Grace, E. G.

1943                                       E. G. Grace                                       1984

Steel Great Lakes bulk freighter

Built at Lorain OH by American Ship Building Co., Hull 829
Keel laid Dec 5, 1942, launched June 17, 1943
Built for U. S. Maritime Commission, Class L6-S-A1 under its World War II vessel construction program.  Launched as Lincolnshire.  Renamed E. G. Grace and delivered at commissioning to Interlake Steamship Co., taking in trade (for this vessel and for strs. Frank Armstrong and Frank Purnell) seven older vessels of the fleet for part of the purchase price

620’ LOA, 605’ LBP, 60’ beam, 35’ depth
1 deck, arch cargo hold construction, 18 hatches @ 24’, coal-fired boilers, compound engine, 2500 IHP

Enrolled at
604.8 x 60.2 x 30.2, 8758 GT, 6472 NT     US 243830     to:
Interlake Steamship Co., Cleveland OH (home port Wilmington DE)

Entered service Oct 2, 1943 clearing Lorain OH light for Superior WI

Laid up Dec 1986 at Ashtabula OH and did not operate again

Sold for scrap 1984 to Marine Salvage Ltd., Port Colborne ON.  Towed to Humberstone (Port Colborne) and scrapped

IMO 5095505

See history in Detroit Marine Historian July 1984 (#4)
Also in Great Lakes Ships We Remember III p. 150

 

4313

 

 

5 thoughts on “Grace, E. G.

  1. I have a stamped sterling silver rectangular box engraved as follows:
    STEAMER E.G. GRACE
    Built by
    AMERICAN SHIPBUILDING CO.
    For
    U.S. MARITIME COMMISSION
    Launched
    JUNE 12, 1945
    AT LORAIN, OHIO
    Sponsor
    MRS. FREDERICK A. SHICK

    Inside is a red/white/blue flag (that I assume was on the bow or stern flag) under glass below a wooden 3-compartment level with 3 partitions.
    Helen Shick was my aunt, and she gave me this box decades ago.
    Would you have any interest in having this?

  2. My grandfather, Captain Alfred C. Drouillard, oversaw the completion of this boat and was captain from its commission October 3rd (not 2nd) 1943 until end of season 1951. Because he was able to watch over its final build he was dedicated to every detail being correct and ‘ship shape’. The result of his efforts paid off. During his time as captain they had no delays, accidents or layovers and were in the top bracket on financial returns for the entire Interlake fleet. He was very proud of that boat.

  3. My father was the Captain of the E. G. Grace in 1975. On the evening of November 10, 1975, he was loading taconite in Duluth. Weather got ugly and they delayed departure until the morning. The rest is sad history. In memoriam…ut requiescant in pace to the 29 men of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

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