El Sol, a 6008 gross ton freighter built at Newport News, Virginia, in 1910, was transferred to the Navy by the U.S. Army in early August 1918. Placed in commission at that time as USS El Sol, she was employed by the Naval Overseas Transportation Service carrying Army cargo to France. After completing four round-trip voyages to France, in April 1919 the ship began conversion to a troop transport. In that role, El Sol made two trips from France to the U.S., bringing home veterans of World War I. She was decommissioned in September 1919 and returned to her owner. Her Navy registry ID #, 4505, was probably assigned during the early 1920s.
This page features all available views concerning the freighter El Sol and USS El Sol (ID # 4505).
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
The following photograph is of a ship that may be USS El Sol, though it could also be one of her sisters, USS El Occidente (ID # 3307) or USS El Oriente (ID # 4504):
NOTES:
Page made 30 November 2003
New image added 17 February 2009