1943 – Construction & Launch:
15 March, Construction started on US Liberty Ship SS Richard Montgomery at St John’s River Shipbuilding Company of Jacksonville, Florida, USA.
15 June, SS Richard Montgomery launched weighing 7,146 gross tons and built as one of over 2,700 other liberty ships to transport supplies for the war effort.

1944 – Departure for UK:
August. Departed Hog Island, Philadelphia loaded with 6,127 tons of munitions to join convoy HX-301 bound for the UK and then Cherbourg.

Travelled from Delaware River to Thames Estuary

Arriving in the Thames Estuary, she was advised to anchor off Sheerness in the Great Nore anchorage and await the convoy travelling to Cherboug.

20th August 1944, unfortunately her anchored dragged and she grounded on a sandbank.

After grounding, intense efforts were untaken to unload the cargo but a crack appeared in the hull the next day and the forward end began to flood.

Salvage continued until 25th September 1944, by which time approximately half of the cargo had been successfully removed, but the salvage effort was abandoned after the vessel flooded completely.

Present:
The wreck remains on the sandbank where she sank close to the Medway Approach Channel with an estimated 1,400 tons of explosives remaining in the forward holds.