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

Photo # NH 43287:  USS Santa Ana off New York City, 1919

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

USS Santa Ana (ID # 2869), 1919-1919.
Originally, and later, S.S. Santa Ana (1918). Also S.S. Guatamala, Santa Cecilia and Irwin.
Served in 1941-1946 as the U.S. Army Transport and U.S. Army Hospital Ship John L. Clem. Was assigned U.S. Navy hull number AP-36 in 1941.

USS Santa Ana, an 4942 gross ton (8890 tons displacement) transport, was built in 1918 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the civilian passenger liner of the same name. She was taken over by the Navy upon completion and placed in commission in February 1919. As a unit of the Cruiser and Transport Force, she made four round-trip voyages to bring World War I veterans from France. USS Santa Ana completed this work in July 1919 and, later in that month, was decommissioned and turned over to the U.S. Shipping Board. Between the World Wars she operated commercially under the names Santa Ana, Guatamala, Santa Cecilia and Irwin. In 1941 she was acquired by the War Department and served during and shortly after World War II as the Army's transport and hospital ship John L. Clem. Soon after her acquisition by the Army she was assigned the U.S. Navy hull number AP-36, but did not enter U.S. Navy service. The ship was sold for scrapping in 1948.

This page features all the views we have concerning USS Santa Ana and the civilian S.S. Santa Ana, and provides links to photos of her as the USAT/USAHS John L. Clem.

For images of this ship while she was in U.S. Army service, see:

  • John L. Clem (U.S. Army Transport and Hospital Ship, 1941-1946).


    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 70465

    S.S. Santa Ana
    (American Passenger Ship, 1918)

    Underway in an icy harbor, circa the winter of 1918-1919, probably when first completed.
    Photographed by Edwin Levick, New York.
    This ship was USS Santa Ana (ID # 2869) during February-July 1919.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 590 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 43287

    USS Santa Ana
    (ID # 2869)

    Off New York City with her decks crowded with troops she has brought home from Europe, circa March-July 1919.
    Photographed by E. Muller, Jr., New York.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 520 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 70463

    USS Santa Ana
    (ID # 2869)

    In a U.S. East Coast harbor, with her decks crowded with troops returning from France, 1919.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 70KB; 740 x 570 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 104608

    YMCA Postal Card for Returning Troops, 1919


    Reverse side of a card used by returning troops to report their arrival home from Europe. This example was sent on 7 June 1919, reporting the arrival of Maurice J. Wieland of Company A, 303rd Engineers, in USS Santa Ana (ID # 2869). It was mailed to Miss Lena Kniskern, of Howe's Cave, New York.
    The front side of this card is identical to that seen in Photo # NH 103458.

    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2007.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 84KB; 740 x 490 pixels

     


    The following photograph shows Santa Ana or her sister, S.S. Santa Luisa:

    Photo #: NH 93942

    S.S. Santa Ana
    (American Passenger-Cargo Steamship, 1918)

    Fitting out at the William Cramp and Sons shipyard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, circa late 1918.
    This ship served as USS Santa Ana (ID # 2869) between 11 February and 21 July 1919. She was renamed Guatamala, Santa Cecilia and Irwin while in commercial operation between the World Wars and was the Army transport and hospital ship John L. Clem during and shortly after World War II.
    Note: This same photograph was also used on the official data card for USS Santa Luisa (ID # 2873), and may well show that ship refitting for commercial service in 1919, rather than Santa Ana.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 86KB; 740 x 480 pixels

     

    For images of this ship while she was in U.S. Army service, see:

  • John L. Clem (U.S. Army Transport and Hospital Ship, 1941-1946).


    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 31 December 2004
    Link added 2 May 2007