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Photo # NH 43286: USS Santa Paula arrives at New York, 1919

U.S. NAVY TEMPORARY AUXILIARY SHIPS, 1917-1919

WORLD WAR I ERA TRANSPORTS --
Converted Freighters of a W.R. Grace Steamship Company Type

Five U.S. Navy WWI era transports were converted from freighters with almost identical dimensions built in 1916-1918 for operation by the W.R. Grace Steamship Company. All were constructed by William Cramp and Sons at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Three performed their initial Naval service as cargo ships, beginning in 1918, and were converted for transport duties after fighting ended. The other two, all commissioned in 1919, only served as transports.

All ships in this group had names beginning with the word "Santa", which was typical of the Grace Line. However, several ships with similar names, but very different designs, also served as U.S. Navy transports during the World War I era. These are listed on other pages.

This page features a table (with links to individual ships) of World War I era U.S. Navy transports converted from freighters built in 1916-1918 for operation by the W.R. Grace Steamship Company, plus one photograph of each ship in this group.


Click the small photographs to prompt a larger view of the same image with a descriptive header.


Ships in this group:

FIVE SHIPS, built by the Cramp Shipyard at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1916-1918.
All had single smokestacks, prominent forecastles and counter sterns. With one minor exception, their dimensions are identical.
Arrangement of kingposts, masts and smokestacks: M-K-F-K-M:

  • Santa Barbara, USN 1918-1919 (ex-American S.S. Santa Barbara, 1916).
    • 6621 Gross Tons, Length 404.6', Beam 53.9', Comm. 19 Apr 18, Decom. 6 Aug 19, ID # 4522
  • Santa Paula, USN 1918-1919 (ex-American S.S. Santa Paula, 1917).
    • 6415 Gross Tons, Length 404.6', Beam 53.9', Comm. 15 Aug 18, Decom. 21 Aug 19, ID # 1590
  • Santa Rosa, USN 1919-1919 (ex-American S.S. Santa Rosa, 1917).
    • 6415 Gross Tons, Length 404.6', Beam 53.9', Comm. 10 Mar 19, Decom. 27 Oct 19, ID # 2169
  • Santa Malta, USN 1919-1919 (ex-American S.S. Santa Malta, 1918).
    • 6421 Gross Tons, Length 404.6', Beam 53.9', Comm. 17 May 19, Decom. 6 Nov 19, ID # 3125-A
  • Santa Olivia, USN 1918-1919 (ex-American S.S. Santa Olivia, 1918).
    • 6422 Gross Tons, Length 404.6', Beam 53.7', Comm. 1 Jul 18, Decom. 21 Jul 19, ID # 3125

     S.S. Santa Barbara, prior to U.S. Navy service:

     USS Santa Paula, 1919:

     USS Santa Rosa, 1919:
    .

     USS Santa Malta, 1919:

     USS Santa Olivia, 1919:

    		 .

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