Deck cargo tie downs on Victory and Liberty ships

Vehicles would typically sit on wooden shoring- the following descriptions are based on wartime photos. A tracked vehicle would have a plank under either track (say a 2 x 10- these sizes are just estimates from photos). Large timbers (8x8 to 12 x 12) would be placed outboard of the tracks, with cross timbers at either end. The fore-and-aft timbers were secured by bolting them to angle iron that was welded to the deck. Additional lighter planks were used to build up the structure on either end of the tracks and tie the cross pieces into the side timbers. For wheeled vehicles the timbers used would be somewhat lighter weight (2 x 6 and 4 x 6). The larger timbers would be used to chock in the wheels, with smaller for-and-aft planks to tie the crosspieces together and prevent the vehicle from moving sideways.

The vehicle would typically be held down using wire straps and turnbuckles. Chains appear to have been more commonly used on extremely heavy items like locomotives. Wires would be run over the vehicle crossways, and then secured to a turnbuckle so they could be tightened down. The fore-and-aft securing often only required a turnbuckle shackled between pad eyes on the vehicle and the deck.

Regards,

Chris Friedenbach
Crewmember, SS Jeremiah O’Brien

Thanks for the clarification, Chris ... see what 60+ year-old memories can do?

Now I have to decide, do I try to model these vehicle "pallets," or is enough enough? Decisions, decisions ...