Illustrations for Requisitioned Ships, Part 2

On 3 August 1917 the Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFC) requisitioned all steel ships over 2500 tons then under construction or on order in American yards. The photographs below illustrate some of the ship designs that were used to build requisitioned ships but were not carried over into the contract program. For the designs that were later given EFC design numbers and reused to build ships under EFC contracts see the pages for those design numbers. From the yards named above these included EFC Designs 1013 (Skinner & Eddy and Willamette/Northwest), 1014 (Seattle/Todd), 1015 (Moore), 1018 (Sun), 1020 (Superior and Toledo), 1025 (Merchant), 1063 (Standard), 1103 (New York S.B.), and 1032, 1047, and 1057 (Union I.W./Bethlehem Alameda). Many requistioned ships served in the Navy's Naval Overseas Transportation Service in 1918-1919 because they tended to be the first ships in the Shipping Board's programs to be completed.

S.S. Overbrook
(Merchant S.B. Co, formerly Chester S.B. Co., Chester, Pa.)

At the Chester yard on 13 April 1918 nearly complete. She was launched on 17 November 1917 and delivered to the EFC and her operator on 26 April 1918. She was the first of a class of six 9000 ton dwt. tankers, the others (despite a missing header in the McKellar list) being Avondale, Phoenix, Silverbrook, Hisko, and Burnwell.

Photo No. None
Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-19-A-27)

S.S. Sagaland, later Mount Shasta
(Moore & Scott Iron Works, Oakland, Cal.)

At her builder's yard on 21 November 1917 shortly before completion. She was built for Richard Amlie, Haugesund, Norway. Click here for a plan. See her WWI page.

Photo No. None
Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-32-S)

S.S. Castle Town
(New Jersey S.B. Co., later Pusey & Jones, Gloucester, N.J.)

Probably shown around the time of her completion in 1919. This yard was located next to the Pennsylvania S.B. Co., and after their owner acquired the Pusey & Jones yard at Wilmington, Del., in December 1917, the two Gloucester yards took that name. Castle Town served in World War II as USS Anacapa (AG 49). This photo was used in a 1925 EFC sales catalog to represent this class. Click here for a plan.. See her WWII page.

Photo No. None
Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center, Photo Collection, S-528-A

USS Fairmont
(New York S.B. Co, Camden, N.J.)

This collier is shown on 21 February 1918, a week after she was completed, reconveyed to her owners, and simultaneously taken over by the Navy. Note the short posts on deck for handling the coal hatch covers. See her WWI page.

Photo No. None
Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-19-LCM)

USS M. J. Scanlon
(New York S.B. Co, Camden, N.J.)

Photographed on 27 September 1918, a week she was completed and taken over by the Navy. This unusual freighter was specially designed for carrying lumber. See her WWI page.

Photo No. None
Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-32-UB)

USS Agwidale
(Newport News S.B. & D.D. Co., Newport News, Va.)

Photographed on 1 December 1918. She was completed on 16 November 1918 and simultaneously reconveyed to her owners and taken over by the Navy. See her WWI page.

Photo No. NH 65099
Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center

S.S. Daniel Webster
(Pennsylvania S.B. Co., later Pusey & Jones S.B. Co., Gloucester, N.J.)

Photographed on 1 November 1919, three days before her completion. This yard built eleven large freighters of this type. Except for the first, Indianapolis, all were named for historic American leaders. Click here for a plan.

Photo No. NH 758
Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center

S.S. William Penn
(Pennsylvania S.B. Co., later Pusey & Jones S.B. Co., Gloucester, N.J.)

This, the ninth of the eleven large freighters of the Daniel Webster type, was modified with diesel propulsion with two propellers and thin diesel exhaust pipes instead of a smokestack. This photo is from a 1925 EFC sales catalog.Click here for a plan.

Photo No. None
Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center, Photo Collection, S-528-A

USS Chestnut Hill
(Pennsylvania S.B. Co., later Pusey & Jones, Gloucester, N.J.)

Photographed on 16 March 1918 two days after she was completed and taken over by the Navy. This yard built six tankers of this 7000 ton dwt. type. See her WWI page.

Photo No. NH 70471
Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center

USS Walter A. Luckenbach
(Seattle, later Todd, D.D. & Construction Co., Seattle, Wash.)

On trials on 30 May 1918. Upon completion in early June she was reconveyed to her owners and simultaneously taken over by the Navy. This single twin-screw 13-knot ship had the same hull dimensions as the three ships of the Katrina Luckenbach class built by the Bethlehem Fore River yard at Quincy, Mass. See her WWI page.

Photo No. NH 65040
Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center

S.S. Sag Harbor
(Staten Island S.B. Co., Staten Island, N.Y.)

On trials on 28 August 1918.

Photo No. None
Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-32-S)

USS South Bend
(Sun S.B. & D.D. Co., Chester, Pa.)

Arriving in a U.S. port (probably New York) in 1919, with her decks crowded with troops returning from Europe. The small deckhouses added fore and aft probably contained latrines for the troops. The four twin-screw 13-knot ships of this class were designed for the Luckenbach Line and received Luckenbach names after the war. See her WWI page.

Photo No. NH 104596
Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center

USS Sagadahoc
(Texas Steamship Co., Bath, Me.)

Probably photographed around the time of her completion and transfer to the Navy in July 1918. See her WWI page.

Photo No. None
Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-32-M box 3)

S.S. Lightburne
(Texas Steamship Co., Bath, Me.)

Photographed circa late 1919.

Photo No. None (from ID card)
Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center

S.S. Overbrook (Merchant S.B. Co, formerly Chester S.B. Co., Chester, Pa.) At the Chester yard on 13 April 1918 nearly complete. She was launched on 17 November 1917 and delivered to the EFC and her operator on 26 April 1918. She was the first of a class of six 9000 ton dwt. tankers, the others (despite a missing header in the McKellar list) being Avondale, Phoenix, Silverbrook, Hisko, and Burnwell. Photo No. None Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-19-A-27)
S.S. Sagaland, later Mount Shasta (Moore & Scott Iron Works, Oakland, Cal.) At her builder's yard on 21 November 1917 shortly before completion. She was built for Richard Amlie, Haugesund, Norway. Click here for a plan. See her WWI page. Photo No. None Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-32-S)
S.S. Castle Town (New Jersey S.B. Co., later Pusey & Jones, Gloucester, N.J.) Probably shown around the time of her completion in 1919. This yard was located next to the Pennsylvania S.B. Co., and after their owner acquired the Pusey & Jones yard at Wilmington, Del., in December 1917, the two Gloucester yards took that name. Castle Town served in World War II as USS Anacapa (AG 49). This photo was used in a 1925 EFC sales catalog to represent this class. Click here for a plan.. See her WWII page. Photo No. None Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center, Photo Collection, S-528-A
USS Fairmont (New York S.B. Co, Camden, N.J.) This collier is shown on 21 February 1918, a week after she was completed, reconveyed to her owners, and simultaneously taken over by the Navy. Note the short posts on deck for handling the coal hatch covers. See her WWI page. Photo No. None Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-19-LCM)
USS M. J. Scanlon (New York S.B. Co, Camden, N.J.) Photographed on 27 September 1918, a week she was completed and taken over by the Navy. This unusual freighter was specially designed for carrying lumber. See her WWI page. Photo No. None Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-32-UB)
USS Agwidale (Newport News S.B. & D.D. Co., Newport News, Va.) Photographed on 1 December 1918. She was completed on 16 November 1918 and simultaneously reconveyed to her owners and taken over by the Navy. See her WWI page. Photo No. NH 65099 Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center
S.S. Daniel Webster (Pennsylvania S.B. Co., later Pusey & Jones S.B. Co., Gloucester, N.J.) Photographed on 1 November 1919, three days before her completion. This yard built eleven large freighters of this type. Except for the first, Indianapolis, all were named for historic American leaders. Click here for a plan. Photo No. NH 758 Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center
S.S. William Penn (Pennsylvania S.B. Co., later Pusey & Jones S.B. Co., Gloucester, N.J.) This, the ninth of the eleven large freighters of the Daniel Webster type, was modified with diesel propulsion with two propellers and thin diesel exhaust pipes instead of a smokestack. This photo is from a 1925 EFC sales catalog.Click here for a plan. Photo No. None Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center, Photo Collection, S-528-A
USS Chestnut Hill (Pennsylvania S.B. Co., later Pusey & Jones, Gloucester, N.J.) Photographed on 16 March 1918 two days after she was completed and taken over by the Navy. This yard built six tankers of this 7000 ton dwt. type. See her WWI page. Photo No. NH 70471 Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center
USS Walter A. Luckenbach (Seattle, later Todd, D.D. & Construction Co., Seattle, Wash.) On trials on 30 May 1918. Upon completion in early June she was reconveyed to her owners and simultaneously taken over by the Navy. This single twin-screw 13-knot ship had the same hull dimensions as the three ships of the Katrina Luckenbach class built by the Bethlehem Fore River yard at Quincy, Mass. See her WWI page. Photo No. NH 65040 Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center
S.S. Sag Harbor (Staten Island S.B. Co., Staten Island, N.Y.) On trials on 28 August 1918. Photo No. None Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-32-S)
USS South Bend (Sun S.B. & D.D. Co., Chester, Pa.) Arriving in a U.S. port (probably New York) in 1919, with her decks crowded with troops returning from Europe. The small deckhouses added fore and aft probably contained latrines for the troops. The four twin-screw 13-knot ships of this class were designed for the Luckenbach Line and received Luckenbach names after the war. See her WWI page. Photo No. NH 104596 Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center
USS Sagadahoc (Texas Steamship Co., Bath, Me.) Probably photographed around the time of her completion and transfer to the Navy in July 1918. See her WWI page. Photo No. None Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-32-M box 3)
S.S. Lightburne (Texas Steamship Co., Bath, Me.) Photographed circa late 1919. Photo No. None (from ID card) Source: U.S. Naval Historical Center

Illustrations for Requisitioned Ships, Part 2

Merchant S.B. Co. to Willamette Iron & Steel Works