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Photo # NH 103915: USS K.I. Luckenbach arriving at New York, 1919

U.S. NAVY TEMPORARY AUXILIARY SHIPS, 1917-1919

WORLD WAR I ERA TRANSPORTS --
Converted Freighters of the 1916-1919 Luckenbach Steamship Company Type

Ten of the U.S. Navy's WWI era transports were converted from freighters originally constructed in 1916-1919 for the Luckenbach Steamship Company. Of three different, but similar, designs, these were handsome and distinctive ships that, except for their "plumb" bows, looked much like freighters built a generation later. Long oval cutouts in the sides of their blocky midships superstructures provide an excellent way to differentiate them from their more prosiac contemporaries.

Six of these ships, all bearing the names of Luckenbach family members, entered U.S. Navy service in 1918 and operated as freighters until late in that year or early in 1919. They were then modified for troop transport duties, with externally visible additions including portholes in hull sides and temporary houses installed on the decks aft of, and in some cases, in front of the superstructure.

The other four, all built at Chester, Pennsylvania, were not completed until 1919 and were converted to transports at that time. Initially, they had names that probably were assigned by the U.S. Shipping Board, but at least three received typical Luckenbach names after completing their Navy service.

This page features a table (with links to individual ships) of World War I era U.S. Navy transports converted from freighters of the 1917-1919 Luckenbach Steamship Company Type, plus a photograph of each ship in this group.


Click the small photographs to prompt a larger view of the same image with a descriptive header.


Ships in this group:

TEN SHIPS, all having a single smokestack and flush-deck hulls with low bulwarks forward, amidships and aft. They had cruiser sterns and distinctive oval cutouts in the sides of block superstructures two levels high (plus pilothouse). Arrangement of masts, kingposts and smokestacks separates ships constructed by different builders:


Five ships, built by the Fore River Shipyard (Bethlehem Steel Co.) at Quincy, Massachusetts.
Their dimensions indicate that they were of two different, but virtually identical designs. All served as U.S. Navy cargo ships before conversion to transports.
Arrangement of kingposts, masts and smokestacks (funnels): K-M-K-F-K-M-K:

  • Edward Luckenbach, USN 1918-1919 (ex-American S.S. Edward Luckenbach, 1916).
    • 8151 Gross Tons, Length 436.6', Beam 57.2', Comm. 29 Aug 18, Decom. 5 Aug 19, ID # 1662
  • Julia Luckenbach, USN 1918-1919 (ex-American S.S. Julia Luckenbach, 1917).
    • 8151 Gross Tons, Length 436.6', Beam 57.2', Comm. 15 Aug 18, Decom. 9 Sep 19, ID # 2407

    .

     USS Edward Luckenbach, before transport conversion:

     USS Julia Luckenbach, 1919:


    		 .

  • F.J. Luckenbach, USN 1918-1919 (ex-American S.S. F.J. Luckenbach, 1917).
    • 8074 Gross Tons, Length 446.0', Beam 56.1', Comm. 9 Jan 18, Decom. 18 Aug 19, ID # 2160
  • K.I. Luckenbach, USN 1918-1919 (ex-American S.S. K.I. Luckenbach, 1918).
    • 8074 Gross Tons, Length 446.0', Beam 56.1', Comm. 9 Aug 18, Decom. 5 Oct 19, ID # 2291
  • Katrina Luckenbach, USN 1918-1919 (ex-American S.S. Katrina Luckenbach, 1918).
    • 8074 Gross Tons, Length 446.0', Beam 56.1', Comm. 18 May 18, Decom. 25 Nov 19, ID # 3020

     USS F.J. Luckenbach, 1919:

     USS K.I. Luckenbach, 1919:

     S.S. Katrina Luckenbach, before U.S. Navy service:


    Four ships, built by the Sun Shipbuilding Company at Chester, Pennsylvania.
    All entered U.S. Navy service as transports. All kingpost tops are fitted with ventilation cowls.
    Arrangement of kingposts, masts and smokestacks (funnels): K-KM-K-F-K-KM-K:

  • Edellyn, USN 1919-1919 (ex-American S.S. Edellyn, 1919).
    • 8775 Gross Tons, Length 448.9', Beam 60.2', Comm. 18 Jul 19, Decom. 12 Sep 19, ID # 4307
  • Marica, USN 1919-1919 (ex-American S.S. Marica, 1919).
    • 8775 Gross Tons, Length 448.9', Beam 60.2', Comm. 9 Jun 19, Decom. 12 Sep 19, ID # 4031
  • Sol Navis, USN 1919-1919 (ex-American S.S. Sol Navis, 1919).
    • 8775 Gross Tons, Length 448.9', Beam 60.2', Comm. 7 Jul 19, Decom. 22 Oct 19, ID # 4031-A
  • South Bend, USN 1919-1919 (ex-American S.S. South Bend, 1919).
    • 8738 Gross Tons, Length 448.9', Beam 60.2', Comm. 7 Mar 19, Decom. 1 Sep 19, ID # 4019

     USS Edellyn, 1919:

     USS Marica, 1919:

     Transport Sol Navis, 1919:
    .

     USS South Bend, 1919:


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    One ship, built by the Seattle Construction and Dry Dock Company at Seattle, Washington.
    Served as a U.S. Navy cargo ship before conversion to a transport.
    Arrangement of kingposts, masts and smokestacks (funnels): K-K-K-F-K-K-K:

  • Walter A. Luckenbach, USN 1918-1919 (ex-American S.S. Walter A. Luckenbach, 1918).
    • 8286 Gross Tons, Length 446.5', Beam 56.1', Comm. 9 Jun 18, Decom. 28 Jul 19, ID # 3171

    .

     USS Walter A. Luckenbach, 1919:

    		 .


    Note: Another Luckenbach Steamship Company freighter also served as a U.S. Navy Transport. However, her appearance was significantly different from the ships listed above. Accordingly, USS Edgar F. Luckenbach is treated in the Miscellaneous and Unidentified Types section of this presentation.


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