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USSPocahontas(ID-3044)

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For other ships with the same name, seeUSS PocahontasandSS Princess Irene.

USSPocahontasunderway in 1919
History
German Empire
NamePrinzessin Irene
NamesakePrincess Irene of Hesse
OwnerNorddeutscher Lloyd
RouteBremen–New York City
BuilderAG Vulkan,Stettin
Launched19 June 1900
FateSeized by the United States, 1917
United States
NameUSSPocahontas
NamesakePocahontas
AcquiredSeized, 1917
Commissioned25 July 1917
Decommissioned7 November 1919
FateReturned to owner, 1919; sold for scrap, 1932
General characteristics
Class and typeBarbarossa-classocean liner
Displacement18,000 long tons (18,289 t)
Length564 ft (172 m)
Beam62 ft 2 in (18.95 m)
Draft28 ft 6 in (8.69 m)
Speed16knots(30 km/h; 18 mph)
Complement610 officers and enlisted
Armament
  • 4 × 6 in (150 mm) guns
  • 2 × 3 in (76 mm) guns
  • 3 × 1-pounder guns
  • 1 × machine gun
Captain Frederic von Letten-Peterssen in 1911

USSPocahontas(SP-3044)was atransport shipfor theUnited States NavyduringWorld War I.She was originallySSPrinzess Irene,aBarbarossa-classocean linerbuilt in 1899 byAG Vulcan StettinofStettin,Germany, for theNorth German Lloydline.[1]

At the beginning ofWorld War Ithe ship was in New York and wasinternedby the United States. She was seized when that country entered the conflict in 1917 and converted to a troop transport. As USSPocahontas,she carried 24,573 servicemen to Europe, and after the war returned 23,296 servicemen to the United States.

Decommissioned by the U.S. Navy, theUnited States Shipping Boardsold her back to the North German Lloyd line, where she saw mercantile service until beingscrappedin 1932.

SSPrinzess Irene

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She was launched asPrinzess Ireneon 19 June 1900 byAktiengesellschaft Vulkan,Stettin,Germany forNorth German LloydLines. On 9 September 1900, she started her maiden voyage toNew York City.On 30 October 1900, she began the first of seven trips on theGerman Empiremail run to theFar EasttoYokohama,the route she was built for.

On 30 April 1903, she went on theGenoa–Naples– New York run and stayed mainly on this service together with hersister shipKönig Albertand sometimes other ships of theBarbarossaclass. In 1911, under CaptainFrederic von Letten-Peterssen,she was stranded for eighty-three hours on theFire Islandsandbars.[2]

Her last voyage was to New York on 9 July 1914. With the outbreak ofWorld War Iin August, she was stranded in New York since the BritishRoyal Navycontrolled theNorth Atlantic.She remained there until seized by the United States byExecutive Order2651on 30 June 1917, under the authority prescribed in the Enemy Vessel Confiscation Joint Resolution passed on 12 May 1917.

USSPocahontas

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After refitting and training with theAtlantic Fleet,she was commissioned asPrincess Ireneon 25 July 1917. Assigned to the Cruiser-Transport Force under Rear AdmiralAlbert Gleaves,the ship was renamedPocahontason 1 September 1917.

Through the rest of the war and for nearly a year after theArmistice,Pocahontasserved as a troop transport, completing eighteen round trips to Europe. She carried 24,573 servicemen toBrestandSt. Nazaireand returned 23,296 servicemen to the United States.

AlthoughPocahontasconveyed all of her passengers safely, she faced numerous dangers. The most serious incident occurred in the forenoon of 2 May 1918 when anImperial German Navysubmarinesurfaced in her path and straddled her with 5.9 in (150 mm) shells. CaptainEdward C. Kalbfusordered the crew to battle stations and gave the signal to open fire. However, the U-boat was not in range of her guns. Fragments of enemy shells landed on the ship, but she was not directly hit and suffered no casualties. Captain Kalbus commenced zig-zag courses, and then at full speed drew away from the submarine, probablySMU-151,about twenty minutes after the attack began. Making a record of 16.2 knots (30.0 km/h; 18.6 mph), he kept the enemy out of range until he lost her. For his successful defense of his ship, Captain Kalfbus was awarded theNavy Cross.

Pocahontasdecommissioned at theBrooklyn Navy Yardon 7 November 1919 and was handed over to the United States Shipping Board for sale.

SSPocahontas

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In 1920, SSPocahontaswas chartered to theUnited States Mail Steamship Companyof New York and began commercial services between the United States andItalyin 1921.[3]

Pocahontaswas the subject of widespread media coverage between May and July 1921 due to mechanical problems, sabotage and mutiny. The vessel left New York on 23 May 1921 en route to Naples. On 25 May, she was anchored offNobska PointinVineyard Soundin need of repair.[4]A gang of boilermakers and mechanics boarded the ship to make repairs en route toBoston.[4]Further repairs were undertaken in theAzoresin June.[5]The vessel did not arrive in Naples until 4 July, spending 43 days at sea. It was later reported that the vessel had been subject to sabotage and that some of the crew "began to threaten the commander and to damage the machinery and the electric light apparatus and even attempt... to sink the steamer"[6]Just before entering Naples, the assistant engineer drowned when he jumped overboard.[7][8]On arrival in Naples, the ship's captain submitted a full report to the American consul, who conducted an investigation.[7]The crew, in turn, filed charges of cruelty against thecaptainwith the Italian authorities.[7]While the crew were returned to the United States,[9][10]the ship was repaired in Naples. A "great deal" of cotton waste was found in the steamer's pumps, but otherwise it suffered only minor damage.[11]Although she was due to sail for New York on 31 July,[11]the ship was ordered to stay in port pending payment of debts incurred in relation to the repair work.[12]The total repair bill amounted to 2,700,000 lire.[13]Despite intervention from the American consul,[14]the ship did not sail until 8 September.[15]Due to frequent bunker fires, however, the ship was considered to be in worse condition "than when it was in drydock".[16]The vessel was again laid up on 22 September, this time inGibraltar,having suffered further damage to her machinery.[17]Passengers were transferred to other vessels.[17]The ship then remained inactive until she was sold in 1922.[3]

The then futurePrime Minister of Israel,Golda Meir,was on boardPocahontasin May 1921, while emigrating from the United States toPalestine.She recounts the events of the journey in her autobiography,My Life.[18]

SSBremen

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In April 1922, the United States Shipping Board received an offer of £17,000 for the purchase ofPocahontas,which was then laid up inMalta.[19]When the United States Mail Steamship Company went into liquidation in 1922, the ship was sold back to its original owners, North German Lloyd and renamedBremen.[3]

After repair and refit, SSBremenmade her first voyage fromBremento New York in April 1923.

TheLaristana cargo ship foundered in theAtlantic Ocean(45°12′N43°12′W/ 45.200°N 43.200°W/45.200; -43.200) with the loss of 24 of her 30 crew. Survivors were rescued byBremen.[20]

SSKarlsruhe

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She was renamedKarlsruhein 1928 and continued to serve until 1932, before beingscrappedin Germany.[21]

References

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  1. ^Kludas, Arnold.Great Passenger Ships of the World Vol 1 1858–1912.Patrick Stephens Ltd. p.18.ISBN0-85059-174-0.
  2. ^"Brings Liner Irene Safely to her Pier"(PDF).The New York Times.11 April 1911.The North German liner Frinzess Irene arrived safely at her pier in Hoboken at 1 o'clock yesterday afternoon, under her own steam, and looked none the worse for her eighty-three-hour rest on the Fire Island sandbars. Capt. F. von Letten-Peterssen, who was in command of the liner, said that, so far as he could tell, the only damage the vessel sustained was the breaking of the frame of the rudder post.
  3. ^abc "Online Library of Selected Images: USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044), 1917–1919".Naval History and Heritage Command.Department of the Navy. 28 October 2005.Retrieved19 May2010.
  4. ^ab "To Repair Pocahontas En Route"(PDF).The New York Times.26 May 1921.
  5. ^ "Liner Pocahontas Again in Trouble"(PDF).The New York Times.19 June 1921.
  6. ^ "Mutiny on board American ship is investigated".Miami Daily Metropolis.Miami, Florida. 7 July 1921. p. 13.
  7. ^abc "Accuses Ship Crew of Sabotage at Sea"(PDF).The New York Times.10 July 1921.
  8. ^ "Passengers at Sea 43 Days With Mutinous Crew".The Lewiston Daily Sun.Lewiston, Maine. 8 July 2010. p. 11.
  9. ^ "Pocahontas Crew to Be Sent Back"(PDF).The New York Times.11 July 1921.
  10. ^ "Death, Fire, Flood Mark Liner's Trip"(PDF).The New York Times.26 December 1921.
  11. ^ab "Pocahontas is Repaired"(PDF).The New York Times.25 July 1921.
  12. ^ "Courts Hold Pocahontas at Naples"(PDF).The New York Times.7 August 1921.
  13. ^ "Pocahontas May Sail Next Week"(PDF).The New York Times.New York. 3 September 1921.
  14. ^ "Pocahontas Sails Tuesday"(PDF).The New York Times.20 August 1921.
  15. ^ "Pocahontas Allowed to Leave Naples"(PDF).The New York Times.9 September 1921.
  16. ^ "Pocahontas Case Worse"(PDF).The New York Times.31 August 1921.
  17. ^ab "The Pocahontas Again Laid Up"(PDF).The New York Times.23 September 1921.
  18. ^ Meir, Golda(1975).My Life.New York: G.P. Putman's & Sons. pp.71–72.ISBN0-399-11669-9.
  19. ^ "Gets Bid for Pocahontas"(PDF).The New York Times.12 April 1922.
  20. ^"Feared loss of the Laristan".The Times.No. 44181. London. 28 January 1926. col D, p. 14.
  21. ^Arnold Kludas.Great Passenger Ships of the World Vol 1 1858–1912.Patrick Stephens Ltd. p.28.ISBN0-85059-174-0.
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