William Francis Gibbs

William Francis Gibbs (August 24, 1886 – September 6, 1967) was an American naval architect of the mid-twentieth century.

Although he began his career as an attorney, after World War I, he became recognized as a skilled project manager in the restoration of a former German ocean liner for American use. In 1922, in partnership with his brother Frederic Herbert Gibbs, he began the firm that would eventually become Gibbs & Cox; they were among the major designers of World War II-era warships and cargo vessels, including the Liberty ships and Fletcher-class destroyers. Gibbs was a pioneer in the areas of efficient hull design and propulsion, along with being a staunch advocate for high standards of fire prevention and hull integrity. Although the Liberty ships were designed with a priority of production simplicity and economy, other Gibbs designs tended to be sturdy, light, fast, safe, and enduring.

During the late 1940s and early 1950s, the Gibbs brothers were among the promoters leading the United States government and military to subsidize the cost of building the ultimate ocean liner. In the end, Gibbs and Cox was awarded the contract to design and supervise the building of SS United States, which entered service in 1952. While in the class of the largest liners, it was much lighter and considerably faster than contemporary vessels. It was built with a high emphasis on safety, using a minimum of flammable materials.

Early years Gibbs was born in Philadelphia on August 24, 1886, to financier William Warren Gibbs and Frances Ayres (Johnson) Gibbs. He graduated from the DeLancey School in 1905 then entered Harvard College where he followed his own curriculum of science and engineering, studying plans of British battleships in his dormitory room. When shipbuilders Blohm + Voss asked over $1 million for the original plans, Gibbs decided to draw his own.

The Gibbs designed a series of four trim white-hulled ocean liners for the Matson Lines service to Hawaii, starting with the design of in 1924. Malolo was built at William Cramp & Sons under the Gibbs Brothers' exacting supervision and tolerances. At the time she was launched, Malolo was the largest and fastest passenger liner built in the United States. Three sister ships to Malolo would be built in the 1930s: and in 1931 and in 1932.

The Grace Line contracted with Gibbs & Cox for four smaller 9,000-ton ocean liners in 1930, receiving the , , , and in 1932. Gibbs & Cox also designed the for the United States Lines, which was completed in 1940. All nine of these ships served as U.S. troopships in the war.

During the war, Gibbs & Cox created plans for thousands of American warships and cargo vessels, including destroyers, LST landing craft, minesweepers, tankers, cruisers, and Liberty ships. Between 1940 through 1946, 63 per cent of all merchant ships of 2,000 tons up and 74 per cent of all American naval vessels (destroyers, landing craft, escort carriers, etc.) were built to the designs or working plans of Gibbs & Cox.

After the war, the Gibbs brothers were among the promoters for the US government and military to subsidize the construction and operation of a new 1,000-foot ocean liner. After overcoming resistance in the Truman administration for government involvement and competing designs, Gibbs & Cox was awarded the contract to design and supervise the construction of the . This ship was the culmination of Gibbs career, and he was fastidious in the incorporation of fire safety concepts, to the point that the United States surpassed most present day passenger ships in fire prevention and containment. The design was also revolutionary in the use of lightweight materials and construction techniques, including a welded hull and aluminum superstructure. While rivaling the largest liners for physical size, she was much lighter, enabling higher speeds.

The United States entered service in 1952, after five years of design and 28 months of construction. On her maiden voyage, she won the Blue Riband as the fastest ship to cross the Atlantic Ocean, averaging , and reducing the crossing time by 10 hours. Between 1952 and 1969, the ship carried a total of 1,025,691 passengers, and completed 800 transatlantic crossings (400 round trips), steaming a total of 2,772,840 nautical miles, and maintained an excellent safety record. She was the largest liner ever built in the United States and the fastest liner built anywhere. While fast and safe, she was panned by some passengers, as the use of exclusively fireproof materials in the décor and furnishings limited the aesthetic and luxury appeal.

In remarks accepting the Franklin Medal for his work in designing the United States, after recounting the ship's many achievements and the efforts of so many in making those achievements possible, Gibbs stated "My sole contribution in this performance is the fact that I took the responsibility for failure."

Later years

In 1953, Gibbs was awarded the Franklin Institute's Franklin Medal. In 1955 he was awarded the first Elmer A. Sperry Award. He died in New York City on September 6, 1967, two weeks after his 81st birthday.

Fulton-Gibbs Hall, the marine engineering building at the United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York, is named in honor for Gibbs and Robert Fulton. The Gibbs Brothers Medal, awarded by the United States National Academy of Sciences for outstanding contributions in the field of naval architecture and marine engineering, was established by a gift from Gibbs and his brother.