SS William Gaston

SS William Gaston (MC contract 159) was a Liberty ship built in the United States during World War II. She was named after William Gaston, member of the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina, author of the North Carolina state song, and namesake of Gaston County, North Carolina.

The ship was laid down by North Carolina Shipbuilding Company in their Cape Fear River yard on May 23, 1942, then launched on July 19, 1942. She was operated by the American West Africa Line for the War Shipping Administration.

On July 23, 1944 while traveling between Buenos Aires, Argentina and Baltimore, Maryland Gaston was torpedoed by the GS U-861. Two torpedoes struck the vessel ten minutes apart. Gaston rolled over and sank three minutes after the second torpedo without loss of life. The survivors were picked up on July 25, 1944 by USS Matagorda (AVP-22) and taken to Florianópolis, Brazil.