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UNITED STATES NAVY
TEMPORARY AUXILIARY SHIPS
WORLD WAR I

Photo #  NH 102006:  SS Liberator in camouflage, 1918


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

S.S. Liberator (American Freighter, 1918).
Served as USS Liberator (ID # 3134) in 1918-1919

Liberator, a 7951 gross ton steam cargo ship, was built in 1918 at Alameda, California. The Navy acquired her soon after she was completed and placed her in commission as USS Liberator (ID # 3134) in early July 1918. After passing through the Panama Canal, the ship loaded at New York and in mid-August began the work of carrying cargo across the Atlantic to France. Once the First World War's fighting stopped in November, Liberator was converted to a troop transport and made five voyages to return veteran servicemen to the United States from France. She was decommissioned in October 1919 and returned to the U.S. Shipping Board. Sold to a commercial operator in 1933, the ship remained active until the mid-1940s.

This page features all available views concerning the freighter Liberator (1918) and USS Liberator (ID # 3134).


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

Photo #: NH 99544

S.S. Liberator
(American Freighter, 1918)

Probably photographed while fitting out at the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp. Union Plant (formerly Union Iron Works) at Alameda, California, with two derrick barges (one named Alameda) alongside. Pattern camouflage is being applied to her hull, forward.
This ship served as USS Liberator (ID # 3134) from July 1918 to October 1919.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 34KB; 740 x 210 pixels

 
Photo #: None

S.S. Liberator
(American Freighter, 1918)

Photographed on 21 June 1918 while fitting out at the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp. Union Plant at Alameda, Calif.

Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-32-S.

 
Photo #: NH 102006

S.S. Liberator
(American Freighter, 1918)

Probably photographed just after completion, already painted in World War I "dazzle" camouflage. She was acquired by the Navy and commissioned on 2 July 1918 as USS Liberator (ID # 3134) and was returned to the U.S. Shipping Board on 4 October 1919.

The original print is in National Archives' Record Group 19-LCM.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 590 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 104805

USS Liberator
(ID # 3134)

At St. Nazaire, France, while employed as a troop transport in 1919.
Photographed by Cuppy and printed on post card ("AZO") stock.
Handwritten (in ink) on the reverse of the original print is "Bert Oliver, Sarcoxie, MO".

Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2007.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 460 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 105174

YMCA Postal Card for Returning Troops, 1919


Reverse side of a card used by returning troops to report their arrival home from Europe. This example was sent on 16 June 1919, reporting the arrival of Private Otto Moeller in USS Liberator (ID # 3134).
The front side of this card is identical to that seen in Photo # NH 103458 .

Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2007.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 490 pixels

 


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Page made 17 November 2001