William J. Rountree Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Shipping, Brokerage |
| Founded | 1 January 1912, New York City, United States |
| Founder | William J. Rountree |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Steamship agency services, ship brokerage |
William J. Rountree Company was established in 1912 in New York City by William J. Rountree, functioning as a steamship agency and brokerage firm. The enterprise significantly contributed to the World War II logistics by chartering and managing operations of Liberty ships and Victory ships.
History
Born on May 22, 1882, in New York City, William J. Rountree started his career as a shipbroker alongside his brother John in 1901. He officially founded the William J. Rountree Company in 1912. By 1935, the firm had become the United States representative for the Chilean North American Line and subsequently acted as the US general agent for Mitsui Steamship Company's Mitsul Line during the 1950s, overseeing shipping routes between Japan and the United States. Additionally, William J. Rountree held the position of President of the Ship Operators and Owners Association, an organization initiated in 1943 at the behest of Admiral Emory S. Land.
- Lester Wolfe (1897–1983), who served as one of the company’s presidents, was the inventor of the Sonobuoy, a radio-based device essential for detecting enemy submarines throughout World War II. Wolfe also created the "Radiation Fuel Quantity Gauge," which was utilized in American fighter aircraft. A 1919 physics graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Wolfe contributed his inventive expertise during his World War I service in the Army.
World War II
Throughout World War II, William J. Rountree Company operated merchant vessels under charters from the United States Shipping Board, Maritime Commission, and War Shipping Administration. The firm managed Liberty and Victory ships within the merchant fleet, supplying crews while Armed Guards from the US Navy handled deck armaments and communication equipment. This partnership was crucial to maintaining maritime supply chains during wartime.
Ships
- Vessels operated during World War II:
- Liberty Ships:**
- SS John Owen
- SS Stepas Darius (constructed in 1944 by J. A. Jones Construction Co.)
- SS Salvador Brau
- SS Owen Wister
- SS James A. Wetmore
- SS Lunsford Richardson
- SS Augustine B. McManus
- SS John H. Hammond (damaged by a mine near Elba on July 17, 1945; subsequently towed to Naples; declared a total loss and dismantled in 1948)
- Nachman Syrkin
- Jose G. Benitez
- Park Holland
- Lucius Fairchild
- Wilfred R. Bellevue
- William D. Bloxham
- Ernest W. Gibson
- Richard J. Hopkins
- William W. Johnson
- Jesse Billingsley
- Victory Ships:**
- C.C.N.Y. Victory (named for City College of New York)
- Biddeford Victory (named after Biddeford, Maine)
- Howard Victory (named for Howard University)
- Additional Vessel:**
- SS El Estero, constructed in 1920; operated by William J. Rountree Company starting January 4, 1943; suffered a catastrophic fire in New York Harbor on April 26, 1943, resulting in a total loss.