Now and then, collectors of military patches have reported finding U.S. Navy type sailors’ patches which resemble those issued to regular Navy, but for the addition of “USSB” initials embroidered upon them. And then, there are the clocks.

The U.S. Shipping Board was an agency of the U.S. Govt. started during the first wold war (1914 - 1918). I don’t know all of their activities, but I believe the end of the war in 1918 stopped them before they really got into gear. The Board is known to have commissioned some ships, but exactly what ship this clock might have served upon is unknown. It would be nice to know what happened to the assets of this agency after it was disbanded. The functions may have been taken over by the U.S. Merchant Marine, Navy or Coast Guard.

Pictured is a Seth Thomas “U.S. Shipping Board” bulk head timepiece with a jeweled platform escapement. Well suited to naval use, the 8 day movement is safe from water damage when the bezel is screwed shut between windings. The two part case was made from turned brass castings.
Best regards,
Greg

Hi Greg, if there was suppose to be a picture i do not see it.
Sounds like a interesting clock.

Sorry, upload did not function. So, here we go w/photobucket....

Hi Greg,

I have seen a few Bakelite Chelsea clocks from WWII with "USSB" or Unite States Shipping Board" on dials... Andy Dervan

Interesting info, Andy. From this we may assume that the USSB continued to function at least into the early 1940's.

Thanks,
Greg

The U.S. Shipping Board was created in September 1916 and organized in January 1917 to revitalize the U.S. merchant fleet. It built some 1,000 cargo ships, commandeered more than 2 million tons of shipping from private yards and owners, and operated the German ships seized by the U.S. government when it declared war on Germany in 1917.

The USSB was redesignated the U.S. Shipping Bureau in the Department of Commerce in 1933, then disestablished and replaced by the Maritime Commission when Congress passed the Merchant Marine Act of 1936. Its functions operating the government merchant fleet were lost to the Merchant Fleet Corporation in 1927, which was also subsumed into the Maritime Commission in 1936.

(From Flags Of The World website)