Chris,
You're absolutely right--the Liberty ships were definitely not the ones
made of concrete.  After so many years away from my former area, the
memory is getting as rusty as the Liberty ships.  (Note to myself: never
dash off quick notes to listservs while preoccupied with other things!)
I do remember photos of the concrete ships which were given to me in the
1970s by an elderly civil engineer and amateur naval historian.  I still
have trouble imagining concrete as a ship-building material, but then
naval history was never my forte.
Anyway, thanks for helping to clear up the confusion.

Kathryn Kalmanson
Head of Reference
Blackwell Library
Salisbury University
Salisbury, MD  21801
Phone:  410-543-6190
Fax:       410-543-6203
e-mail: [log in to unmask]

>>> [log in to unmask] 12/11/03 12:16PM >>>
Kathryn,
        Are you sure they were concrete? The Liberty Ships are given a
the
classic example of brittle failure of welded ships with the crack
starting at the corners of the deck hatches and running around the
hull
in seconds.

Kathryn Kalmanson wrote:

> The famous "Liberty Ships" of WWII were concrete construction.  Many
of
> them were built in my home town of Wilmington, NC, and up until the
> 1960's a mothball fleet still remained anchored in the river there.
A
> few were refurbished for use during the Vietnam War, if memory serves
me
> correctly. Sometime during that period they were moved to Norfolk
Naval
> Base.  I saw them there a couple of years ago.
> These ships were launched sideways.  I remember a wonderful photo of
> the ceremonial first launching in which all the dignitaries who had
come
> to christen the ship were thoroughly drenched by a huge backsplash
when
> the ship hit the water broadsided.
>
> Kathryn Kalmanson
> Head of Reference
> Blackwell Library
> Salisbury University
> Salisbury, MD  21801
> Phone:  410-543-6190
> Fax:       410-543-6203
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
>
>
>>>>[log in to unmask] 12/10/03 09:51PM >>>
>>>>
> Hello Trish Fernandez & all,
>
> jb} Not only did the industry make block .. but during WWII the
> industry molded ships hulls and
> decks of concrete and they served well as cargo carriers.
>
> jb
> .
>
>


--
Chris Salter,
Oxford Materials Characterisation Service,
Oxford University Begbroke Science Park,
Sandy Lane, Yarnton, Oxford, OX5 1PF
Tel 01865 283722, EPMA 283741, Mobile 07776031608