SS Moccasin, probably just after being taken over by the United States Shipping Board in 1917. Her former name Prinz Joachim is still painted on her bow.
History
United States
Name
  • Prinz Joachim (1903—1918)
  • Moccasin (1918—1920)
  • Porto Rico (1920—?)
NamesakeMoccasin, a soft leather shoe or boot of Algonquian origin (previous name retained)
Owner
BuilderFlensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft, Flensburg, Germany
Launched21 March 1903
Completed1903
Acquired19 February 1918
Commissioned26 February 1918
Decommissioned2 June 1919
FateReturnd to United States Shipping Board 2 June 1919 for return to commercial service
NotesIn commercial service as German passenger-cargo ship SS Prinz Joachim 1903-1917 and as American cargo ship SS Moccasin 1917-1918 and from 1919; later renamed SS Porto Rico
General characteristics
TypeRefrigerated cargo ship
Tonnage4,759 Gross register tons
Displacement9,060 tons
Length370 ft 6 in (112.93 m)
Beam45 ft 3 in (13.79 m)
Draft23 ft 9 in (7.24 m) (mean)
PropulsionSteam engine
Speed11.5 knots (maximum)
Complement174
Armament1 × 6-inch (152-millimeter) gun, 1 × 3-inch (76.2-millimeter) gun

USS Moccasin (ID-1322) was a United States Navy refrigerated cargo ship in commission from 1918-1919. She was the third ship to carry her name.

Moccasin was built as the German commercial passenger-cargo ship SS Prinz Joachim in 1903 at Flensburg, Germany, by Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft for the Hamburg America Line. When the United States entered World War I on the side of the Allied in April 1917, the United States Government seized her and placed her under the control of the United States Shipping Board (USSB) for use during World War I. Renamed SS Moccasin, she entered service as an American civilian cargo ship. Late in 1917, the United States Army chartered her.

The U.S. Navy acquired Moccasin at New York City on 19 February 1918 for World War I use as a refrigerated cargo ship. She was assigned the naval registry Identification Number (Id. No.) 1322 and commissioned as USS Moccasin on 26 February 1918.

Service history

Assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service, Moccasin departed New York City on 14 March 1918 with a convoy for Europe, arriving at Bordeaux, France on 13 April to unload her cargo of frozen food.

Moccasin continued to operate as a refrigerator ship, making cross‑Atlantic runs to Europe from New York, until she decommissioned on 2 June 1919. She was transferred to the USSB the same day.

On 15 August 1919 the USSB opened bids for repair and conversion to oil fuel and awarded the contract to Tietjen & Lang Dry Dock Company with work completed on 28 December 1919. The USSB placed the ship under management of the Munson Steamship Line for passenger and freight service to the east coast of South America. After reconditioning and repair after an accident in New York the ship was allocated in 1920 by the USSB for service with the Porto Rico Steamship Company under the name Porto Rico.[1][2]

References

  1. ↑ Fourth Annual Report of the United States Shipping Board (PDF) (Report). Washington, D.C.: United States Shipping Board. December 1, 1920. p. 130. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
  2. ↑ Fifth Annual Report of the United States Shipping Board (PDF) (Report). Washington, D.C.: United States Shipping Board. December 1, 1920. p. 147. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
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