S.S. AMERIKA, S.S. AMERICA, EDMUND B. ALEXANDER: Maritime Matters (original) (raw)

AMERIKA (1905)
AMERICA (1917)
EDMUND B. ALEXANDER (1941)

Built as AMERIKA for Hamburg-Amerika Line at Harland & Wollf, Belfast
22,224 GRT
213 x 22.6 meters, 699 x 74.3 feet
Twin screw, Quadruple expansion engines
17.5 knots
420 First, 254 Second Class, 223 Third Class, 1,765 steerage passengers; 577 Crew

Launched April 20, 1905, she was rapidly fitted out for her Maiden voyage October 11, from Hamburg - Dover - Cherbourg - New York. She was the largest ship in the world until 1906. In many ways the AMERIKA resembled the Harland & Wolff White Star liners CELTIC and CEDRIC, though far more luxurious. Her passenger accommodation was ahead of any predecessor and included such refinments as suites with a private bathroom, electric lifts, a winter garden, electrical medicinal baths and a Ritz-Calton restaurant (the first a la carte restaurant on the North Atlantic).

AMERIKA spent nine years on Hamburg-America Line's service between Germany and the United States.

At 11:45 AM on the morning of April 14, 1912, SS AMERIKA's Captain Knuth (formerly Captain of PENNSYLVANIA) ordered a message transmitted:

Hydrographic Office Washington D.C.
amerika passed two large icebergs in 41�27 N. 50� 8' W on the 14th of April
Knuth

It appears that this message was never relayed to the bridge of SS TITANIC as it sailed towards those coordinates.

In the early hours of October 4, 1912, while steaming through the English Channel, bound for New York AMERIKA rammed and sank British submarine HMS B2 four miles off Dover. The submarine was on the surface and was struck just forward of the conning tower. One man was pulled from the water, 15 were lost as the submarine immediately sank.

AMERIKA inaugurated a Hamburg - Boulogne - Southampton - Boston service June 10, 1914. In August 1914 she was interned in Boston.

S.S. AMERICA, Jewish Welfare postcard, Martin Cox collection.

Seized by the US on April 6, 1917, AMERIKA was turned over to the US Navy. In August 1917, while conversion to a troop transport was underway at the Boston Navy Yard, she was commissioned as USS AMERIKA, but the name was soon changed to AMERICA. As USS AMERICA, she emerged as a Navy Transport and sailed on nine trooping voyages from the USA to France. USS AMERICA sailed for France on the morning of October 31, on the fire of he missions in a convoy with the transports MOUNT VERNON, VON STEUBEN, AGAMEMNON guarded by the Armored Cruiser NORTH CAROLINA and Destroyer TERRY and DUNCAN.

On July 14, 1918, USS AMERICA on an eastbound crossing was in collision with British steamer INSTRUCTOR which sank with 16 dead. Later that year, AMERICA was involved in another calamity, when she sank at her berth in Hoboken, New Jersey on October 18, due to poor coal trimming, six people were killed. By December 15, she was raised, then repaired at the New York Navy Yard. February 21, 1919 saw USAT AMERICA was back in service for US Shipping Board. She sailed from New York via Panama to Vladivostock, then embarked 6,500 troops for Trieste sailing via Suez.

Overhauled and refitted from May to June 12, 1920 at Brooklyn by Morse Dry Dock & Repair Co. First voyage New York - Europe service under charter to United States Mail Steam Ship Co. She arrived in New York from Meditterranean with 2,666 emigrants August 1920. Tranferred to United States Lines in August, SS AMERICA sailed on the New York - Bremerhaven service. Converted from coal to oil-firing in 1921 at Brooklyn, she was refitted to carry 225 First, 425 Second Class, 1,500 Third Class, sailing New York - Plymouth - Cherbourg - Bremen service. Her first passenger voyage began June 22, 1921 from New York for Bremen, sailing for Bremen, Germany with calls at Plymouth, England, and Cherbourg, France.

In 1923, AMERICA was rebuilt at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, emerging at; 21,114 GRT. With capacity for 692 Cabin, 1,056 Third Class passengers.

On March 10, 1926 at the end of a refit, a large fire raged for seven hours and eventually consumed most of the passenger cabins as it swept the ship nearly from stem to stern, causing an estimated US$2,000,000 worth of damage.swept through the ship while refitting at Newport News causing major damage. Demolition was considered but instead she was repaired by 1927, registered at 21,328 GRT and fitted to carry 835 Cabin, 516 Third Class passengers. AMERICA resumed New York - Plymouth - Cherbourg - Bremen service. Responding to a distress call from Italian freighter FLORIDA, Captain Fried sailed AMERICA 350 miles through Atlantic gales arriving January 29, 1929. A boat from AMERICA was able to rescue 23 men.

AMERICA arrived in New York April 9, 1931 after her final transatlantic voyage with United States Lines, from Hamburg via Southampton and Cherbourg she was laid up at Hoboken. In September 1932 she was owed to Point Patience, Md., on the Patuxent River for lay-up with her old convoy mates, AGAMMEMNON and MOUNT VERNON. Agamemnon, and Mount Vernon.

In October 1940 she was brought out of lay-up for US Army use and towed to Baltimore for usa as an accomodation ship for US Maritime Commission in St. Johns, Newfoundland, and renamed EDMUND B. ALEXANDER. (The name AMERICA was then tranferred to the newest and largest United States liner under construction). January 20, 1941 saw her leave New York and sail enlisted men of the 3d Infantry, 62d Coast Artillery and 57th Coast Artillery to Newfoundland, their task was to defend, (in co-operation with the Canadian and Newfoundland troops), the city and harbor of St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. Once land based barracks had been constructed, the ship returned to New York, June 1941, EDMUND B. ALEXANDER was again refitted at Atlantic Basin Iron Works as a troop transport and began trooping from New Orleans - Panama.

By 1942, her aging engines were giving only 10 knots. The US Maritime Commission sent her to Bethlehem Steel Corp. in Baltimore for an overhaul which included removing one funnel and conversion to oil firing boilers. She could now make 17 knots and carry 5,000 troops. In April 1943, she was transferred for use as US Army transport sailing from New York to European and Mediterranean ports and continued in troop service throughout WWII. For example, EDMUND B. ALEXANDER, sailed in a twelve vessel convoy along with ARGENTINA, MONTEREY, SANTA ELENA, SANTA PAULA, SANTA ROSA in November 1943.

After the war in early 1946 she was refitted to carry "war brides", with accommodation for 903 adults and 314 children. Frim 1946 to 1949, EDMUND B. ALEXANDER made many voyages carrying women and children from Southampton to New York. On May 26, 1949 she was finally laid up at Hawkins' Point near Baltimore, and placed in reserve. Later she was moved to the Hudson River in 1951. In January 27, 1957 was towed to Bethlehem Steel Corp., in Baltimore and scrapped in 1958.

References: American Passenger Ships, Frederick Emmons; North Atlantic Seaway, N.R.P. Bonsor; Great Passenger Ships of the World, A. Kludas