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UNITED STATES NAVY
TEMPORARY AUXILIARY SHIPS
WORLD WAR I
TEMPORARY AUXILIARY SHIPS
WORLD WAR I
Online Library of Selected Images:
-- CIVILIAN SHIPS --
S.S. General W.C. Gorgas (American Passenger-Cargo
Steamer, 1902).
Originally the German steamer Prinz Sigismund.
Served as USS General W.C. Gorgas (ID # 1365) in 1919,
and as USAT General W.C. Gorgas in 1941-1945
General W.C. Gorgas, a 4689 gross ton passenger-cargo ship, was built at Rostock, Germany, in 1902 as the German commercial steamer Prinz Sigismund. Seized by the U.S. Government when the United States entered World War I in April 1917, the renamed ship was thereafter operated by the Panama Railroad & Steamship Company carrying troops and war cargo to Europe. In March 1919 she was turned over to the U.S. Navy, placed in commission as USS General W.C. Gorgas (ID # 1365) and continued her work as a troop transport. Between late April and early July she made two round-trip voyages between the U.S. East Coast and France, bringing home more than 2000 military personnel. General W.C. Gorgas was decommissioned in late July 1919 and returned to the U.S. Shipping Board.
General W.C. Gorgas was employed commercially during the following two decades and in late 1941 again became a troopship, serving as a U.S. Army Transport operating between the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. Taken out of Army service in January 1945, the ship was subsequently transferred to the Soviet Union and renamed Mikhail Lomonosov.
This page features all available views concerning S.S. General W.C. Gorgas, USS General W.C. Gorgas (ID # 1365) and USAT General W.C. Gorgas.
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
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Photo #: NH 99273 S.S. General W.C. Gorgas (American Passenger-Cargo Steamer, 1902) In port, probably in the New York City area on or about 5 September 1917, when the ship was inspected by the Third Naval District for possible acquisition by the U.S. Navy. Originally the German ship Prinz Sigismund, she was seized when the United States entered World War I. She was renamed General W.C. Gorgas and operated by the Panama Railroad & Steamship Company until taken over by the Navy in March 1919. She served as USS General W.C. Gorgas (ID # 1365) until July 1919. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 74KB; 740 x 375 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 99292 USAT General W.C. Gorgas (U.S. Army Transport, 1902) Halftone reproduction of a photograph taken during World War II. Built in 1902, ship served as USS General W.C. Gorgas (ID # 1365) in 1919 and as an Army Transport in 1941-1945. Copied from the book "Troopships of World War II", by Roland W. Charles. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 67KB; 740 x 365 pixels |
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Another photograph of this ship: A port broadside aerial
view of U.S. Army Transport General W.C. Gorgas, underway
in late April 1944, is in the Naval Historical Center's "L"
file (under U.S. Army Ships -- General W.C. Gorgas). For additional information on this item, the availability of reproductions and usage rights, contact Canadian Forces, Ottawa, Canada. WEB Sites for that agency can be readily located through standard Internet search engines. |
Return to WWI Auxiliaries.Page made 20 April 2003
New image added 12 May 2008