Former Liberty ship SS Antonin Dvorak ran aground near Little Kinnakeet Life-Saving Station on March 28, 1959. The Antonin Dvorak, named for the Czech composer, was scrapped after it grounded on the beach at Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
More than 2,700 Liberty ships were constructed during World War II to serve as cargo ships and to replace British ships lost during the war. More than 2,400 survived the war, including the Antonin Dvorak. President Franklin D. Roosevelt said that this class of ships would bring liberty to Europe which led to the term "Liberty" ship. The simple design and low construction cost meant they could be produced on a mass scale.
Park naturalist Verde Watson took these photos of the beached vessel. They should remind us never to underestimate the power of the Atlantic Ocean.