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UNITED STATES NAVY
TEMPORARY AUXILIARY SHIPS
WORLD WAR I

S.S. Hilton, later USS Hilton, circa 1911

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

S.S. Hilton (American Freighter, 1911)
Served as USS Hilton (ID # 1574) in 1918-1919.
Converted to barge Hercules in 1935

Hilton, a 3102 gross ton (6610 tons displacement) freighter, was built at Newport News, Virginia, in 1911. In around September 1917 this freighter was chartered by the Army and operated in European waters with a civilian crew, probably primarily in the Army coal trade between British ports and France. She was commissioned in the Navy at Cardiff, Wales, on 6 November 1918 as USS Hilton (ID # 1574) and continued to carry Welsh coal to the Army in France. In January 1919 the ship proceeded to St. Nazaire, France, and loaded a cargo of military equipment for return to the United States. She took on bunker fuel at Southampton, England, in February and made the return voyage to Newport News in March. USS Hilton was decommissioned on 15 April 1919 and delivered to the Shipping Board for simultaneous return to her owners. The freighter was cut down to a barge and renamed Hercules in 1935 and was scrapped in 1951.

This page features all available views concerning the American freighter Hilton, which became USS Hilton (ID # 1574) in 1918-1919.


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

Photo #: None

S.S. Hilton (American freighter, 1911)

This photograph was taken by E. P. Griffith of Newport News, Virginia, probably at the time of the ship's completion by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co. This freighter was in commission as USS Hilton (ID # 1574) from 6 November 1918 to 15 April 1919.
NH 70458 is an inferior copy of this image.

Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-19-LCM.

 
Photo #: NH 105263

S.S. Hilton (American freighter, 1911)

This freighter was in commission as USS Hilton (ID # 1574) from 6 November 1918 to 15 April 1919.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 82KB; 740 x 545 pixels

 


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Page made 9 December 2007