Fair, 55°
Weather sponsored by:

Liberty Ship named for Clay’ resident, 18th Florida governor W.S. Jennings

By Maryjo McTammeny
Posted 9/25/19

Cutline: The legendary May Mann Jennings, flanked by her granddaughters, Mrs. Dorothy Sandridge and Miss Leila May Jennings is shown here just moments before she christened the Liberty ship named in …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Don't have an ID?


Print subscribers

If you're a print subscriber, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one.

Non-subscribers

Click here to see your options for subscribing.

Single day pass

You also have the option of purchasing 24 hours of access, for $1.00. Click here to purchase a single day pass.

Liberty Ship named for Clay’ resident, 18th Florida governor W.S. Jennings


Posted

Cutline: The legendary May Mann Jennings, flanked by her granddaughters, Mrs. Dorothy Sandridge and Miss Leila May Jennings is shown here just moments before she christened the Liberty ship named in honor of her late husband, Florida’s 18th governor, William Sherman Jennings.

It was windy and bearing down hot on the afternoon of July 25, 1944 at the St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company in Jacksonville. The clangor of metal on metal, never-ending din of engines, shouts and hollers filled the air. This was not unusual to hear 24 hours a day because the plant was working around the clock to satisfy the military demand for ships. What was unusual was the gradually gathering crowd of state and national powerful, formally dressed political and financial movers and shakers.

They were there to celebrate the launching of the shipyard’s 51st Liberty ship and christen the vessel in honor of Florida’s 18th governor William Sherman Jennings.

Following his term in office, Jennings and his family divided their time between a home in Jacksonville and a working farm and vast timber interests near Middleburg in Clay County.

By the day of the launch, Liberty ships were already a symbol of America’s gargantuan wartime industrial output but they weren’t pretty. Dubbed “ugly ducklings” by President Roosevelt, the effort began with the construction of a fleet of maritime cargo carriers to supply allies already fighting. From Sept 1941 to Sept 1945, 2,745 Liberty ships were built.

Parts for the W.S. Jennings were prefabricated in 250-ton sections then shipped to ports all over the country for assembly. The sections were welded not riveted which allowed both rapid and cost-effective construction. By 1944, the time required had been reduced from 70 days to nearer 50 due to the immense dedication of the American workforce.

Heavily represented in the enthusiastic audience were members of the Duval and Clay County Women’s Clubs who joined with Florida Federation of Women’s Clubs to sell over two million dollars in war bonds and earn the honor of naming rights. Gov. Jennings had more than ably served the state and with his wife, May Mann supported several of the women’s legislative proposals.

All this activity was no match for the frenzied yet choreographed action of the previous 52 days when the ship was being built. The S.S. Jennings was laid down on June 9 – 441 feet long and 56 feet wide. She was powered by a three-cylinder steam engine and two oil burning boilers were installed allowing the ship to reach a top speed of 11 knots. She would transport more than 9,000 tons of cargo in five holds and that was just the beginning.

Jeeps, planes and loaded train cars would be chained to her decks and, when complete, she carried a merchant marine crew of 44 with 12 to 25 naval guards to man the anti- aircraft guns mounted to her deck. Day and night, crews in shifts continued the job amid raucous shouts and flying sparks until launch day.

After the singing of the national anthem and invocation address and master of ceremonies, James C. Merrill, President of St. Johns River Shipbuilding Company introduced the specially honored guests May Mann Jennings, and the Governor’s granddaughters Dorothy and Leila May.

It is said that Mrs. Jennings “swung the bottle of champagne lustily and true and the W.S. Jennings, bow wet with the effervescent liquid, started down the launch ramps at 4:30 p.m. precisely.”