Online Store is open!

We are very excited to have our Online Store up and running. Many of you have been asking over the last 4-5 years about why we didn't have an online store or a catalog.   Once we created the new website, with a built in platform for the online store, we were able to take baby steps and keep pushing the idea of the online version of the ship store. So for those of you that have been asking, 'this is for YOU, baby!'   You can find the online store  here:
http://www.ssjohnwbrown.org/online-store/

This is the heart of the online store. Judy is one of our experts on packing & shipping. She handles most letters and requests that come in from our supporters.

Pulling together the online store is a perfect example of the team work that is the crew of the JWB. There are so many different things that are part of any store and and we're lucky to have talented people with expertise to share.  Setting something like this up, is a part-time to full time job for many large companies, but  since we're all volunteers with full time jobs in many cases, it's taken a bit of time and teamwork. 

We are starting with a limited number of the items we have. We really wanted to have the store live and working through all the steps with fewer items was faster. Now that the store is running we will be adding inventory on a regular basis. One of the first things we'll add is the 2016 calendar! It's being printed as we write and as soon as we have copies in hand we'll list it for sale. We also have back copies; though you may not use them for the dates, they are still full of interesting information and fantastic photographs.  We've already gotten some orders, and we are learning new things and setting up procedures for packing and sending orders.  This is a great, fun learning experience.   

The Ship's Store is open during our Living History Cruises and is opened whenever we have company on board. The ship is a busy place and you can read about the different groups that use it in our other blogs. 

Since we are only open on Wednesdays and Saturdays, we want everyone to know that it could take a week or so, or it might take longer (like if we sell out of sizes and need to order more), so allow for 4-6 weeks for delivery.  Also consider the fact that with winter coming, snowy days mean times when there might only be a handful of crew making it to the ship.  We have over 30 regular weekly crew that drive to Baltimore from Pa, De and Va, so bad roads on top of a 90+minute drive to the ship = low numbers of crew members some weeks. Please enjoy this new addition to our organization, and let us know of other ways we can help get merchandise you want.   Eventually, we will have more JWB merchandise and more merchant marine inventory online, including books, artwork and clothing (sweatshirts and collared shirts). Send us an email if there is something you are looking for specifically. Our first 25 orders will receive a free deck of JOHN W BROWN playing cards.   Be excited with us!!

Project Liberty Ship, Inc is a 501(c)3 non-profit, all volunteer organization engaged in the preservation and operation of the historic ship JOHN W. BROWN as a living memorial museum. Gifts to Project Liberty Ship are tax deductible.

Current State of Affairs on the JWB

One might think that the cooler months of the year are the quiet time of the year on this Liberty Ship, and in some ways it IS a bit less chaotic.  But in reality, once the last cruise of the season is over, our work season begins.  This is the time of year when projects get finished, others get started and many, many others remain ongoing.   Every Wednesday and Saturday is a work day and there are always projects to be done.  We keep a small book where the Captain puts a list of ongoing one day 'jobs', for anyone who is looking, but the Engineers are always working, and the Bosun always has a list of things for the deckhands to work on.  The electricians are constantly working on improvement  projects , and the office staff are steadily opening mails, answering emails and phone calls and doing a million and one other things.   There is never enough time or help to do all the things that need to be done on this historic museum ship. 

Currently we are in week 2 of prepping the ship for painting. Baltimore's own, Ocean Painting, LLC is doing the work (for more specific info check out our July blog) and started on the stacks and have completed much of the bridge and are working their way down to the main deck.  It's an impressive sight to see as well as being as noisy as you can imagine.  This is a large endeavor thanks to donations by many friends of the BROWN.  This has not been done to this extent in about 30 years and is a great way to level the playing field, so that our weekly crews can maintain them, instead of always trying to play catch-up against the elements and the rust.    

On Tuesday 10/20 we had a Photography instructor from Johns Hopkins University bring 8 photography students to shoot the BROWN.  Many had no idea of the history of the ship, or what they were going to see, but after 3 hours on the ship with cameras and tripods they all left with huge smiles and said they were excited to look at the shots they captured.   It wont surprise you to hear that we love showing off the work of photographers.  New and returning visitors to the ship are exciting and we can all see the ship through different eyes and understandings.  A couple of shots from today, but there will most likely be a future blog showcasing their work.  

On Wednesday, 10/21 we are participating in Portfest 2015 and will be having some visitors to the ship.  As usual, we also have some upcoming Scout groups, other groups using this 72 year old ship as a training venue, meetings and planned visits.   We've been getting some interest by groups wanting to use the ship for different functions, which is pretty exciting.  Once the painting of the ship is done, we will have another blog to show our readers how wonderful our gal looks.   

Stay in touch, keep reading the blog and feel free to ask questions.   We also have some exciting news to share with you next week.  {hint...if you look around the website, we've hidden a clue.  If you don't find it, we will let the cat out of the bag next Wednesday.}

Until then...

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Project Liberty Ship, Inc is a 501(c)3 non-profit, all volunteer organization engaged in the preservation and operation of the historic ship JOHN W. BROWN as a living memorial museum. Gifts to Project Liberty Ship are tax deductible.

Maritime Losses: Then and Now

As the collections manager aboard the SS John W Brown I come across a lot of information on ships being sunk during World War II. With the recent loss of the MV El Faro, I had a glimpse into that feeling of loss and what it was like for the Merchant Marine  of World War II. On October 1, 2015, 33 mariners aboard the El Faro were caught in a hurricane with only their survival suits and open air lifeboats. Every mariner complains about weekly fire and lifeboat drills and having to re-certify their training every five years but when something like this happens, it all comes into focus. 

Myself joining the candelight vigil for the MV El Faro

 While doing research at the Seaman’s Church oral history database the majority of the veterans talked about lifeboat and survival training. The biggest difference between my training and theirs was the mentality. For my generation it was “this may happen, but when it happens, it will be catastrophic.” For the World War II mariners it was “this will happen to you (probably more than once), this will save your life.”

The sinking of the El Faro happened while I was originally putting together this blog and this event snapped into focus the crux of what I hoped to accomplish with this blog post: a compelling story of war, an unforgiving ocean, and a hero: 2nd Cook James Gilbert Squires.

On March 9th 1943 The SS Malantic was steaming from New York to England in convoy SC 121. At 7:30 pm, local time, the Malantic attacked by U-409. The first torpedo struck the stern (the aft end) and thirty seconds later a second torpedo struck near the number 1 cargo hold, forward. The Malantic immediately began to list and the order for abandon ship was given. The master, who was injured, and ten other crew members launched in Lifeboat 1, starboard side while the chief mate and 29 other mariners launched Lifeboat 2.

It took about an hour for the SS Malantic to sink and another hour for the rescue ship SS Melrose Abbey to rescue the survivors. Third Mate Einar Tessam, in Lifeboat 2, saw 5 or 6 bodies in the water; they weren’t moving because they had already succumbed to hypothermia. The water was close to freezing that night and the seas had 30 foot swells.

SS Melrose Abbey

The SS Melrose Abbey rescued Lifeboat 1 first. The seas were rough so 2nd Cook James G. Squires manned the lines to keep the lifeboat made fast to the Melrose Abbey. This action made getting the injured master of the Malantic and 9 other crew aboard much easier and quicker, also ensuring nobody was lost overboard. While attempting to get to the rescue net from the lifeboat Mr. Squires was caught in between the vessel and the lifeboat. In his exhaustion from working the lines during the rescue he could not pull himself up, a large wave came by and he was taken out to sea and never seen again.

While the SS Melrose Abbey was rescuing lifeboat 2 the lifeboat capsized. Only “9 or 10” of the mariners in that lifeboat made it aboard the SS Melrose Abbey.

The survivors were taken to Scotland, returned to service, and the story of 2nd Cook James Squires’ heroism made its way to the desks of the US Naval Forces Europe, War Shipping Administration, Maritime Commission, and Office of Naval Intelligence. Testimonies were given by several crew and the next of kin to James Squires were presented an award for his heroism.

This was just one night in a war that lasted for two more years. 

Below is the digitized contents of the file for this incident. This is just one object in our Collections.

Not much more to say.  We think about and pray for peace for all the families that are living this nightmare today. This happened to more of our men in WWII then we can even put an exact number on, due to the documentation practices during the war.  Technology today speeds things up, much more, but the pain that the families feel is tangible. 

Project Liberty Ship, Inc is a 501(c)3 non-profit, all volunteer organization engaged in the preservation and operation of the historic ship JOHN W. BROWN as a living memorial museum. Gifts to Project Liberty Ship are tax deductible.