Here on the bank of the Willamette River, which flows into the mighty Columbia, the Naito family created this maritime park dedicated to the Liberty Ships and to the U S Merchant Mariners.

This park, the only one of its kind in the world, has a very special meaning to all U S Merchant Marine Veterans. On May 22nd of each year, the President of the United States proclaims this day to be "National Maritime Day". This is the day that U S Merchant Marine Veterans honor their shipmates who did not survive while serving on these Liberty Ships during World War II.

Liberty Ships crossed the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Pacific Ocean, and they made the dreaded run through the northern seas past Norway to Murmansk, Russia. Their slowness made them a ready target and about 200 were lost through enemy action.

During WW-II 2,711 Liberty Ships were built at yards in the US. Of them, 322 were built in Portland by Oregon Shipbuilding. After WW-II there were 149 brought back to Portland to be scrapped. When constructed, their Bow sections were filled with Concrete for reinforcing. Those parts could not be salvaged and were buried on the site of this Memorial.

Quoted from a plaque in the park:

We honor the contributions made to our nations commerce, and our victory in the second world war. We remember the Ships, the workers who built them well, and the crews who served upon them dutifully.