Until 1941, Welding Shipyards had been busy converting old World War I surplus cargo ships into oil tankers. S.S. Virginia was the first ship built from the keel up by Welding Shipyards for National Bulk Carriers. She had the monumental misfortune to have been sunk by U-507 in the Gulf of Mexico on 12 May 1942, less than a year after her construction. The Pan Pennsylvania class ships were similar in construction. Following her loss, Welding Shipyards hull number 11 was named Virginia upon completion, surviving until the scrapper’s torch ended her days in 1967.
| Ship | Hull# | Built | GRT | DWT | Length | Beam | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia(I) | 8 | 1941 | 10,731 | 18,900 | 515’11” | 70′ | Sunk by U-507 on 12 May 1942 in Gulf of Mexico. |
| Virginia(II) | 11 | 1942 | 10,944 | 18,730 | 515’11” | 70′ | Steam turbine propulsion, 9,430 SHP. Renamed Amoco Maryland 1955, Virginia 1966, Point Sal 1966. Scrapped April 1967 Kure, Japan. |
