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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
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WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 70469:  SS Edith, prior to her World War I era U.S. Navy service


Online Library of Selected Images:
-- CIVILIAN SHIPS --

S.S. Edith (American Freighter, 1915).
Served as USS Edith (ID # 3459) in 1918-1919

S.S. Edith, a 3527 gross ton (7160 tons displacement) freighter built by the Maryland Steel Company of Sparrows Point, Maryland, was completed in 1915 for commercial operation by A.H. Bull & Company of New York City. She was taken over by the Navy and placed in commission as USS Edith (ID # 3459) at the beginning of October 1918. Assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service, she made one voyage to France in November 1918, returning to the U.S. in December. Her second trip while in Navy hands took her to Brazil, where she delivered general cargo and picked up a load of sugar cane. Edith was disabled by machinery problems while en route home to New Orleans and had to be towed into port. She was decommissioned in mid-May 1919 and returned to her owners.

Edith was still operated by A.H. Bull during World War II. On 7 June 1942, while steaming southeast of Jamaica, she was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-159. Two members of her crew were lost with her, but the twenty-nine survivors were given some assistance by the submarine and were able reach Jamaica after a week afloat in rafts and a lifeboat.

This page features the only view we have concerning the steamship Edith, which served as USS Edith (ID # 3459) in 1918-1919.


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 70469

S.S. Edith
(American Freighter, 1915)

Photographed prior to her World War I era Naval service.
This steamship served as USS Edith (ID # 3459) in 1918-1919.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 60KB; 740 x 480 pixels

 


If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions."


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Page made 12 September 2006