National Liberty Ship Memorial

SS Jeremiah O'Brien

On 17 May 2003 we steamed on San Francisco Bay aboard the SS Jeremiah O'Brien

Photos by Neil Mishalov

The keel of the SS Jeremiah O'Brien was laid on 6 May 1943, and she was launched on Saturday, 19 June 1943. No person in the launching party ever dreamed that the ship would still be steaming sixty years later. They didn't know that this ship would become known as the 'Lucky O'Brien'. Built in the State of Maine; named for America's first sea hero, Captain Jeremiah O'Brien, who captured a British schooner in 1775, she sailed through World War II with no casualties. After the war she was put in the "mothball fleet" in Suisun Bay, California for 33 years; she was saved fron the scrap yard by a crew of World War II Merchant Marine Veterans and in 1994 she steamed from San Francisco to Omaha Beach in Normany, France, the only ship to return to the D-Day invasion site to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the invasion of Nazi held Europe.

This is a picture of the SS Jeremiah O'Brien taken on 7 October 2006 during SAN FRANCISCO'S FLEET WEEK. It was taken with a Canon 20D camera and a Canon 70-300mm lens. The picture was taken at 300mm and is a combination of 3 separate images.

Scroll to see the complete panoramic photograph=============>

Click on an image to see the full size picture


The SS Jeremiah O'Brien docked at pier 96, San Francisco, California	Steaming past San Francisco	The western part of the Bay Bridge

The eastern part of the Bay Bridge	The western part of the Bay Bridge and Yerba Buena Island	Steaming under the Bay Bridge

The San Francisco Ferry Building. Built in 1898 it is a National Landmark Building	Telegraph Hill, San Francisco. Coit Tower stands at the top	Angel Island. An Army base dating back to the Civil War, and also housing an immigration center, it is now a California State Park

Alcatraz Island was at first a US Army prison, then it was converted to a Federal prison. It is now a National Historic Site	Fisherman's Wharf and Divisadero Street	Aquatic Park, San Francisco

A Sea Gull and the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge	Sea Gull with Fort Mason on the shore	Yet another Sea Gull with Fort Mason in the back ground

Golden Gate Bridge	Southen terminus of the Golden Gate Bridge with Fort Point National Historic site (1861) tucked under the bridge	Northern terminus of the Golden Gate Bridge

Steaming under the Golden Gate Bridge	Steaming under the Golden Gate Bridge	Steaming under the Golden Gate Bridge

Steaming under the Golden Gate Bridge	Steaming under the Golden Gate Bridge	Steaming under the Golden Gate Bridge

Steaming under the Golden Gate Bridge	Lands End and China Beach, San Francisco	The Marin Headlands

SS Jeremiah O'Brien	Outside the Golden Gate	The little tug that could! This tug boat followed us on the entire cruise. If the SS Jeremiah O'Brien became disabled, the tug boat would, hopefully, tow us to a safe harbor

The rudder room	The engine room	Bunker C ("black-oil") fueled boilers

Bunker C ("black-oil") fueled boilers	Engine room controls	Some beautiful moving engine machinery

Some beautiful moving engine machinery	Some beautiful moving engine machinery	Some beautiful moving engine machinery

Engine room control	Engine room tools	Engine room

Engine room	Boilers	Steam pipes

Steam pipes	At rest in Bonita Cove	The Bridge of the SS Jeremiah O'Brien

Rear Admiral Thomas Patterson (Ret), addressing the guests at a Memorial Service	The Honor Guard	Rear Admiral Thomas Patterson tossing a wreath overboard

Rear Admiral Thomas Patterson (ret) United Sates Merchant Marines	The ships whistle (is loud!)	Picking up steam and heading back into San Francisco Bay

Golden Gate Bridge	Golden Gate Bridge	Golden Gate Bridge

Fort Baker an old US Army base is now part of the Golden gate National Recreation Area, Marin County	Alcatraz Island	Alcatraz Island

Alcatraz Island	Angel Island State Park. The peak is Mount Caroline Livermore	Angel Island. Site of Fort McDowell. The 1000 man barricks, the hospital and the Officers Quarters are plainly visible

Steaming north	The Bay Bridge is in the back ground	The Bridge of the SS Jeremiah O'Brien

The steering station	Captain Patrick Moloney, Captain of the SS Jeremiah O'Brien	A pleasant cruise

Berkeley, California, my home port!	The Richmond San Rafael Bridge	The Richmond San Rafael Bridge. Earthquake retrofit work is taking place

The Richmond San Rafael Bridge. Earthquake retrofit work is taking place	Our own cute little tug boat! It is pulling along side the SS Jeremiah O'Brien to receive some freshly made barbequed chicken for lunch	Lunch time

Mount Tamalpais and the Richmond San Rafael Bridge	A Marco Shipyard Tractor Tug, the Millenium Falcon, powered by two diesel engines with a combined horsepower of 4,400 BHP, does some tricks for us	Turning on a dime

Moving backwards	A very powerful and unique tug boat	Brothers Light House

Brothers Light House is now a Bed and Breakfast	Winehaven Winery, Richmond, California. A winery built in 1902 and closed in 1919 due to Prohibition.	The conclusion of a glorious day steaming on San Francisco Bay. We started the cruise at 9 a.m. and docked at 3:45 p.m.

	"Secure the lines"