William Francis Gibbs
| William Francis Gibbs | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 24, 1886 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Died | September 6, 1967 (aged 81) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | naval architect |
William Francis Gibbs (August 24, 1886 – September 6, 1967) was a renowned American naval architect of the mid twentieth century. Though 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 which 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 an 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.
In 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.
Gibbs was born in Philadelphia to financier William Warren Gibbs and Frances Ayres (Johnson) Gibbs. He graduated from the DeLancey School in 1905. At Harvard University he followed his own curriculum of science and engineering, studying plans of British battleships in his dormitory room, but left without degree. He then attended Columbia Law School from 1911 to 1913, receiving a Bachelor of Law and Master of Arts in economics. At his father's request, he practiced law for the next two years.
In 1915 Gibbs and his brother Frederic Herbert Gibbs began designs for a pair of 1,000-foot ocean liners, each capable of producing 180,000 horsepower. In 1916 the brothers presented their plans to Admiral David W. Taylor and Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels. The response was encouraging, and the brothers, with the financial backing of J. P. Morgan and the United States Navy, then approached the International Mercantile Marine Company. Although a model was tested in the Experimental Model Basin at the Washington Navy Yard, World War I put an end to these early designs. Gibbs became the company's Chief of Construction in 1919.
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