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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMAND
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
Photo #  NH 67902:  USS Supply.

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

USS Supply (1898-1921).
Originally S.S. Illinois (American Freighter, 1874).


USS Supply, a 4325 ton (displacement) passenger and cargo ship, was completed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1874 as the commercial steamship Illinois. She was purchased by the Navy in late April 1898 for service in the Spanish-American War. In early May the name Supply was assigned to the "beef and ice boat" Illinois, and the ship's first log begins on 9 July 1898, at which time she was assigned to the North Atlantic Fleet. After supporting the fleet as a supply ship in Cuban waters, Supply was decommissioned at the New York Navy Yard in April 1899. The former "small liner" was then refitted with what a later Commanding Officer called "unusually commodious and comfortable quarters" for her crew. Recommissioned in August 1902, she was sent to the Asiatic Station.

Between 1902 and 1917 Supply served as station ship at Guam, from where she made periodic extended voyages as supply ship for the Asiatic Fleet. The ship returned to the United States for overhauls at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Washington, in 1912 and in 1915-1916. Following the U.S. declaration of war against Germany in April 1917 she rescued the crew of the German auxiliary cruiser Cormoran when they blew up their interned ship at Guam rather than surrender it. Supply departed Guam in November 1917 and, after arriving at Charleston, South Carolina, in January 1918, was designated Flagship, Train, Atlantic Fleet. In May 1919 she was ordered back to Guam as station ship, but upon her arrival on the West Coast was directed to the Mare Island, California, Navy Yard for repairs. Supply decommissioned there in September 1919 and was sold for scrapping in September 1921.

This page features all the views we have concerning USS Supply (1898-1921) and S.S. Illinois of 1874.


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 43663

USS Supply
(1898-1921)

Photographed in August 1902.
The ship was recommissioned on 1 August 1902, probably at the New York Navy Yard.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 91KB; 595 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 43664

USS Supply
(1898-1921)

Photographed in August 1902.
The ship was recommissioned on 1 August 1902, probably at the New York Navy Yard.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 87KB; 610 x 765 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 67902

USS Supply
(1898-1921)

Probably photographed a few years after the Spanish-American War.

Courtesy Donald M. McPherson, 1968.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 70KB; 740 x 510 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 105955

USS Supply
(Supply ship, 1898-1921)

Photographed before World War I, possibly during one of her long periods of duty as station ship at Guam.

Donation of Captain Stephen S. Roberts, USNR (Retired), 2008.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 485 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 71013

USS Supply
(1898-1921)

Dressed with flags for Washington's Birthday at Apia Harbor, Guam, on 22 February 1913.
At this time Supply was station ship at Guam.

Courtesy of Mr. Gustave Freret, 1970.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 450 pixels

 
Photo #: NH 71584

USS Supply
(1898-1921)

At the Mare Island, California, Navy Yard circa 1921.
The ship is not flying a jack flag on the bow and appears to be out of commission. USS Saturn (AG-4) is on the left. The two large ships astern may be USS Vermont (BB-20) and Brooklyn (CA-3).

Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1970.

U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

Online Image: 95KB; 740 x 615 pixels

 


USS Supply is seen in the background of the following view of another ship:

Photo #: 19-N-14-19-10

USS Cushing
(Torpedo Boat # 1)

Photographed in November 1900 at the New York Navy Yard. The decommissioned supply ship USS Supply (1898-1921) is in the background.

Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

Online Image: 107KB; 630 x 765 pixels

Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

 


NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


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


    Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page.

    Page made 30 April 2008
    New image added 28 February 2009