The SS William Clay Ford was a bulk freighter specifically designed for transporting materials across the Great Lakes. Built for the Ford Motor Company, her construction began in 1952 at the River Rouge yard in Michigan by the Great Lakes Engineering Works, and she was launched in 1953. The vessel served as an ore carrier, with her home port situated at Ford’s River Rouge Plant, located south of Detroit, Michigan. Her first captain was John Jameson Pearce of Dearborn, Michigan. The ship played a notable role in maritime history, particularly during the search for the SS Edmund Fitzgerald in November 1975. Alongside the SS Arthur M. Anderson, the William Clay Ford was involved in the initial rescue efforts after the Fitzgerald sank during a fierce storm. Both ships reached safety at Whitefish Bay but returned into the storm at the Coast Guard’s request to search for survivors, demonstrating remarkable bravery. Captain Don Erickson and his crew received accolades for their valor, including a plaque from the Great Lakes Maritime Institute, recognizing their courageous decision to face the deadly gale-force winds and treacherous seas in the blackness of night. In 1979, the William Clay Ford was lengthened by 120 feet, an upgrade that likely increased her cargo capacity and operational efficiency. Ownership transferred to Rouge Steel Corporation in 1984, and that same year, she hauled her last cargo from Duluth, Minnesota, to the Rouge Basin near Detroit. The following year, she was renamed US 266029 and later designated USS Chiwawa, becoming part of the fleet later known as MV Lee A. Tregurtha. Her final days included being towed to the Detroit Marine Terminal in August 1986, where her pilothouse was removed and displayed at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum on Detroit’s Belle Isle. The hull was ultimately scrapped in Port Maitland, Ontario, in 1987, marking the end of her service. The SS William Clay Ford remains a vessel of maritime significance, remembered for her contributions to Great Lakes shipping and her heroic role in the search for the Edmund Fitzgerald.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.