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UNITED STATES NAVY
TEMPORARY AUXILIARY SHIPS
WORLD WAR I

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

S.S. William Rockefeller (American Tanker, 1916)
Served as USS William Rockefeller (ID # 1581) in 1917-1918.

William Rockefeller, a 7157 gross ton (15,500 tons displacement) tanker, was built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1916. She was one of seven large tankers acquired by the Navy in later months of 1917, some as early as August. Placed in commission as USS William Rockefeller (ID # 1581), she was integrated into the Naval Overseas Transportation Service when that organization was established on 9 January 1918. At that time, she was on a voyage from Scotland to New York, where she arrived on 12 February. After loading a cargo of oil at Philadelphia, the tanker sailed from New York in a convoy on 28 February and arrived at Sheerness, England, on 18 March. Returning to Philadelphia for another cargo of fuel oil, she sailed again from New York in a convoy on 29 April. Arriving with the convoy at Lamlash, Scotland, on 15 May, three days later she sailed for Rosyth with an escort of two destroyers. On 21 May 1918 William Rockefeller was torpedoed by the German submarine UC-58 and sank in 13 minutes. Three of her crew of 51 were lost.

This page features all available views concerning the American tanker William Rockefeller, which was USS William Rockefeller (ID # 1581) in 1917-1918.

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Page made 11 October 2007