There were about 200 SAM-key ships built during WW II. Called SAM- ships because of their origin: Uncle Sam Lend-lease. So each vessel became know as SAM-this or SAM that. They were Liberty ships that were basically identical in design. Barely half survived the war and many disappeared without a trace. There was some speculation it had to do with how the ballast was shipped (between decks rather than lower in the hull) when the ship was empty. The Leicester was a renamed Samkey ship but the company that bought it after the war became concerned about ballasting and added shifting boards, a carry-over from clipper ship days when loads might shift as the ship heeled under sail. The Leiscester was about to sail into a vicious hurricane. How she survived is told in inimitable style by Farley Mowat.
Mowat is a big fan of the Merchant Marine and especially ocean-going salvage vessels, those specially built vessels designed to save big ships in trouble. (see [book:Grey Seas Under ]) The salvation of the Leicester was the Foundation Josephine who took the Leicester in tow after she developed a pronounced list and towed it out of one hurricane and through another to save the ship.
The Leicester confounded the experts and sailors who could not believe a ship could survive with such a horrifying list - more than 50 degrees and swells would make it even worse. Just connecting the towing line proved to be quite a feat, let alone towing the ship.
Great story well told.
