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UNITED STATES NAVY
TEMPORARY AUXILIARY SHIPS
WORLD WAR I

Photo # NH 103918: USS El Oriente as a troopship circa mid-1919


Online Library of Selected Images:
-- CIVILIAN SHIPS --

El Oriente (American Freighter, 1910).
Served as USS El Oriente (ID # 4504) in 1918-1919

El Oriente, a 6008 gross ton steel steam freighter, was built at Newport News, Virginia, in 1910. She was taken over by the Navy in late July 1918 and placed in commission as USS El Oriente (ID # 4504). From then until April 1919 she made four round-trip voyages to France, carrying U.S. Army cargo. The ship was then converted to a troop transport, beginning operations as such in June. In September 1919, after the completion of two trips bringing service personnel home from France, USS El Oriente was decommissioned and returned to her owners.
For a photo (NH 70455) long identified as El Oriente before World War I see El Capitan (1917).

This page features all available views concerning the freighter El Oriente and USS El Oriente (ID # 4504).


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

Photo #: NH 103918

USS El Oriente (ID # 4504)

In a U.S. East Coast port at the end of a voyage bringing troops home from France, circa mid-1919.
The original image was printed on postal card ("AZO") stock.

Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2006.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 470 pixels

 


The following photograph is of a ship that may be USS El Oriente, though it could also be one of her sisters, USS El Occidente (ID # 3307) or USS El Sol (ID # 4505):

Photo #: NH 106039

U.S. Navy Cargo Ship

Photographed circa early 1919, possibly in the Gironde River, France, off the American Bassens port facility.
This ship is either USS El Oriente (ID # 4504), USS El Occidente (ID # 3307), or USS El Sol (ID # 4505). The name on her bridge face is long enough to be El Occidente. The ship is carrying a bow gun on a platform and is in freighter configuration. El Oriente and El Sol were converted to transports in the Spring of 1919, while El Occidente was decommissioned in March of that year.
The original photograph is printed on post card ("AZO") stock.

Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 80KB; 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".


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    Page made 30 November 2003