Liberty Ships. When America needed to build vital cargo ships in the early days of World War II in order to sustain and protect our troops around the world, two shipyards emerged first in the Liberty ship program—Richmond, California, and South Portland, Maine. The story of how Maine became such a critical player in the Liberty ship program started with a friendly, old-fashioned clambake on the rocky Maine coast.

Boston-author and journalist Doug Most’s new book, Launching Liberty: The Epic Race to Build the Ships That Took America to War, tells the remarkable story of how President Roosevelt partnered with private businessmen, like Henry Kaiser on the West Coast, and Pete Newell on the East Coast, to begin the production of cargo freighters longer than a football field—ships he affectionately dubbed “ugly ducklings.” The goal of the program was simple — build ships faster than the Germans could sink them! A network of shipyards from coast to coast emerged, recruiting tens of thousands of workers eager to contribute to the war effort. Many, particularly African Americans and women, traveled from some of the most downtrodden, rural parts of the nation to help their country and to find a better life of greater equality.

 Doug Most, a native of Rhode Island, is a lifelong journalist and author whose career has spanned newspapers, magazines, and universities up and down the East Coast, with stops in Washington, DC; South Carolina; New Jersey; and Boston. His 2014 nonfiction book, The Race Underground, told the story about the birth of subways in America, in the late 1800s. He works now as the executive editor at Boston University.

       

Where :          Kennebec Tavern, 119 Commercial Street,  Bath, ME, 04530

Date:               Thursday, December 11, 2025

Time:              1630    Social Hour , Snacks, and  Cash Bar

                       1730    Presentation – Launching Liberty – Doug Most.

              Menu:             Hors d’oeuvres :  Tavern Meatballs, Chicken Satay, Wings, Flatbread, Cookies & Brownies,  and more.

             Price:              $30 for members/non-members; $20 for students.  Pre-register and pay at:

            https://www.eventbee.com/v/launching-liberty-the-epic-race-to-build-the-ships-that-took-america-to-war/event?eid=236925084

            RSVP: Please RSVP by NOON on Tuesday, December 10 to: asnenne@gmail.com or via EventBee registration above.