A little about WW2 ships.
In the forties there were basically two types of ship propulsion: steam, which was the favored method for most large vessels and diesel which drove tug boats and submarines.
Steam ships usually had two oil fired boilers providing steam to either reciprocating engines or steam turbines. Reciprocating engines required much less steam pressure to operate but were also restricted to much slower speeds. Operating steam pressure was typically around 200 pounds per square inch. The energy in this relatively low pressure was exhausted quickly; whereas steam turbines could operate at much higher pressures and get a much higher energy per fuel ratio.
I have sailed with some old timers who refused to sail on ships that operated at steam pressures over two hundred pounds; they claimed that they were just two darned dangerous. I must add here, that I have never heard of a ship boiler explosion, unless it was torpedoed.
I, myself always preferred steam ships; mostly because I found the smell of diesel fuel offensive over a long period of time.
Jumping way ahead in time:
A couple of years ago my wife and I had occasion to sail on the cruise ship Sky Princess, formerly the Fair Sky under the old Sitmar Flag, from San Francisco to Australia. It was to my knowledge, the last steam driven cruise ship. They are now mostly diesel with a few sporting the new pod propulsion system.
Most will find this posting rather boring but I felt that it needed saying. I hope that you might find my next offering more interesting.
Shovelman's Blog 
Never boring Don. This steam talk is good stuff – it was obviously an important part of your voyaging. My father-in-law up in the NE of England is an voluntary administrator for the Robert Stephenson Trust – so I hear a bit of steam talk now and again!