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Liberty: The Ships That Won the War Paperback – June 30, 2006

by Peter Elphick (Author)

10 customer reviews

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During World War II, more Liberty ships were built for the U.S. merchant marine than any other type ship. The ability of American shipyards to turn out these vessels faster than the U-boats could sink them kept the vital transatlantic supply routes open and secured Allied victory in the Battle of the Atlantic. An astonishing 2,710 vessels were launched in less than four years, and only 200 were lost to enemy action. This book tells the legendary ship’s full story, from the inception of its design, through the massive production effort, to the Liberty’s wartime career in all theaters of war. The story is told largely in the words of those who built and sailed them. Along with tales of heroism and endurance are details of the potentially fatal problems of structural failure they suffered, which put the whole program in doubt for a time. The book is a fitting tribute to the civilian ship and men many credit with winning the war.

Liberty: The Ships That Won the War

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About the Author

Peter Elphick, a retired master mariner, is the author of several books on the merchant marine and the Far East. He lives in Windsor, England. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Paperback: 512 pages
Publisher: US Naval Institute Press (June 30, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1591144515
ISBN-13: 978-1591144519
Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 6.2 x 1.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
Average Customer Review: 10 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,383,306 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1930 in Books > Engineering & Transportation > Transportation > History > Ships
- #3570 in Books > Engineering & Transportation > Transportation > Ships
- #5325 in Books > History > Military > Naval

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SS John W. Brown

ByMichael N. Ryanon June 23, 2006

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Last year I was treated to a ride aboard the Liberty Ship John W. Brown for my birthday. It was crowded with enthusiasts which gave me the feel of what she was like when she transported GIs.

I went down into her engines which are as hot and as noisy as an old laundramat. I toured her bridge and looked out her three little portholes forward through which the crew operated when not operating from the flying bridge above. Chatted with some of the veterans and the reenactors.(Hope I didn't scare anyone with my inquisitiveness). I tried to study everything I could especially the hairstyles of the reenactresses since no one does their hair that way these days and photographs don't provide three dimensional view.

It was fun for me.

This book though I am sorry to say it lacks line drawings and does not really mention the 'Plastic' armor around the bridge (a british development a mix of concrete and asphalt)is a good source of information on the developement, construction and use of these ships as well as the Liberty Tankers which probably did more to win the war for the allies than any individual weapon. Nicely written. Easy to read. Photographs provided are good quality. Very informative. A good addition to any library for an enthusiast.

0Comment 4 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Four Stars

ByAmazon Customeron August 6, 2016

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

It was okey, I wanted more, action sand life .

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Five Stars

Bydonna shelbyon October 3, 2016

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Dad loved it!

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Exhaustively researched

ByR. Mitchellon August 7, 2007

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

My father sailed as Chief Radio Officer on Liberty ships in several convoys, including to Murmansk in 1942. He reports that this title is "the best book [he's] ever seen" about the Liberty ships and their missions, with research that "must have taken years" to assemble and virtually no factual errors.

0Comment 3 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Liberty a One-Of-A-Kind Resource

ByStephen C. Sattleron January 3, 2007

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

If you are interested in Liberty ships and the critical role they played in WWII then you owe it to yourself to purchase a copy of this book. The author has accumulated a massive amount of information describing the design, construction, role, problems, and victories of the Liberty ship as a class of vessel as well as descriptions of epic adventures and misfortunes of many individual ships. This is certainly a "must own" book for anyone who has an interest in WWII merchant shipping.

0Comment 2 people found this helpful. Was this review helpful to you?YesNo

Complete !!

ByTommy Anderssonon August 2, 2007

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This is far the most interesting and complete book about the mercant marine in the wwII era. It realy describe the hole story about the libery project.
Tommy Andersson Sweden

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A Non-Glamorous but Very Important Aspect of WW II

ByJohn Matlockon June 28, 2006

Format: Paperback

The very concept of a mass produced ship was unknown before World War II. But with the German subs sinking more ships than could be produced. With these ships being built faster than the Germans could sink them the supplies, men, and weapons got through to England and around the world.

This is really two books in one.

The first half or so of the book is on the plans of the ship and the design and construction of the plants to build the ships. One critical point was that these ships were welded rather than riveted as had been done before. This caused a good bit of conversation. 2710 Liberties were built and they worked literally around the world.

The second part of the book is a collection of stories of some of the ships. About two hundred were sunk due to enemy action. A few hundred more ran aground, collided, caught on fire or whatever. Several of the ships simply broke in two, for no known reason. One ship, sinking just outside of London is still loaded with 3,000 tons of explosives.

Only two Liberties remain afloat. They were not the collectors items that got preserved, just a reliable workhorse. But by post war status they were to small, to slow. and one by one they were scrapped.

This is an excellent, very readable book about a non-glamorous but very important aspect of World War II.

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A much-needed history of a vital type of ship.

ByNed Middletonon January 30, 2002

Format: Paperback

In the UK, most scuba divers know of the Liberty Ship "James Eagan Layne" which sank in Whitesand Bay near Plymouth on 21 March 1945 after having been torpedoed by U-1195. Whilst most people are able to recognise a tanker or vehicle ferry, however, for many the term Liberty Ship means nothing at all. Well not any more. This is a excellent book written by a Master Mariner with considerable experience of ships and the sea who has produced a first class piece of work of equal interest to amateur and professional ship historians alike.

Liberty Ships were made in the USA during World War Two from prefabricated sections and I was fascinated to learn that the record for building one of these ships was just 4 days. The many shipyards involved combined to provide the Allied Forces with the most positive response to the high rate of shipping losses sustained through enemy action.

Measuring 9½" x 6½", "Liberty - The ships that Won the War" comprises over 500 pages of mostly text but with a good selection of 26 historic photographs and a most informative exploded-view of how the prefabricated Liberty Ship was designed and built. Everything and anything you ever wanted to know about this type of ship from conception to watery grave or scrap-yard is here.

It was also most interesting to note that the shipbuilding firm of J. L. Thompson of Sunderland provided 3 prototype vessels from which the Liberty Ship eventually evolved. This is the company which also built the Thistlegorm and it is most interesting to see the resemblance between that particular ship and those early prototypes. Altogether, excellent reference material.

NM