WWI Ship Name Index   Return to WWI Auxiliaries.

UNITED STATES NAVY
TEMPORARY AUXILIARY SHIPS
WORLD WAR I

Photo # 111-SC-89836: USAT Buford, probably prior to World War I

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- SHIPS of the UNITED STATES ARMY --

USAT Buford (Transport, 1898).
Served as USS Buford (ID # 3818) in 1919

U.S. Army Transport Buford, of 5040 gross tons, was built at Belfast, Ireland, in 1890 as the commercial steamship Mississippi. The Army acquired her in 1898, at the time of the Spanish-American War, and put her into service for carrying troops to newly obtained overseas territories. She was rebuilt at Newport News, Virginia, in 1900. In 1906 she supported relief efforts following the great earthquake at San Francisco, California, and in 1912 was sent to the Mexican Pacific Coast to evacuate refugees during an unsettled period there. Soon after the August 1914 outbreak of World War I, Buford was ordered to steam from the U.S. West Coast to Europe to assist in bringing home Americans who wished to leave the combat zone. She continued her work for the Army through the end of that great conflict.

In January 1919 the ship was turned over to the Navy, placed in commission as USS Buford (ID # 3818) and assigned to duty as a troop transport. During the next half-year she made four round trip voyages between the United States and France, bringing home over 4700 First World War I veterans. Buford carried out one more mission while in Navy service, conveying personnel and cargo between the U.S. and the Panama Canal in August 1919. She was decommissioned early in September and returned to the Army.

Again in service as U.S.A.T. Buford, in 1920 she transported nearly 250 political deportees from the United States to Finland, from where they were taken overland to the Soviet Union. The Army sold Buford to commercial interests in 1923. She was briefly used by film star Buster Keaton during the making of the motion picture "The Navigator". In 1929 the now quite old ship was scrapped in Japan.

This page features all available views concerning the U.S. Army Transport Buford and USS Buford (ID # 3818).


Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: 111-SC-89836

USAT Buford (U.S. Army Transport)

Probably photographed prior to World War I.
This ship served as USS Buford (ID # 3818) in January-September 1919.

Photograph from the Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 117KB; 740 x 605 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 
Photo #: NH 54477

USAT Buford (U.S. Army Transport)

At Manzanillo, Mexico, to embark American refugees, October 1912.
This ship served as USS Buford (ID # 3818) in January-September 1919.

Courtesy of Miss L. Wolford, Historical Section, U.S. Navy, 1926.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 97KB; 740 x 530 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 105534

U.S. Army Transport Buford

At Colon, Panama, with the 30th U.S. Infantry on board, 1915.
The original image printed on postcard stock. The reverse of this card bears the pencilled inscription "Went to the Philippines on her in 1911 and to New York in 1915. Love from Geo --"

Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image size: 86KB; 740 x 460 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 103454

USS Buford (ID # 3818)

In port in 1919, while employed bringing American service personnel home from Europe.
Note the "Home Again" banner hung on the pier superstructure in the background.

Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2006.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 88KB; 740 x 465 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 106387

USS Buford (ID # 3818)

Underway in a U.S. East Coast harbor, with her decks crowded with troops, 1919.
The original image is printed on post card ("AZO") stock.

Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 69KB; 740 x 470 pixels

 


NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


    Return to WWI Auxiliaries.

    Page made 1 October 2003
    New image added 16 February 2009