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WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Photo # NH 51428:  USS St. Louis during the Spanish-American War, circa mid-1898

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

USS Saint Louis (1898).
Later USS Louisville (ID # 1644), 1918-1919

USS Saint Louis, a 14,910-ton (displacement) auxiliary cruiser, was completed in 1895 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the commercial passenger steamer of the same name. Chartered by the Navy in April 1898 and converted for Spanish-American War service, she operated in West Indian and and Cuban waters, cutting Spanish cables, taking part in bombardments of enemy fortifications and generally performing cruiser missions. Later in the short conflict, St. Louis was employed as a transport. In early September 1898, some weeks after the end of hostilities, St. Louis was decommissioned and returned to her owner.

The ship then resumed the commercial passenger trade, and, during the first year of United States participation in World War I, operated as a civilian-owned troop transport. In mid-April 1918 St. Louis was again taken over by the U.S. Navy. Placed in commission later in that month as USS Louisville (ID # 1644), she carried troops to and from Europe during and after the "Great War". Decommissioned in September 1919 and returned to her owner, she was again named St. Louis. However, while being refurbished for commercial service in January 1920, the steamship burned and sank at Hoboken, New Jersey. She was scrapped in 1925.

This page features, or provides links to, all the views we have concerning USS St. Louis (1898) and USS Louisville (ID # 1644), 1918-1919.

For more images related to this ship, see:

  • USS St. Louis 1898) and USS Louisville (ID # 1644) -- Miscellaneous Views;
  • USS Louisville (ID # 1644) -- On Board Views; and
  • S.S. Saint Louis (American Passenger Liner, 1895).


    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 51428

    USS Saint Louis
    (1898)

    Photographed during the Spanish-American War, circa mid-1898.
    Note that, though temporarily in U.S. Navy commissioned service, the ship remains in her civilian paint scheme.

    Courtesy of Rear Admiral H.C. Taylor.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 61KB; 650 x 675 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 85649

    U.S. Light House Tender Suwanee


    Halftone photograph, published in the book "War in Cuba", 1898, showing Suwanee underway off Siboney, Cuba, during the Spanish-American War.
    Among the ships in the background are USS St. Louis (left) and USS Vixen (right).

    Courtesy of Alfred Cellier, 1977.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 60KB; 740 x 600 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 103118

    USS Saint Louis
    (1898)

    At anchor off the south coast of Cuba, June 1898.
    Photograph printed by Henry Kahn & Company, 642 Market Street, San Francisco, California.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. Collection of Captain Cyrus R. Miller, USN.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 56KB; 665 x 675 pixels

     


    The following images show USS Louisville (ID # 1644) in 1918-1919:

    Photo #: NH 51431

    USS Louisville
    (ID # 1644)

    In port at New York City on 6 July 1918, with tugs President and Edward S. Atwood alongside her bow.
    This view, showing the ship's newly applied "dazzle" camouflage scheme, was taken by the New York Navy Yard.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 102KB; 595 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 51430

    USS Louisville
    (ID # 1644)

    In port at New York City on 6 July 1918.
    This view, showing the ship's newly applied "dazzle" camouflage scheme, was taken by the New York Navy Yard.
    The ship's civilian name, St. Louis, still appears on her lifeboats.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 76KB; 585 x 765 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 103059

    USS Louisville
    (ID # 1644)

    Halftone reproduction of a photograph taken in 1918, while the ship was painted in World War I pattern camouflage.
    The original image was published in 1918-1919 as one of ten photographs in a "Souvenir Folder" of views of and on board USS Louisville.

    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2005.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 58KB; 740 x 480 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105384

    USS Louisville
    (ID # 1644)

    Steaming past the Statue of Liberty, while arriving in New York Harbor with troops on board, 1919.
    Photographed by E. Muller, Jr., 198 Broadway, New York City, and printed on postcard stock.
    See Photo # NH 105176-A for a view of the reverse side of another postcard that is formatted identically to this one.

    Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2007.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image size: 90KB; 740 x 460 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 76007

    USS Louisville
    (ID # 1644)

    In New York Harbor while engaged in returning U.S. service personnel from Europe, 1919.
    The Statue of Liberty is visible in the left distance.

    Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1972.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 65KB; 740 x 460 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 103456

    USS Louisville
    (ID # 1644)

    In port, 1919.
    The original image was printed on postal card ("AZO") stock.

    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2006.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 535 pixels

     


    For more images related to this ship, see:

  • USS St. Louis 1898) and USS Louisville (ID # 1644) -- Miscellaneous Views;
  • USS Louisville (ID # 1644) -- On Board Views; and
  • S.S. Saint Louis (American Passenger Liner, 1895).


    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 October 2005
    New image added and page divided 17 January 2008