Return to Naval Historical Center home page. Return to Online Library listing

DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 61539:  USS Comfort at anchor, circa 1919

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Comfort (1918-1925, later AH-3).
Formerly the Passenger Steamship Havana (1906)

USS Comfort, a 10,102-ton (displacement) hospital ship, was built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1906 as the civilian passenger steamship Havana. She was acquired by the Navy in July 1917, converted at Brooklyn, New York, and renamed Comfort in mid-March 1918, four days prior to being placed in commission. After spending much of the remainder of World War I as a floating hospital at New York, in October 1918 she began the first of three voyages to bring wounded servicemen home from Europe.

In June 1919 Comfort went to the Pacific and in September of that year was placed "in ordinary" at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California. Formally decommissioned in August 1921, she was sold at the beginning of April 1925. Following reconstruction in 1927-1928 she returned to commercial employment, initially as S.S. Havana and later as S.S. Yucatan and S.S. Agwileon. In 1942-1946 she was the U.S. Army Transport Agwileon and the Army Hospital Ship Shamrock and was sold for scrapping in 1948.

This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have concerning USS Comfort (1918-1925, later AH-3).

For additional images concerning this ship, see:

  • S.S. Havana (American Passenger Ship, 1906); and
  • USAT Agwileon (Army Transport, 1942-1943). Later Army Hospital Ship Shamrock (1943-1946).


    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 61539

    USS Comfort
    (hospital ship, later AH-3)

    At anchor, circa 1919.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 600 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 77286

    USS Comfort
    (hospital ship, later AH-3)

    At anchor in New York Harbor, circa 1919.

    Courtesy of Mrs. C.R. DeSpain, 1973. From the scrapbooks of Fred M. Butler.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 50KB; 740 x 510 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 93860

    USS Comfort
    (hospital ship, later AH-3)

    In port, during the World War I era.

    Courtesy of Paul H. Silverstone, 1982.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 425 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 67704

    USS Comfort
    (hospital ship, later AH-3)

    In dry dock at the New York Navy Yard, circa 1919.

    Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Library, Treasure Island, California, 1969.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 44KB; 740 x 525 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 67708

    USS Comfort
    (hospital ship, later AH-3)

    Crewmen assembled during "General Quarters", circa 1918.

    Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Library, Treasure Island, California, 1969.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 100KB; 740 x 570 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 67709

    USS Comfort
    (hospital ship, later AH-3)

    Wounded soldiers on board, during their passage home from France after the end of World War I, 1 December 1918.

    Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Library, Treasure Island, California, 1969.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 78KB; 740 x 530 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 67706

    USS Comfort
    (hospital ship, later AH-3)

    Wounded, and seasick, soldier on the ship's deck, during passage home from France, circa late 1918.

    Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Library, Treasure Island, California, 1969.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 63KB; 550 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 67707

    USS Comfort
    (hospital ship, later AH-3)

    Unloading wounded soldiers in a U.S. port upon returning from France, December 1918.
    Note ambulances and railroad car.
    Camouflage pattern indicates that the ship partially visible in the background is USS Colhoun (Destroyer # 85).

    Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Library, Treasure Island, California, 1969.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 100KB; 740 x 565 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 67705

    USS Comfort
    (hospital ship, later AH-3)

    Navy pilot leaving the ship, circa 1918.

    Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Library, Treasure Island, California, 1969.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 90KB; 550 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 67710

    USS Comfort
    (hospital ship, later AH-3)

    Taking on coal from a small craft, in an Azores port, 11 January 1919.

    Courtesy of the U.S. Naval Library, Treasure Island, California, 1969.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 80KB; 570 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 76558

    "Victory Over Sea{s} Fleet in New York Harbor April 1919"


    Panoramic photograph by The Pictorial News Service, 225 W. 36th St., New York City, showing Atlantic Fleet battleships and other vessels anchored in the Hudson River.
    Ships present, as identified on the original print, are listed on Photo # NH 76558 (complete caption).

    Collection of Colonel J. Willcox, USMC (Retired).

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 133KB; 2000 x 390 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 45744

    U.S. Army Transport Mount Vernon


    Moored outboard of the Navy hospital ship Comfort, at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, 2 January 1920.
    Note the drydock in the foreground.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 110KB; 740 x 600 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 71246

    U.S. Army Transport Mount Vernon


    Moored outboard of the Navy hospital ship Comfort, at the Mare Island Navy Yard, California, in January 1920.

    Photograph from the William H. Topley Collection; courtesy of Charles M. Loring, 1970.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 129KB; 740 x 575 pixels

     

    Note: In addition to the photographs presented above, Photo # NH 61538 was previously thought to show USS Comfort. However, analysis of porthole spacing in this ship's hull proves that her sister ship, USS Mercy (later AH-4), is actually seen.


    For additional images concerning this ship, see:

  • S.S. Havana (American Passenger Ship, 1906); and
  • USAT Agwileon (Army Transport, 1942-1943). Later Army Hospital Ship Shamrock (1943-1946).


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


    Return to Naval Historical Center home page.

    Page made 16 March 2005
    Introductory text updated and links added 23 September 2005