The SS Nicholas Biddle was a Liberty ship constructed in the United States during World War II, representing the rapid wartime shipbuilding effort. Laid down on August 11, 1942, by the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard in Baltimore, Maryland, she was built under a Maritime Commission (MARCOM) contract, designated MCE hull 917. The vessel was launched on September 22, 1942, and sponsored by Mrs. R.E. Anderson, wife of MARCOM's director of finance, highlighting her ceremonial significance. As a typical Liberty ship, the Nicholas Biddle was designed for rapid construction and logistical support during wartime, though specific dimensions and tonnage are not detailed in the provided content. She was allocated to Seas Shipping Co., Inc., shortly after her launch, on September 30, 1942, indicating her active service in wartime logistics, likely carrying cargo and supplies essential to the Allied war effort. After the war, the ship's service record concludes with her being laid up in the National Defense Reserve Fleet at Beaumont, Texas, on December 15, 1948. This reserve status reflects her role in the post-war period, awaiting potential future use or disposal. Her eventual fate was to be sold for scrapping on March 15, 1962, to Commercial Metals Co., for the sum of $52,444.44. She was removed from the reserve fleet and scrapped shortly thereafter, on April 3, 1962. Overall, the SS Nicholas Biddle exemplifies the Liberty ships’ vital role during World War II—rapidly built, functional vessels that supported the Allied war effort, and later transitioned into peacetime reserve and scrap. Her history underscores the massive industrial mobilization characteristic of the era, with her construction, service, and disposal reflecting the typical lifecycle of a Liberty ship.

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