SS Francis Preston Blair

Coordinates: 21°48′S 153°42′E / 21.8°S 153.7°E / -21.8; 153.7

SS *Francis Preston Blair*
History

General characteristics
Tonnage:	7,196 tons

SS Francis Preston Blair was an American Liberty ship, 7,196 tons stranded on Saumarez Reef in the Coral Sea during a cyclone in 1945. The ship has since deteriorated into a rusty heap. The wreck was used by Royal Australian Air Force F-111 aircraft for target practice during the 1980s.

The bronze propeller was salvaged by unknown persons between 1964 and 1970. Wreck was visited by Wild Kingdom who made a TV episode hosted by Marlin Perkins for USA and world distribution in 1971.

External links

"Saumarez Reef and shipwreck".

Shipwrecks and maritime incidents in July 1945

Shipwrecks	2 Jul: Empire Fal 4 Jul: Bahia 8 Jul: HNLMS O 19 11 Jul: Sakura 14 Jul: I-351, Tachibana 15 Jul: Francis Preston Blair, HMS Ludlow, HMS Maori, Walter L M Russ 16 Jul: USS Gamble, I-13 17 Jul: HMS Athlete 18 Jul: Kasuga, Yakaze 20 Jul: Kiyokawa Maru 24 Jul: Aoba, Amagi, Hyūga, Iwate, Settsu, HMS Squirrel, Tone, USS Underhill 25 Jul: Kotobuki Maru, PB-2 26 Jul: HMS Vestal 28 Jul: USS Callaghan, Haruna, Ise, Izumo, Ōyodo 30 Jul: Hatsushimo, USS Indianapolis, Okinawa Unknown date: HMCS St. Francis

1944 1945 1946 June 1945 August 1945

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