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Photo #  NH 70455:  SS El Oriente underway in harbor, prior to World War I


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

El Oriente (American Freighter, 1910).
Served as USS El Oriente (ID # 4504) in 1918-1919

El Oriente, a 6008 gross ton steel steam freighter, was built at Newport News, Virginia, in 1910. She was taken over by the Navy in late July 1918 and placed in commission as USS El Oriente (ID # 4504). From then until April 1919 she made four round-trip voyages to France, carrying U.S. Army cargo. The ship was then converted to a troop transport, beginning operations as such in June. In September 1919, after the completion of two trips bringing service personnel home from France, USS El Oriente was decommissioned and returned to her owners.

This page features the only views we have concerning the freighter El Oriente and USS El Oriente (ID # 4504).


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 70455

S.S. El Oriente
(American Freighter, 1910)

Underway in harbor, prior to World War I.
This ship served as USS El Oriente (ID # 4504) in 1918-1919.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 480 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 103918

USS El Oriente
(ID # 4504)

In a U.S. East Coast port at the end of a voyage bringing troops home from France, circa mid-1919.
The original image was printed on postal card ("AZO") stock.

Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2006.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 470 pixels

 


The following photograph is of a ship that may be USS El Oriente, though it is more likely her sister, USS El Occidente (ID # 3307):

Photo #: NH 106039

U.S. Navy Cargo Ship


Photographed circa early 1919. Location may be the Gironde River, France, off the American Bassens port facility.
This ship is either USS El Oriente (ID # 4504), USS El Occidente (ID # 3307), or USS El Sol (ID # 4505). What may be a name board on her bridge face indicates, from its length, that El Occidente is the more likely identification.
Note that the ship still carries her bow gun, and is still in freighter configuration. El Oriente and El Sol were converted to transports in the Spring of 1919, while El Occidente was decommissioned in March of that year.
The original photograph is printed on post card ("AZO") stock.

Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 470 pixels

 


NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


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


    Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page.

    Page made 30 November 2003
    New image added 3 January 2009