SS Howard Gray

History
United States
Name	Howard Gray
Namesake	Howard Gray
Owner	War Shipping Administration (WSA)
Operator	Black Diamond Steamship Co.
Ordered	as type (EC2-S-C1) hull, MC hull 2302
Builder	J.A. Jones Construction, Panama City, Florida
Cost	$998,910[1]
Yard number	43
Way number	3
Laid down	6 April 1944
Launched	18 May 1944
Sponsored by	Mrs. Celeste Taylor
Completed	7 June 1944
Identification	Call Signal: WPCH [1]
Fate	Transferred to Italy for commercial use, 28 May 1947
Italy
Name	Italico
Owner	Marino Querci, Genoa, Italy
Acquired	28 May 1947
Fate	Sold, 1959 Scrapped, 1969
General characteristics [2]
Class and type	Liberty ship type EC2-S-C1, standard
Tonnage	10,865 LT DWT 7,176 GRT
Displacement	3,380 long tons (3,434 t) (light) 14,245 long tons (14,474 t) (max)
Length	441 feet 6 inches (135 m) oa 416 feet (127 m) pp 427 feet (130 m) lwl
Beam	57 feet (17 m)
Draft	27 ft 9.25 in (8.4646 m)
Installed power	2 × Oil fired 450 °F (232 °C) boilers, operating at 220 psi (1,500 kPa) 2,500 hp (1,900 kW)
Propulsion	1 × triple-expansion steam engine,  (manufactured by General Machinery Corp., Hamilton, Ohio) 1 × screw propeller
Speed	11.5 knots (21.3 km/h; 13.2 mph)
Capacity	562,608 cubic feet (15,931 m3) (grain) 499,573 cubic feet (14,146 m3) (bale)
Complement	38–62 USMM 21–40 USNAG
Armament	Varied by ship Bow-mounted 3 inches (76 mm)/50 caliber gun Stern-mounted 4 inches (102 mm)/50 caliber gun 2–8 × single 20 millimeters (0.79 in) Oerlikon anti-aircraft (AA) cannons and/or, 2–8 × 37 millimeters (1.46 in) M1 AA guns

SS Howard Gray was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after Howard Gray, an official with the Public Works Administration that was also active in the Alabama 4-H Club.