SS Kimball harlow

[pwmw]

The Kimball Harlow was a Laker type ship used during WW2. My father served on her at the D-day landings at Omaha Beach and subsequently did many return voyages to the beaches. Was a laker ship a type of Liberty ship and does anyone have any knowledge of what happened to her? tugwilson@ashford83.fsnet.co.uk

 

[sierraone44]

I've no knowledge at all of the 'Kimball Harlow' but "lakers" where a particular design of vessel used primarily in the Great Lakes,Huron,Superior etc: Their cargoes were primarily loose bulk,ie: grain,iron ore,bauxite,wood pulp etc: and they were loaded by chute and generally discharged using big suction pipes.Just occasionally in some of the smaller ports on the lakes they might load/discharge with crane grabs (a long old job!!) Basically they had no foredeck,there was a short foc'sle then the bridge housing,a long main deck and right aft the accommodation,engine room and funnel etc: They had high hatch coamings ( a strong gale in the Lakes is no easier than a North Sea gale..sometimes worse!) This design allowed them to lay in a loading/discharging berth under the chutes without the normal midship accommodation/bridge housing getting in the way of the shore apparatus. I traded to the Lakes quite a few times in British ships of traditional design and it was a pain in the neck for the shore gang to re-rig the chutes over the hatches fore and aft of the bridge.(Grain for Russia) If you look at a modern cross channel ferry, they too have the bridge right forward almost on the foc'sle which might show what I am trying to explain. The other benefit of this design is of course the pilot/Master has a better view when berthing or in the Lakes going through the Locks. There used to be a yarn going round at sea that in heavy weather in the Lakes these ships would 'break their backs' because of all the weight right forward and aft and the long main deck in between, and right enough one would occasionally go missing.They were big ships,long and narrow,built for a particular trade and in my years at sea I never ever saw one outside the Lakes but in time of war I imagine the Kimball Harlow with her big clear deck and hatches would be easy to load with men and equipment. Hope that helps.

 

[philip_stevens]

http://www.coltoncompany.com/shipbldg/ussbldrs/wwii/merchantshipbuilders/leathemdsmith.htm

http://www.warsailors.com/convoys/sc135.html

http://www.bruzelius.info/nautica/Ships/Clippers/Telegraph(1851).html

The first url is about the ship, the second about WWII convoy, and third gives name of the captain she was named after.

You could also try any of the search engines of the USA here search engine

 

[pwmw]

To Sierraone44 and Phillip_Stevens. Thanks for the information. It is a great help. peter

 

[sierraone44]

Peter, if you Google this address http//dlund.20m.com you will get a site for Great Lakes Ship photos. Look at " ships photos from Green Bay" that picture ( top right ) will show you the type of ship your Dad served in on "D" Day (p.s there are probably a lot easy ways of finding that site,but I was a ship's Bosun,not a key puncher!! ha ha. Good luck