President Franklin Roosevelt coined the term “Ugly Ducklings” when describing the fleet of cargo ships being built as World War Two approached back in the 1930’s. He knew these ships — developed from an 1880’s design — were the key to winning the war. A simple design, that could be mass produced.

Most important they could build them faster than the Nazi’s could sink them. They eventually shipped millions of tons of supplies to the front lines, so they called them the “Liberty” ships. There were thousands built — one in just four days. Now nearly a century later, just two remain operating. The John Brown, in Baltimore, and the Jeremiah O’Brien, in San Francisco. But the odds are stacked against them. As one John Brown crewman put it:

“Steel hull in salt water and it can’t last for ever.”

Dick Sterne, USS John Brown

But don’t tell that to the hundreds of volunteers trying to save these steam powered legends. Despite fires, loosing dock space and the constant rust, it’s a battle the volunteers will wage, just for the love of history. We’re heading out to sea to learn about “The Ugly Ducklings that Won the War.”