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The
sunken
remains of the steamship Jacob Luckenbach lie among hundreds of submerged historic shipwrecks that are managed and protected by NOAA’s Gulf Of The Farallones National Marine Sanctuary. The historic record of several of these ships can be accessed through the Gulf of the Farallones Shipwreck Database hosted by the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. |
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Jacob
Luckenbach’s history began back in 1944 as the C3 cargo
ship Sea Robin. The United States was at war and in need
of vessels to transport troops and cargo to foreign ports to support
the war effort. Sea Robin’s keel was laid on 01 October
1943 later being launched on 29 February 1944 at the Ingalls
Shipbuilding Corp at Pascagoula, Mississippi. The steamship
was assigned hull No. 411. Just four months earlier the USS
Burleigh (APA-95), assigned hull No. 406 slipped down
the ways at the Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula. The combat loaded
transport USS
Burleigh went on to receive one battle star for her service
in WWII and was later sold to Matson Navigation Co. in 1947 and
renamed Hawaiian
Pilot. Before being sold off to Oceanic Steamship Company
in 1961 and renamed Sonoma, and later to Pacific Far East
Lines in 1970, she would meet for one last time with her sister
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Sea
Robin
Prior to Launching |
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Ingalls Shipyard Corp. was established in 1938 at Pascagoula, Mississippi and is currently named Northrop Grumman Ship Systems. The shipyard’s long record of shipbuilding includes vessels for the U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, international navies, and all types of commercial vessels. The shipyard is located on the Pascagoula River at the Mississippi Sound providing deepwater access to the Gulf of Mexico. |
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Sea Robin Upon completion of her construction she was operated by United States Lines Co.. Sea Robin departed Pascagoula and arrived at the port of New York for the first oversea assignment. On 14 October 1944 she departed for Marseilles, Oran and Gibraltar. On 17 November 1944 she arrived back at New York, later departing on 3 January 1945 for The Solent, Le Havre and Southhampton, arriving again at New York on 4 February 1945. She repeated the same voyage between 19 February and 1 April of 1945. Departing New York the same month the Sea Robin made another voyage to Le Havre and Southhampton returning to New York in May. |
| Sea
Robin Launched Courtesy Northrop Grumman Ship Systems |
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Beginning
on 20 May, 16 June and 10 July 1945 the Sea Robin
completed three successive voyages to Le Havre with the second voyage
departing Hampton Roads. Arriving New York on 28 July Sea Robin
made five rounds trips to Marseilles. These voyages were completed
on 20 August, 13 September (departed Boston), 8 October, 1 November,
and 2 December 1945. She returned to New York Christmas Eve and
departed 24 January 1946 for Le Havre, making two more round trips
on 23 February and 31 March of that year. One trip followed to Naples
returning to New York on 6 June 1946. She was later scheduled to
go to the United Kingdom in the interest of British National Progress.
(Roland)
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Sea Robin ownership transferred from the War Shipping Administration to the Luckenbach Steamship Co. with her name being officially changed to Jacob Luckenbach on 23 December 1947. The Luckenbach Steamship Co. registered the C3 freighter’s home-port as New York, NY. The Certificate of Registry dated 1947, indicates her past names were Sea Robin and British Sea Robin confirming her ownership transferred to British interests before returning to the United States. |
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American Hull Insurance Syndicate insured the hulls and cargoes of both the Jacob Luckenbach and Hawaiian Pilot. It was the highest aggregate claims paid by the company in the 1950s, totaling $2,021,798. The Syndicate just three years earlier paid out a $329,584 claim for the Mary Luckenbach which collided with the U.S. Military Sea Transport Service hospital ship Benevolence 4 miles off the Golden Gate. (Mitchell) The Jacob Luckenbach is a great example of a vessel built for transatlantic WWII troop and cargo transport, and later in her career being introduced into the U.S. Merchant trade where she once again carried military cargoes for the Korean War. To learn more about why shipwrecks offer a window into our historic past, go to NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary West Coast Shipwreck Database. |
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| Hawaiian
Pilot
Bow Damage After the Collision Courtesy Robert Schwemmer Collection |
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Publications Referenced: Charles, Roland W., Troopships of World War II, The Army Transportation Association, 1947 Mitchell, C. Bradford, Touching The Adventures & Perils – A Semicentennial History, American Hull Insurance Syndicate, New York 1970. Related Links Jacob Luckenbach http://www.cinms.nos.noaa.gov/shipwreck/dbase/gfmns/jacobluckenbach.html Gulf Of The Farallones National Marine Sanctuary http://www.gfnms.nos.noaa.gov/ GFNMS Shipwreck Database http://www.cinms.nos.noaa.gov/shipwreck/gfnms.html Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary http://www.cinms.nos.nos.noaa.gov Jacob Luckenbach Incident News http://www.incidentnews.gov/incidents/incident_9.htm Hawaiian Pilot http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/moa/colliscas.htm Ingalls Ship Building – Northrop Grumman Ship Systems http://www.ingalls.com USS Burleigh http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/amphib/apa95.htm West Coast Shipwreck Database http://www.cinms.nos.noaa.gov/shipwreck/shiphome.html |
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