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Photo # NH 44753:  USS Northern Pacific at Hoboken, N.J., 17 June 1918

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

USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919).
Originally S.S. Northern Pacific (American Passenger Liner, 1914)
Later USAT Northern Pacific (U.S. Army Transport, 1919-1921)

S.S. Northern Pacific, a 8255 gross ton passenger liner, was built in 1913-1914 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for high speed commercial operation in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Early in November 1917 she was taken over by the Navy for World War I troop transport service and placed in commission as USS Northern Pacific (with no Registry ID # assigned). Following several months of conversion work at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, the ship left the West Coast early in March, with nearly 2000 troops on board for transportation to New York, via the Panama Canal.

Later in March 1918, after installation of her armament, Northern Pacific left New York Harbor on the first of thirteen round-trip voyages to France. She carried nearly 23,000 troops and other passengers to Europe, and brought more than 9500 back to the U.S. Nine of these trips took place prior to the 11 November 1918 Armistice, with between 2400 and nearly 2800 persons being transported on each of her first eight eastbound passages. On a few occasions German submarines or torpedoes were reportedly sighted, but no damage was inflicted on the fast-moving Northern Pacific. However, she was not so lucky during the great influenza epidemic that struck the United States during the last four months of the year. On her eighth voyage to France, in late September and early October, hundreds of crewmen and passengers were taken ill, with seven dying on board and others after arrival at the port of Brest.

Thereafter, passenger loads were significantly reduced, both due to the effects of the epidemic and to the increasingly favorable war situation. Slightly more than 500 passengers were carried to France on Northern Pacific's ninth eastbound trip and less than 2000 on her tenth, which began on 12 November 1918, one day after the fighting had ceased. She then began bringing war veterans home, but this work was interrupted on 1 January 1919, near the end of her eleventh troop carrying cycle, when she ran hard aground off Fire Island, New York. Refloated 18 days later, Northern Pacific was under repair for the next five months.

USS Northern Pacific made two more trips between late June and mid-August 1919. Decommissioned later in August, she was turned over to the War Department for use as an Army Transport. In late 1921 she was returned to the U.S. Shipping Board and sold for further commercial employment. However, while under tow to a Chester, Pennsylvania, shipyard on 2 February 1922, the Northern Pacific caught fire and was destroyed.

This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have concerning USS Northern Pacific, USAT Northern Pacific and the civilian passenger liner Northern Pacific.

For other images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919) -- Distant, On Board and Miscellaneous Views;
  • USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919) -- Stranding, January 1919;
  • USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919) -- Under Repair, January-May 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 60664

    S.S. Northern Pacific
    (American Passenger Liner, 1914)

    In harbor, probably when completed in 1914.
    This ship served as USS Northern Pacific in 1917-1919.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 75KB; 740 x 555 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 106041

    S.S. Northern Pacific
    (American Passenger Liner, 1914)

    Halftone reproduction of an artwork, based on a photograph probably taken in 1914 (see Photo # NH 60664. This ship served as USS Northern Pacific in 1917-1919). Her sister, S.S. Great Northern, was USS Great Northern (ID # 4569) during the same time.
    This view was published in 1919 as one of ten images in a "Souvenir Folder" concerning USS Great Northern.

    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 88KB; 740 x 495 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 44753

    USS Northern Pacific
    (1917-1919)

    At Hoboken, New Jersey, on 17 June 1918, after being painted in "dazzle" type camouflage.
    The Baltimore & Ohio Rail Road barge Harpers Ferry is in the left foreground.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 93KB; 740 x 610 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 78285

    USS Northern Pacific
    (1917-1919)

    Underway in 1918, while painted in "dazzle" camouflage.

    Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1973.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 78KB; 740 x 460 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 775

    USS Northern Pacific
    (1917-1919)

    Photographed in 1918, while wearing in "dazzle" camouflage.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 70KB; 740 x 450 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105115

    USS Northern Pacific
    (1917-1919)

    Alongside a pier, in 1918 or early 1919.
    The original image is printed on postcard stock.

    Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2007.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image size: 57KB; 740 x 450 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 104732

    USS Northern Pacific
    (1917-1919)

    Panoramic photograph by Head-Mayberry, New York, showing the ship being assisted by U.S. Army tugs upon her arrival in New York Harbor while bringing U.S. service personnel home from Europe, circa mid-1919.

    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2007.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 86KB; 1200 x 425 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105421

    USAT Northern Pacific

    (U.S. Army Transport, formerly USS Northern Pacific)

    Steam lighter alongside the ship to transfer World War I era fatalities for transportation home to the United States, circa 1919-1921.
    The original image is printed on postcard ("AZO") stock.

    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2007.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 74KB; 440 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 103277

    S.S. Northern Pacific
    (American Passenger Liner, 1914)

    Launching, at the Cramp shipyard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1914. This ship was USS Northern Pacific in 1917-1919.
    A U.S. Navy destroyer is fitting out in the left foreground.
    The original image was printed on postal card stock.

    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2005.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 69KB; 740 x 500 pixels

     


    For other images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919) -- Distant, On Board and Miscellaneous Views;
  • USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919) -- Stranding, January 1919;
  • USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919) -- Under Repair, January-May 1919.


    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 29 November 2005
    New image added 7 November 2008