History of the U.S.S. Leviathan, cruiser and transport forces, United States Atlantic fleet. U.S.S. Leviathan History Committee
Irene
Hamburg
Neckar
Bohemia
Grosser Kurfurst
Barbarossa
Friedrich der Grosse
Rhein
Konig Wilhelm II
Köln
Prinz Oskar
Ockenfels
Arcadia
Pisa
Prinz Joachim
Harburg
Portonia
Clara Mennig
Pommern
Setos
Holsatia
Staatssekretar Kraetke
Borneo
Marudu
Tsintau
Andalusia
Camilla Rickmers
Clara Jebsen
Elmshorm
Johanne
Mark
Rajah
Sambia
Tubingen
Dalbek
Magdeburg
Matador
Kurt
Andromeda
Prinz Sigismund
Savoia
Arni (Lighter)
Argus (Lighter)
It is, therefore, ordered that through the United States Shipping Board there be taken over to the United States the possession and title of the aforementioned vessels. The United States Shipping Board is further hereby authorized to repair, equip and man the said vessels; to operate, lease or charter the same in any service of the United States, or in any commerce, foreign or coastwise; and to do and perform any and all things that may be necessary to accomplish the purposes of the Joint Resolution above set forth.
Woodrow Wilson.
The White House, June 30, 1917.
(No. 2651)
Copy of Order
UNITED STATES SHIPPING BOARD
Washington, D. C, July 11, 1917.
Mr. Anthony V. Lynch,
New York, N. Y.
Sir: The President has issued an Executive Order authorizing the United States Shipping Board, on behalf of the United States, to take possession and title to the Vaterland, now lying or shortly to arrive at Hoboken, New Jersey, and you are hereby authorized and appointed by the United States Shipping Board as its agent to take possession of said vessel as contemplated in said Executive Order. Proceed aboard of said vessel at once and take possession of her in the name of the United States Shipping Board for and on behalf of the United States of America, affixing this Order on some conspicuous part of the ship, and leaving a true copy in its place when the original is removed. You are instructed thereupon to make Return, under oath, upon this Original Order of your action in the premises.
Very truly yours,
United States Shipping Board,
(Signed) John A. Donald,
Commissioner.
To the United States Shipping Board:
I hereby certify that I have complied with the instruction contained in the foregoing Order.
(Signed) Anthony V. Lynch.
July 14th, 1917.
Part I
The United States Takes Over the German Merchant Ship, “Vaterland”
REPAIRING THE “VATERLAND”
Organization and Trial Trip
O. J. H.
When the Vaterland of the Hamburg-American Line was taken over by the United States Navy it was found to be in urgent need of repairs throughout and the work of fitting the ship out for service as a Navy Transport was accomplished by civilian labor and the ship’s force. The force at that time consisted of men of the Regular Navy and the United States Naval Reserve Force. These men worked long and faithfully to accomplish a task which the Germans claimed could not be done.
One of the hardest propositions that was accomplished aboard the ship was the repairing and the tracing up of the plumbing of the ship, i.e., the fresh water and salt water lines. The plans of this plumbing could not be found and had evidently been destroyed by the German crew. In a great many instances it was found that lead fresh water lines had been cut and the ends squeezed together. In other instances entire sections of lines were cut out altogether and from investigation it looked as if this was done maliciously when it was rumored that these vessels were to be seized by the United States Government. These pipe lines are all installed behind the panelling of the ship and when the water was first turned on numerous floods were caused throughout the ship. An amusing incident occurred on the trial trip to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, when the entire forward section of the ship’s officers’ rooms on the starboard side was flooded with about fourteen inches of water.
The work of refitting deck gear and getting in shape lifeboat equipment was accomplished entirely by the ship’s force and when the ship was finally ready for oversea service she carried more lifeboats than any other ship afloat. The outboard lifeboats, except in a few cases, are fitted with the Welin gear. This gear is electrically operated and when a boat is sent out over the ship’s sides it can be dropped from the highest deck, i.e., “A” deck, to the water with safety within sixty seconds. There is life equipment aboard, consisting of lifeboats and the latest type of life rafts for over 17,000 persons, so that a landsman sailing on board the Leviathan is well provided for and need not worry.
The Leviathan is without doubt the most wonderfully constructed vessel below the water-line in the world. The ship is subdivided into fourteen water-tight compartments and every precaution was taken from the time the ship sailed from the Port of Embarkation until her return, to safeguard the vessel. The officers and men were untiring in their efforts. During a period of ten months and twenty-six days, this vessel carried over 100,000 persons, a total of approximately one-twentieth of the entire American Expeditionary Forces which were landed overseas. Four or five thousand additional troops could have been carried on board, but for the health and comfort and safety of all concerned, this additional number were not transported.
The Leviathan is the only vessel in the American Transport Service which can sustain a speed of