WWI Ship Name Index   Return to WWI Auxiliaries.

UNITED STATES NAVY
TEMPORARY AUXILIARY SHIPS
WORLD WAR I

Photo # NH 41893:  German passenger liner President Lincoln underway, prior to World War I

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

USS President Lincoln (1917-1918).
Originally S.S. President Lincoln (German Passenger Liner, 1907)

S.S. President Lincoln, a 18,168 gross ton passenger liner, was built in 1907 at Belfast, Ireland, for commercial operation by the Hamburg-American Line. A rather distinctive ship, with six masts, a split superstructure and relatively large cargo capacity, she was mainly intended for the westbound immigrant trade. Trapped in American waters when World War I began early in August 1914, she was laid up in New York Harbor until seized when the United States entered the conflict in April 1917. She was subsequently turned over to the Navy for conversion to a transport and was placed in commission in July 1917 as USS President Lincoln (with no registry ID # assigned).

Repairs and outfitting kept her in port for some time before President Lincoln took her first troops across the Atlantic in October 1917. Four more eastbound voyages to France followed during the next six months. In all, she transported about 23,000 American military personnel to the European war zone. On 29 May 1918 President Lincoln left Brest, France, homeward bound on the return leg of her fifth voyage, accompanied by three other troopships. On the morning of the 31st, while about 600 miles into the trip, she was intercepted and torpedoed by the German submarine U-90. USS President Lincoln sank soon afterwards, with the loss of 26 of the more than 700 persons on board.

This page features, and provides links to, all the views that are available concerning USS President Lincoln and the German passenger liner President Lincoln.

For other images related to this ship, see:

  • USS President Lincoln -- On Board Views and Ship's Crew;
  • USS President Lincoln -- Troops On Board the Ship; and
  • USS President Lincoln -- Sinking, 31 May 1918.


    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.


    Photo #: NH 41893

    S.S. President Lincoln

    (German Passenger Liner, 1907)

    Underway, prior to World War I.
    This ship was USS President Lincoln in 1917-1918.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 570 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 103352

    S.S. President Lincoln

    (German Passenger Liner, 1907)

    Underway in a harbor, prior to World War I. She was USS President Lincoln in 1917-1918.
    The original print of this photograph was found on board the ship by W.C. Lang in 1917. He donated it to the President Lincoln Club on 17 November 1931.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 81KB; 740 x 565 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 41887

    S.S. President Lincoln

    (German Passenger Liner, 1907)

    Underway in harbor, prior to World War I.
    Retouched photograph, probably printed on a contemporary postal card.
    This ship served as USS President Lincoln in 1917-1918.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 455 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 103353

    USS President Lincoln
    (1917-1918)

    Underway at sea during World War I.
    Photographed from USS Susquehanna (ID # 3016), which was in convoy with President Lincoln when the latter was torpedoed and sunk on 31 May 1918.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 475 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 103270

    USS President Lincoln
    (1917-1918)

    In port, circa 1917.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 62KB; 740 x 565 pixels

     
    Photo #: None

    USS President Lincoln
    (1917-1918)

    Underway in pattern camouflage circa May 1918.
    This view is cropped from a larger view on a post card captioned "Pres. Lincoln on her last voyage."

    Source: Shipscribe.

     


    USS President Lincoln is reportedly one of the ships visible in the following photograph:

    Photo #: NH 82755

    World War I Troopship Convoy


    Photographed from the stern of an escorting destroyer, while at sea in 1918.
    The donor claims that one of these ships is USS President Lincoln.

    Collection of Chief Warrant Officer Keith L. Anderson, USN (Retired), 1974.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 78KB; 740 x 540 pixels

     


    The following photographs were taken from USS President Lincoln, but nothing of her is visible in the views:

    Photo #: NH 103375

    Ferryboat Washington


    Alongside USS President Lincoln, at Hoboken, New Jersey, to transfer troops for transportation to France, December 1917.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 445 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 41888

    USS President Lincoln
    (1917-1918)

    Single-engine flying boat (possibly a French Lévy-Lepen HB-2) passes near the ship, as she steams in convoy during World War I.
    Note the freighter in the center distance, with thick smoke streaming from her smokestack.
    Photographed from on board President Lincoln.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 44KB; 740 x 450 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 103374

    St. Nazaire, France


    Lock at St. Nazaire, photographed from on board USS President Lincoln, circa 1917-1918.
    Note the truck in the lower left.

    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection.

    U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.

    Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 455 pixels

     


    For other images related to this ship, see:

  • USS President Lincoln -- On Board Views and Ship's Crew;
  • USS President Lincoln -- Troops On Board the Ship; and
  • USS President Lincoln -- Sinking, 31 May 1918.


    Return to WWI Auxiliaries.

    Page made 30 November 2005
    Link added 20 April 2007