S.S. El Capitan, a 10,200 ton (displacement) freighter, was built at Newport News, Virginia, in 1917. She was turned over to the Navy in March 1918 and commissioned as USS El Capitan (ID # 1407). The ship served with the Naval Overseas Transportation Service during and shortly after World War I, making four voyages to France and England with military supplies and other cargo. El Capitan was decommissioned at the beginning of February 1919 and returned to her owner, the Southern Pacific Steamship Company.
During World War II El Capitan was owned by the War Shipping Administration and, beginning in June 1941, operated by United States Lines. She was transferred to Panamanian registry at the beginning of October 1941. Disabled by German aircraft on 9 July 1942, while operating with the ill-fated Arctic convoy PQ-17, S.S. El Capitan sank the following day.
This page features the only view we have concerning the steamship El Capitan, which served as USS El Capitan (ID # 1407) 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.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 11 September 2006