USSB Home Page                      Contract Steel Designs

Requisitioned Ships: Illustrations

Fore River Shipbuilding Co., Quincy, Mass.


Requisitioned: 9 ships: Yard nos. 264-5, 267, 272-3, and 297-8, plus 2 as Design 1045.
The requisitioned precursors to the EFC designs are documented with those designs (q.v.).


Click on the photographs below to prompt larger views of the same images.


Three ships each 10,000 tons dwt. building for Luckenbach SS., later reconveyed to owners.

S.S. Katrina Luckenbach (Yard no. 267)

Photographed by her builder as a cargo ship in camouflage on 30 April 1918. She was delivered to the EFC on 18 May 1918 and simultaneously reconveyed by them to Luckenbach and commissioned by the Navy. This large twin-screw 13 knot freighter was later altered for use as a troop transport and remained in commission until 25 November 1919. See her WWI page.

Photo No. None
Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-32-S
  S.S. Katrina Luckenbach
USS F.J. Luckenbach (Yard no. 265)

Serving as a troopship with latrines for the troops added on deck aft of the bridge house. This ship was delivered by her builder to the EFC on 28 November 1917 and reconveyed to Luckenbach on 16 January 1918. In the meantime she had been commissioned by the Navy on 9 January 1918, initially as an animal transport (probably for Army horses), and later as a troop transport. She was decommissioned on 18 August 1919. See her WWI page.

Photo No. None (also NHHC NH 45880)
Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-19-N Box 7 (camouflaged ships)
  USS F.J. Luckenbach
USS K.I. Luckenbach (Yard no. 264)

Loaded with homeward bound troops circa 1919. This ship was delivered by her builder to the EFC on 3 February 1918 and simultaneously reconveyed to Luckenbach. She was operated by the Army until the Navy was able to man and commission her, which it did on 9 August 1918. She was then served as a Navy troopship until decommissioned on 5 October 1919. See her WWI page.

Photo No. NH 103915
Source: U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command
  USS K.I. Luckenbach

Two ships each 8500 tons dwt., building for Shipping Controller.

S.S. Nantasket, ex War Crest (Yard no. 272)

Being launched on 21 September 1918 in the presence of members of the American Association of Port Authorities and many other dignitaries with nearly all of her superstructure up. She was delivered to the EFC on 17 October 1918. Never in the navy, as of 1920 she was being operated by the American Line in the U.K. trade.

Photo No. 165-WW-493F-015
Source: U.S. National Archives, RG-165-WW
  S.S. Nantasket
S.S. Cohasset, ex War Crown (Yard no. 273)

On sea trials on 29 November 1918. She was delivered to the EFC on 30 November 1918 and to her operator, the U.S. Navy, on 5 December 1918. She remained in commission until 9 May 1919 and as of 1920 was being operated by the Strachan Shipping Co. in the U.K. trade. Click here for a plan. See her WWI page.

Photo No. None
Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-32-S)
  S.S. Cohasset

Two ships each 14,000 tons dwt. building for Luckenbach SS., reconveyed to owners.

S.S. Lewis Luckenbach (Yard no. 297)

Photographed by her builder "on the way down the harbor" for a trial trip on 3 May 1919. She is wearing Luckenbach stack markings. She was delivered to the EFC on 8 May 1919 and reconveyed to Luckenbach on 15 May 1919. She and her sister were the largest of the ten twin-screw 13-knot cargo ships built at three yards for the Luckenbach Line in 1917-1919.

Photo No. None
Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-32-S)
  S.S. Lewis Luckenbach
S.S. Andrea F. Luckenbach (Yard no. 298)

This sister to Lewis Luckenbach was photographed by her builder on 11 June 1919 with Luckenbach stack and hull markings. She was delivered to the EFC on 12 June 1919 and reconveyed to Luckenbach on 26 June 1919.

Photo No. None
Source: U.S. National Archives (RG-32-S)
  S.S. Andrea F. Luckenbach