to carry general cargo.

At the outbreak of World War 2 she was requisitioned and operated by the US Army!
She was torpedoed by the japanese submarine I-66 (which became later I-166) on January 11, 1942 off Bali at the position S 8.05, E 115.28 and beached at Tulamben, after towing attempts by an US destroyer failed.

For ship’s history from 1942 on one should refer to the Official Wrecksite Guide of U.S.A.T. LIBERTY“

Note:

The are a bunch of misleading and confusing informations published around the history of the SS Liberty, wrecked at Tulamben, most notably that the ship was a Standard Type Liberty Ship EC2-CS1, of which a total of 2710 ships (Not 2500 as stated in some of the false releases) have been built between 1941 and 1945.

This is totally wrong, the only thing in common shared by the SS Liberty and the EC2-CS1 Standard Type Liberty ship ist the name Liberty, however, non of the 2710 ships ever carried the name Liberty.

SS Liberty was built 1918 and had gerared turbines unlike the Liberty Standard Ships, which were propelled by a 3cylinder steam triple expansion engine.

If a ship (Like the Liberty EC2-CS1 Standard Ship) is wrecked, the part to survive the longest would be the big cast-iron steam engine, which weights a couple of 100 tons.

Diving the Tulamben wreck one can easily notice that such an engine does not exist, the only large part of the propulsion system to be seen are the remains of the boilers..

The other significant difference between a Liberty Standard Ship and the SS Liberty at Tulamben is the design of the stern. The SS Liberty has a stern design identical to British Standard Ships of World War 1(All ship carried the prefix WAR) of which the SS Liberty is moreles a copy, whereas the EC2-CS1 has a modern type stern still be seen today

Sources:

Wartime Standard Ships Volume 3, British Standard Ships of Wold War 1

By W.H Mitchell and L.A. Sawyer

The Liberty Ships, The history of the Emergency type cargo ships of Wolr d War 2 by L.A. Sawyer and W.H. Mitchell

Lloyd’s register of Shipping, Volume 1, 1937-37.