The SS Joseph M. Medill was a Liberty ship built at the J.A. Jones Construction, Panama City, Florida, during World War II. She was named after John Medill, a Canadian-American newspaper editor, publisher, and Republican Party politician. The ship was laid down on 28 September 1942, under a Maritime Commission contract, and launched on 3 May 1943. Generally, Liberty ships were made from widely available cheap steel that was welded together and not riveted.
Composed of 250,000 prefabricated parts delivered in 250-ton sections, the Libertys were welded together in an average time of seventy days. Even if there were health risks associated with the use of asbestos as early as the 1930s, the mineral continued being incorporated in ships until the 1970s. On 19 February 1960, the SS Joseph M. Medill was sold for $70,161, to Bethlehem Steel, for scrapping.
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