SS Robert Rowan was an American Liberty ship built in 1943 for service in World War II.

Few months later the North Carolina Shipbuilding Company launched in Wilmington under the name Robert Rowan christened by Jean A. Huske from Fayetteville, NC and commissioned later that year.

Just before 14:00 hrs German Junkers Ju 88 bombers appeared overhead and attacked the ships in the bay.

All 421 men on board safely evacuated the ship and were picked up by PT boats and transferred to nearby destroyers.

The destroyer USS McLanahan tried to sink the ship because the fires lit up the area during the night, but this failed as the water was too shallow.