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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
Photo # NH 98483:  U.S. Army Transport Irvin L. Hunt stranded in the Makassar Strait, 1941

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- SHIPS of the UNITED STATES ARMY --

USAT Irvin L. Hunt (Cargo Ship, 1941-1947).
Originally, and later, the civilian freighter Edenton (1918-1948). Was USS Edenton (ID # 3696) in 1918-1919.
Intended to become a U.S. Navy cargo ship (AK-38) in 1941-1942

U.S. Army Transport Irvin L. Hunt, a 6958 gross ton cargo ship, was launched in November 1918 at Seattle, Washington, as the civilian steamship Edenton. When completed in December of that year she was turned over to the Navy and placed in commission as USS Edenton (ID # 3696). After steaming to the East Coast, she crossed the Atlantic in February 1919, taking a cargo of famine-relief flour to Adriatic Sea ports. Edenton arrived at New Orleans, Louisiana early in May 1919, was decommissioned about a week later and returned to the U.S. Shipping Board.

In February 1941 Edenton was taken over by the War Department from the U.S. Maritime Commission and renamed Irvin L. Hunt. She was scheduled for further transfer to the U.S. Navy, and assigned the hull number AK-38, but remained in Army service through the Second World War and for more than a year after the conflict's end. Once the Army's need for her had ended Irvin L. Hunt was returned to the Maritime Commission and again renamed Edenton. She was placed in reserve at Astoria, Oregon, in January 1947, sold in March 1948 and was probably scrapped soon thereafter.

Note: Some sources list the ship's name as Irwin L. Hunt. However, the name Irvin L. Hunt is painted on the ship's bow in the photographs presented below and can be clearly made out in the original prints, though not so clearly in the Online Library's relatively low-resolution images.

This page features all our views of the U.S. Army Transport Irvin L. Hunt, which was also the civilian steamship Edenton and USS Edenton (ID # 3696).


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 98483

U.S. Army Transport Irvin L. Hunt


Stranded in the Makassar Strait, Netherlands East Indies, in 1941. Two Dutch tugs are visible beyond her stern, working to refloat her.
Note: This ship is listed in some sources as Irwin L. Hunt, but the name Irvin L. Hunt can be clearly read on her bow in this view. She was built in 1918 as the SS Edenton.

Courtesy of J. Bos, 1973.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 41KB; 740 x 440 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 98484

U.S. Army Transport Irvin L. Hunt


Stranded in the Makassar Strait, Netherlands East Indies, in 1941. A Dutch tug is visible beyond her stern, working to refloat her.

Courtesy of J. Bos, 1973.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 40KB; 740 x 440 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 98485

U.S. Army Transport Irvin L. Hunt


Stranded in the Makassar Strait, Netherlands East Indies, in 1941, with two Dutch tugs working to refloat her. Photographed from on board one of the tugs.

Courtesy of J. Bos, 1973.

U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

Online Image: 53KB; 740 x 445 pixels

 


Note: The Naval Historical Center's Photographic Section holds six other views showing USAT Irvin L. Hunt stranded in the Makassar Strait in 1941. Taken at the same time as those shown above, and received from the same source, they essentially duplicate the photos presented here or are of inferior image quality.
In May 2003 these photographs were held in file location UA-149-ml.


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


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Page made 24 May 2003
Introductory text revised 10 September 2006