04/29/2026
Today marks the 83rd anniversary of the sinking of the SS McKeesport, a day that still carries weight here at home.
The ship was named after our city, McKeesport, a place known for its steel, its workers, and its contribution to building what the country needed during World War II. Like many Liberty ships of the time, naming it after an American town was a way to connect communities like ours directly to the war effort. It was a reminder that the work being done here mattered far beyond our streets.
Built in 1942, the SS McKeesport was part of a massive push to keep Allied forces supplied across the world. These ships carried everything from food and fuel to ammunition and equipment. They were not built for comfort or recognition. They were built to get the job done, and they did, often under constant threat.
The men aboard were members of the United States Merchant Marine, civilian sailors who faced the same dangers as those in uniform. They sailed into war zones, knowing full well that German U-boats targeted ships just like theirs. The Merchant Marines became the backbone of supply lines during the war, delivering the vast majority of what American and Allied troops needed to keep fighting.
In 1943, while crossing the North Atlantic, the SS McKeesport was struck by a torpedo. In those freezing waters, survival came down to seconds, to teamwork, and to sheer will. Stories from sinkings like this one often speak of men helping each other into lifeboats, staying together in the cold, and refusing to give up even in the worst conditions.
Today in McKeesport, that sacrifice was remembered in a way that felt personal.
At the Palisades, members of the community gathered to honor the ship and the men who served aboard her. Mayor Tom Maglicco spoke about the role the SS McKeesport and her crew played in keeping supplies moving to American soldiers who depended on them.
Led by retired Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Jason DeFelice, the McKeesport Area High School ROTC presented the colors. Seniors from the high school, under the direction of Beth Eger, performed songs that honored both the country and the Merchant Marines.
Veteran and former county commissioner Larry Dunn spoke about how ships like the SS McKeesport helped keep supply lines open when it mattered most.
A wreath was placed at the SS McKeesport Memorial by Mayor Maglicco, Troy Blackwell, and Adam Striffler Galaski. A new flag was raised by Sue Striffler Galaski and Tom Bergan of AMVETS Post 8, a simple but powerful moment of respect.
The ceremony closed with Bowie Koisor, a McKeesport band student, playing Taps. The notes carried across the Palisades, quiet and steady.
The SS McKeesport was one ship among many, but to this city, it has always meant more than that. It represents the people who built her, the men who sailed her, and the connection between a hometown and a war fought far away.
Today, we remember them.
