Tough Tarbell Trivia

[Rob Wick]

Sorry gentleman, but Roger nailed it! In 1944, a Liberty ship was christened the SS Ida M. Tarbell. I am in the early stages of researching this, but it appears to have seen some action in the Philippines, although the ship was not a combat ship but rather a cargo ship.

Exactly how Tarbell's name was chosen is unknown, but I hope to find out soon. Most ships were named after famous people of the time or earlier. At its peak, shipyards were turning out three ships a day. I am working with the National Archives to get as much documentation as possible.

The ship was only in service for two years. Evidently, Liberty ships were built so quickly that many suffered from poor quality. In 1947 the Coast Guard sold the Tarbell to a Greek company (over 529 of the ships were sold to Greece after World War II), and was scuttled in 1968.

Great job, Roger!

Best
Rob