Sword Line Inc.
| Industry | Transportation and shipping |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1933 in New York City |
Key people |
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Sword Line Inc. was a steamship enterprise established in 1933 in New York City by Charilaos "Charles" G. Poulacos and Abbott Abercrombie. The firm specialized in maritime transport, servicing routes connecting ports in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. In 1932, Poulacos and Abercrombie acquired the cargo vessel Eastern Sword, a 3,785-ton ship constructed in 1920 at Uraga Dry Dock Co. Ltd in Japan. On May 4, 1942, the Eastern Sword was torpedoed and sunk near Georgetown, Guyana, resulting in the loss of 25 crew members out of 38. During World War II, Sword Line Inc. contributed significantly to maritime logistics supporting the war effort.
History
Prior to founding Sword Line Inc., both Poulacos and Abercrombie held assistant director positions at another steamship company. After purchasing Eastern Sword from the United States Shipping Board for $54,000, Poulacos assumed the presidency of Sword Line. The company’s main office was located at 76 Beaver St., New York City. Poulacos, born in Greece in 1884 and immigrating to the United States in 1915, spearheaded the company’s growth by acquiring three additional vessels. In 1939, he bought out Abercrombie’s shares and later shifted his career focus toward electrical distribution.
The Eastern Sword had a sister ship named Ugo Maru, which was never acquired by the United States but instead served as an auxiliary transport for the Empire of Japan. This vessel was sunk on October 20, 1944, by a torpedo from the American submarine USS Hammerhead (SS-364) off the coast of Miri, Borneo.
World War II
Throughout World War II, Sword Line Inc. supported U.S. military operations by operating merchant ships under charter contracts with the Maritime Commission and War Shipping Administration. The company provided crews for Liberty and Victory ships while Armed Guard detachments from the US Navy were assigned to handle deck armaments and communications systems. This collaboration enhanced Sword Line’s vital role in wartime maritime logistics and expanded its participation within the merchant marine sector.
Ships
- Notable vessels operated by Sword Line Inc.:
- Eastern Sword, constructed in 1920 at Uraga, Japan; lost to torpedo attack in 1942.
- Alabama Sword, built in 1944; captured by Allied forces in 1945 and renamed Empire Lune; acquired by Sword Line in 1947; renamed Texas Sword in 1951; sold off in 1956.
- Florida Sword, originally built as Halsnaes in 1943; seized in 1945 and renamed Empire Roden; sold to Sword Line in 1947; sold again in 1956.
- Silver Sword, built in 1919; destroyed by German U-boat U-255 during Convoy QP 14 in 1942.
- Western Sword, constructed in 1944; operated during World War II.
- Yankee Sword, built in 1921; involved in rescuing survivors from SS Corinth in 1945.
- Victory Sword, tanker built in 1910; deliberately sunk to create a breakwater for Utah Beach during Normandy landings in 1944.
- MV Oregon Sword, Type C1 cargo ship completed in 1946; active post-WWII and Korean War; wrecked in 1967.
- MV Arizona Sword, Type C1 cargo ship built in 1945; sank after collision in 1951; converted into a barge by 1954; lost at sea in 1961.
- MV California Sword, Type C1 cargo ship launched as California Redwood in 1946.
- Coalinga Hills, T2 tanker acquired by Sword Line in 1948; sold off in 1962; originally built at Sausalito, California.
- Ships operated during World War II:
- Liberty Ships:
- Pedro Menendez
- Cardinal Gibbons, constructed at Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard in 1942.
- Milton J. Foreman, launched in 1944.
- George A. Lawson, later sank as SS Union Atlantic in 1964.
- Cecil G. Sellers, built in 1944; remained active postwar until scrapped by 1948.
- Daniel Hiester, completed in 1942; continued service after war’s end.
- Benjamin H. Bristow, built during 1942 with postwar operations.
- Abner Doubleday, constructed at Oregon SB Corp. in 1942.
- Renald Fernald, built in 1943; remained active until scrapping occurred around 1963.
- Victory Ship:
- Carroll Victory, operated following WWII starting from 1948 before transfer to US Coast Guard service in 1949.
- Additional significant vessels:
- SS Golden Eagle, a Type R refrigerated cargo ship.
- MV Arizona Pine, Type C1 cargo vessel active after WWII, renamed MV Arizona Sword by 1948.