SS Jeremiah O'Brien, Liberty ship museum at Pier 35, San Francisco, United States

SS Jeremiah O'Brien is a Liberty ship of the EC2-S-CI class, launched in 1943 and now berthed at Pier 35 in San Francisco. Its grey hull carries the name in white capitals on the bow, with two anchors forward, and masts, booms and rigging rise above a small white superstructure. Most areas are open, including the engine room, bridge and cargo holds.

A Maine shipyard built the vessel in 1943 in just 56 days, part of a mass production effort to supply transport ships for the war. It crossed the English Channel repeatedly to carry troops and material for the Normandy invasion.

The name honors an Irish-American Revolutionary naval officer, while the vessel now serves as a floating memorial to the thousands of merchant mariners who risked their lives at sea. Visitors see the cramped bunks and galleys where crews lived during months-long deployments.

The ship is moored at Pier 35, east of Fisherman's Wharf, after a 2020 warehouse fire led to its move from Pier 45; the relocation became permanent in 2023. Access to the engine room, bridge and cargo holds involves steep stairs and narrow passages, so wear sturdy shoes. The ship makes several passenger-carrying daylight cruises on San Francisco Bay each year.

The steam engine still runs on coal and is occasionally demonstrated, letting visitors experience the rhythmic pounding of pistons and the smell of oil and metal. The ship even sailed back to Normandy in 1994 for the invasion anniversary.