SS Jeremiah O’Brien returns to Pier 45 in San Francisco | Bay Space
Tugs hauled the historic freedom ship SS Jeremiah O’Brien back to its home at Pier 45 on Tuesday, nearly 10 months after it had to be moved after a fire in May 2020 that destroyed the pier.
San Francisco Fire Department boats sent jets of water into the air to commemorate the return.
“The return of O’Brien is an important milestone for us as Fisherman’s Wharf keeps opening,” said the Port of San Francisco on its Twitter account.
Firefighters were able to protect the ship from the four-alarm fire that began on May 23, 2020 at around 4:15 a.m. in Shed C at Pier 45. The O’Brien was towed to Pier 35N
In the shed, “the fire consumed thousands of crab traps, shrimp traps and cod traps, as well as other fishing gear belonging to about 35 shrimp operators who rent the port,” the Port of San Francisco reported on its website. “It is estimated that crabs generate more than $ 95 million annually.”
Volunteers from the SS Jeremiah O’Brien National Liberty Ship Memorial said in the fire, “Items in the camp and on the pier side have been destroyed.” The group started fundraising to replace what was lost.
The O’Brien was launched in Maine in June 1943 and participated in the D-Day invasion in 1944. She is one of only two Liberty ships with more than 2,700 ships built during World War II that are still fully operational. Designated a National Historic Landmark, the ship is a living museum docked at Pier 45 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
