Sept. 27, 1941: First Liberty Ship Launched, More to Follow

Liberty Ships, Baltimore, Maryland

(Wired) SS Patrick Henry, the first Liberty ship, is launched at the Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard near Baltimore, Maryland. Originally referred to as "emergency vessels," these cargo ships were among the first to be mass-produced. Numbers were critical as the Allies hustled to recover from the staggering losses wrought by German submarines during the Battle of the Atlantic. These vessels became known as Liberty ships after President Roosevelt, christening the Patrick Henry, quoted the ship's namesake: "Give me liberty, or give me death."