During World War I, Germany was sinking merchandise and aid vessels constantly. When the U.S. joined the war, the government created the Emergency Fleet Cooperation. They produced ships at fast rates, which resulted in majority not even making it to Europe as they sunk or were only partially completed by the end of the war. This cost the U.S. $300 million and the scrap was sold for $750,000.
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About 169 ships rest at the bottom of Mallows Bay after being dragged from a boat yard in Alexandria, VA during the Great Depression when scrap sales declined sharply. On November 7, 1925, a fire broke out on 31 of the ships
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During World War II, Bethlehem Steel Corporation bought the ships to turn into scrap metal in Baltimore.
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Eventually, the boats would remain forgott