Gross Tonnage:	5,686	Net:	3,450
Dimensions:	424' 2" x 56' 2" x 26' 5"	MC Type:
Builder:	Chickasaw Shipbuilding & Car Co. Chickasaw, AL	Hull # USMC Hull # Date of Build: Delivered:	8 1921
Engines:	2 Steam Turbines DR Geared to Single Screwed Shaft	Engine Builder:	W. & A. Fletcher Co. Hoboken, NJ
Navigation:	GyC	Decks, etc.:	2 Decks 3tr B, Fitted for Oil Fuel

Began Isthmian Service:

1921

Ended Isthmian Service:

1942

----------------------------------- Vessel History -----------------------------------

Date	Vessel #	Vessel Name	Vessel Owner	Call Ltrs	Home Port	Flag
1921	221143	Fairfield City	U.S. Steel Products Co. New York	MCPQ	New York	US
1930	221143	Fairfield City	September: Isthmian Lines, Inc. New York	MCPQ	New York	US
1933	221143	Fairfield City	Isthmian Lines, Inc. New York	KDPY	New York	US

Events:

Disposition Date

Comments

1942

7/5 - The vessel, Leon E. Walters Master, with 10 officers, 26 crewmen and 6 armed guards, sailed from Iceland to Murmansk with 7,400 tons war supplies as part of Convoy PQ-17. When the Convoy Commodore dispersed the ships, the vessel traveled as part of a group of 4 American ships and a few British escorts. Just after 3:00 PM, position 74.40 N, 39.45 E, in the Barents Sea, North Russia, three Junkers 88s found the group and began attacking, the first group of bombs falling close aboard. A second bomber released bombs that struck the afterdeck and the third plane's bombs hit the bridge, killing 2 officers and 6 men, but sparing the helmsman. The survivors abandoned the ship in #1, #2 and #3 lifeboats and a raft. The #1 boat, having a motor, took the others in tow toward Novaya Zemlya; the 34 survivors making landfall 4 days later. On 7/12 the trawler HMS AYSHIRE (FY-225) rescued the men and placed them on board several ships for repatriation at Matochin Straight.

SS Fairfield City

Stern of the ship, mid to late 1930's, probably in Hawaii or the Philippines. Photo courtesy of Mike Campa. It was taken by his grandfather, Adelbert Campa.

The information on this web site is the kind contribution of our Historian, Skip Lewis, © 2003. Skip, whose dad sailed for Isthmian, is an avid collector and researcher of everything Isthmian and States Marine. In his quest, he has used many sources and publications including Lloyd's of London and Imperial Steel by John Atherton.