American Foreign Steamship Corporation
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipping, Maritime transport |
| Founded | January 1, 1932 in Brooklyn, New York City, United States |
| Founder | Ira L. Rosenson, Sophia Pruss, Elias Katz |
| Headquarters | Brooklyn, New York City , United States |
Key people | Ira L. Rosenson (largest stakeholder) |
| Products | Merchant shipping services, operation of Liberty ships and Victory ships |
American Foreign Steamship Corporation was established in 1932 in Brooklyn, New York City, by Ira L. Rosenson, Sophia Pruss, and Elias Katz. Rosenson, a practicing lawyer, held the largest stake in the company. In 1933, the firm purchased the 5,570-ton freighter SS Eastern Glen from the American South African Line and renamed it SS American Oriole. Originally constructed in 1920 by Kabushiki Kaisha Uchida Zosengo of Yokohama, Japan, this vessel was part of the United States Shipping Board fleet. Later acquisitions included two Hog Islanders-class ships—SS Liberty Glo and SS Wildwood—which were obtained from the South Atlantic Steamship Company. In 1938, the company added another Hog Islanders vessel, SS Magmeric, renaming it SS American Robin. The SS American Oriole was sold to British interests in 1940 to aid World War II operations; renamed SS Barberrys, it was sunk by the German submarine U-663 near St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador on November 26, 1942.
World War II
Throughout World War II, American Foreign Steamship Corporation contributed to wartime logistics by operating merchant vessels chartered through the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. The enterprise managed both Liberty ships and Victory ships for the United States Merchant Navy. While the company's own crews handled ship operations, deck guns and radio communications were staffed by US Navy Armed Guards.
Ships
Among the prominent vessels under company ownership were:
- SS American Starling (formerly SS William Libbey), a Liberty ship acquired in 1947 and divested in 1957.
- American Eagle (previously Edward L. Logan), a Liberty tanker with a capacity of 280,455 barrels, held from 1947 until sold in 1957.
- SS American Robin (formerly SS Robert Watchorn), a Liberty ship constructed in 1947 and acquired in 1950.
- SS American Hawk, a Type T2 tanker (ex-Tamppico) obtained in 1976.
- SS American Falcon (formerly USS Hampton (APA-115)), a C3-S-A2 class vessel built in 1944, purchased in 1963 and scrapped by 1973.
- Esso Reading, a T2-SE-A1 tanker built during 1944 and operated between 1946 and 1961.
- SS American Condor (ex-SS Mormacguide), another C3-S-A2 type built in 1945, acquired in 1964 and dismantled in 1976.
- SS American Oriole (previously USS Guilford (APA-112))
- SS Liberty Glo
- World War II Fleet Details:**
The Liberty ships managed included:
- SS James Eagan Layne
- SS John Catron
- SS Nathan Clifford
- SS Morris Sheppard
- SS John Lind
- SS James Roy Wells
- SS Cleveland Forbes
- SS Henry H. Sibley
- SS Charles C. Randleman, which was lost on August 31, 1945, at Apo Reef in the Philippine Islands.
- SS Ralph Izard
- SS Thomas Nuttall
- SS Abigail Gibbons
Victory ships operated comprised:
- SS High Point Victory
- SS Stamford Victory
During the Korean War period, the corporation operated:
- SS Hibbing Victory