History 3: Timeline
This page shows a timeline of events in the history of the James Eagan Layne, from the start of World War II to the present day.
| Date | Event |
1 Sept 1939 |
Start of World War II |
27 Sept 1941 |
First Liberty Ship launched, the Patrick Henry |
27 Sept 1941 |
14 new Liberty ships were launched, christened ‘Liberty Day’ |
4 Dec 1943 |
U-399 Launched at Kiel, Germany |
23 Oct 1944 |
James Eagan Layne keel laid at the Delta Shipbuilding Co., New Orleans, USA |
2 Dec 1944 |
James Eagan Layne launched |
18 Dec 1944 |
James Eagan Layne delivered |
|
James Eagan Layne loads a cargo of bombs at San Jacinto Ordnance Depot, Texas, USA |
8 Jan 1945 |
James Eagan Layne sails to Three Rivers in Canada, independent sailing |
18 Jan 1945 |
James Eagan Layne joins convoy HX-333 (New York to Liverpool) |
25 Jan 1945 |
U-399 leaves Kiel, Germany |
28 Jan 1945 |
U-399 arrives at Horten, Norway |
2 Feb 1945 |
James Eagan Layne arrives in the Solent |
6 Feb 1945 |
U-399 Leaves Horten for British coastal waters |
13 Feb 1945 |
James Eagan Layne leaves St Helens Roads, Solent, for the Seine Estuary |
5 Mar 1945 |
James Eagan Layne leaves the Seine Estuary and arrives at St Helens Roads, Solent |
6 Mar 1945 |
James Eagan Layne sailed from St Helen's Roads for Barry in Wales on convoy TBC-88 (Southend to Milford Haven) |
8 Mar 1945 |
James Eagan Layne arrives at Barry in Wales |
19 Mar 1945 |
James Eagan Layne leaves Barry for Milford Haven, independent sailing |
20 Mar 1945 |
James Eagan Layne leaves Milford Haven, joining convoy BTC-103 (Milford Haven to Southend) |
21 Mar 1945 |
James Eagan Layne torpedoed off Plymouth by U-399 |
21 Mar 1945 |
Liberty ship John R Park in convoy TBC-102 torpedoed off the Lizard, Cornwall by U-1195 |
22 Mar 1945 |
James Eagan Layne beached in Whitsand Bay, Cornwall |
26 Mar 1945 |
U-399 attacks convoy BTC-108 and sinks MV Pacific, then is sunk by HMS Duckworth west of the Lizard |
25 Apr 1945 |
Survey of the James Eagan Layne by HMS Gulnare |
8 May 1945 |
VE Day, Victory in Europe Day |
30 Oct 1945 |
The last Liberty ship completed, Albert M. Boe |
12 May 1953 |
Salvage operations began on the James Eagan Layne |
18 Oct 1967 |
Propeller, shaft and condenser salvaged |
29 Nov 1967 |
Receiver of Wreck Plymouth warns divers that the wreck is in a dangerous condition |
27 Feb 1974 |
Cargo mast no longer standing |
1 May 1976 |
Ship cleared of radioactive disks by RN clearance divers and Kingston SAC |
8 May 1980 |
Trinity House invites tenders for cutting down the ship to 10m |
27 Mar 2004 |
HMS Scylla scuttled in Whitsand Bay next to the James Eagan Layne |
20 Dec 2010 |
The Liberty 70 Project was started |
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