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USS Ajax (AG-15)
Encyclopedia
USS Ajax (AC-14/AG-15) was a collier
in the United States Navy
. Originally she retained her previous name of Scindia, and was renamed for the mythical Ajax
in 1901. In 1921, she became a receiving ship and was redesignated AC-14. She was reclassified as a seaplane tender
and given the hull designator AG-15 in 1924.
The screw steamer Scindia was a steel-hulled freighter built in 1890 by D & W Henderson Ltd., Glasgow
, Scotland
. Purchased on 12 May 1898 — three weeks after the opening of the Spanish-American War
— by the U.S. Navy at New York
. She was fitted out at the New York Navy Yard for service as a collier, and was placed in commission there on 21 May 1898, Commander
Eugene W. Watson in command.
, Cuba
from 2 June-1 July 1898, the ship departed New York on 12 October with a cargo of coal for the Hawaiian Islands
. She made a number of goodwill calls en route — both before and after rounding Cape Horn
— and delivered her cargo at Honolulu. Scindia then headed east for the California
coast and, after reaching San Francisco Bay
early in the spring of 1899, was surveyed at the Mare Island Navy Yard and decommissioned there on 27 May for repairs to her boilers and machinery.
Recommissioned on 23 December 1899, the collier got underway on 18 January 1900 and headed westward across the Pacific and proceeded via Guam
to the newly-acquired Philippine Islands laden with coal for the ships of the Asiatic Fleet
. After unloading at Manila
, she transited the Strait of Malacca
, crossed the Indian Ocean
, and continued on via the Suez Canal
and the Strait of Gibraltar
to Cardiff
, Wales
, where she filled her bunkers with coal before crossing the Atlantic to Norfolk, Virginia
, where she arrived on 1 March 1901. During her first circumnavigation of Earth, the steamer was renamed Ajax on 1 January 1901. She was decommissioned on 16 March.
Reactivated on 20 January 1907, Ajax again served along the east coast until departing Hampton Roads
in December of that year to support the cruise of the Great White Fleet
around the world to demonstrate the good will of the United States and to make known to any potential enemy the power of the U.S. Navy. She returned to Norfolk on Washington's Birthday in 1909 and, after serving the Atlantic Fleet
through the spring, was placed out of service at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in June.
before she was ordered to the Orient for the last time. In December 1912, she took on a cargo of coal at Hampton Roads and loaded the submarine
s and on her decks before sailing via the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea
, the Suez Canal, and the Indian Ocean to the Philippine Islands. She arrived in Manila Bay
on 30 April 1913, and — after launching her two submarines — began shuttling coal to American warships at ports in such placed as Guam, the Philippines, China
, Japan
, and even Burma. Soon after the United States entered the World War I
, she towed the formerly interned German ship Elsass from Samoa
to Honolulu, Hawaii
. During the American intervention in Siberia
at the end of World War I, she made deliveries to Vladivostok
.
During this period, she served briefly in 1923 as tender
to the submarines of Submarine Division 18 (SubDiv 18), Asiatic Fleet, and was based at Chefoo, China. After resuming her role as receiving ship at Cavite in September 1923, Ajax became the tender
for the planes of the Asiatic Fleet aircraft squadrons in February 1924. On 1 July, she was reclassified as a miscellaneous auxiliary and redesignated AG-15.
Relieved of all duty in June 1925, she was decommissioned on 8 July 1925 and her name was simultaneously stricken from the Naval Vessel Register
. The former Ajax was sold at the Cavite Navy Yard to S. R. Paterno on 14 August.
Collier (ship type)
Collier is a historical term used to describe a bulk cargo ship designed to carry coal, especially for naval use by coal-fired warships. In the late 18th century a number of wooden-hulled sailing colliers gained fame after being adapted for use in voyages of exploration in the South Pacific, for...
in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. Originally she retained her previous name of Scindia, and was renamed for the mythical Ajax
Ajax (mythology)
Ajax or Aias was a mythological Greek hero, the son of Telamon and Periboea and king of Salamis. He plays an important role in Homer's Iliad and in the Epic Cycle, a series of epic poems about the Trojan War. To distinguish him from Ajax, son of Oileus , he is called "Telamonian Ajax," "Greater...
in 1901. In 1921, she became a receiving ship and was redesignated AC-14. She was reclassified as a seaplane tender
Seaplane tender
A seaplane tender is a ship that provides facilities for operating seaplanes. These ships were the first aircraft carriers and appeared just before the First World War.-History:...
and given the hull designator AG-15 in 1924.
The screw steamer Scindia was a steel-hulled freighter built in 1890 by D & W Henderson Ltd., Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Purchased on 12 May 1898 — three weeks after the opening of the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
— by the U.S. Navy at New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. She was fitted out at the New York Navy Yard for service as a collier, and was placed in commission there on 21 May 1898, Commander
Commander (United States)
In the United States, commander is a military rank that is also sometimes used as a military title, depending on the branch of service. It is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the military, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Naval rank:In the United States...
Eugene W. Watson in command.
Scindia, 1898—1901
Following a round-trip voyage carrying coal from New York to Guantanamo BayGuantánamo Bay (Cuba)
Guantánamo Bay is a bay located in Guantánamo Province at the southeastern end of Cuba . It is the largest harbor on the south side of the island and is surrounded by steep hills creating an enclave cut off from its immediate hinterland....
, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
from 2 June-1 July 1898, the ship departed New York on 12 October with a cargo of coal for the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
. She made a number of goodwill calls en route — both before and after rounding Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
— and delivered her cargo at Honolulu. Scindia then headed east for the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
coast and, after reaching San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay
San Francisco Bay is a shallow, productive estuary through which water draining from approximately forty percent of California, flowing in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers from the Sierra Nevada mountains, enters the Pacific Ocean...
early in the spring of 1899, was surveyed at the Mare Island Navy Yard and decommissioned there on 27 May for repairs to her boilers and machinery.
Recommissioned on 23 December 1899, the collier got underway on 18 January 1900 and headed westward across the Pacific and proceeded via Guam
Guam
Guam is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States located in the western Pacific Ocean. It is one of five U.S. territories with an established civilian government. Guam is listed as one of 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories by the Special Committee on Decolonization of the United...
to the newly-acquired Philippine Islands laden with coal for the ships of the Asiatic Fleet
United States Asiatic Fleet
The United States Asiatic Fleet was part of the U.S. Navy. Preceding the World War II era, until 1942, the fleet protected the Philippines.Originally the Asiatic Squadron, it was upgraded to fleet status in 1902. In 1907, the fleet became the First Squadron of the Pacific Fleet. However, on 28...
. After unloading at Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, she transited the Strait of Malacca
Strait of Malacca
The Strait of Malacca is a narrow, stretch of water between the Malay Peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra. It is named after the Malacca Sultanate that ruled over the archipelago between 1414 to 1511.-Extent:...
, crossed the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
, and continued on via the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
and the Strait of Gibraltar
Strait of Gibraltar
The Strait of Gibraltar is a narrow strait that connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and separates Spain in Europe from Morocco in Africa. The name comes from Gibraltar, which in turn originates from the Arabic Jebel Tariq , albeit the Arab name for the Strait is Bab el-Zakat or...
to Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, where she filled her bunkers with coal before crossing the Atlantic to Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, where she arrived on 1 March 1901. During her first circumnavigation of Earth, the steamer was renamed Ajax on 1 January 1901. She was decommissioned on 16 March.
Ajax, 1901—1909
Reactivated on 16 October 1901, the ship made two more round-the-world voyages carrying coal to the Asiatic Station and then returned to the Philippines in September 1903 for operations with the Asiatic Fleet through the end of 1904. She then returned to the east coast of the United States along which she operated until placed out of service at Norfolk on 4 November 1905.Reactivated on 20 January 1907, Ajax again served along the east coast until departing Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
in December of that year to support the cruise of the Great White Fleet
Great White Fleet
The Great White Fleet was the popular nickname for the United States Navy battle fleet that completed a circumnavigation of the globe from 16 December 1907 to 22 February 1909 by order of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. It consisted of 16 battleships divided into two squadrons, along with...
around the world to demonstrate the good will of the United States and to make known to any potential enemy the power of the U.S. Navy. She returned to Norfolk on Washington's Birthday in 1909 and, after serving the Atlantic Fleet
United States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
through the spring, was placed out of service at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in June.
1910—1920
Laid up until 30 April 1910, he put in over two more years supporting the Atlantic Fleet along the coast and in the Caribbean SeaCaribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
before she was ordered to the Orient for the last time. In December 1912, she took on a cargo of coal at Hampton Roads and loaded the submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s and on her decks before sailing via the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, the Suez Canal, and the Indian Ocean to the Philippine Islands. She arrived in Manila Bay
Manila Bay
Manila Bay is a natural harbor which serves the Port of Manila , in the Philippines.The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world...
on 30 April 1913, and — after launching her two submarines — began shuttling coal to American warships at ports in such placed as Guam, the Philippines, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and even Burma. Soon after the United States entered the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, she towed the formerly interned German ship Elsass from Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
to Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
. During the American intervention in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
at the end of World War I, she made deliveries to Vladivostok
Vladivostok
The city is located in the southern extremity of Muravyov-Amursky Peninsula, which is about 30 km long and approximately 12 km wide.The highest point is Mount Kholodilnik, the height of which is 257 m...
.
1921—1925
The ship was laid up at the Cavite Navy Yard from 20 April-17 October 1921 and then became the receiving ship there for the 16th Naval District and was redesignated AC-14.During this period, she served briefly in 1923 as tender
Submarine tender
A submarine tender is a type of ship that supplies and supports submarines.Submarines are small compared to most oceangoing vessels, and generally do not have the ability to carry large amounts of food, fuel, torpedoes, and other supplies, nor to carry a full array of maintenance equipment and...
to the submarines of Submarine Division 18 (SubDiv 18), Asiatic Fleet, and was based at Chefoo, China. After resuming her role as receiving ship at Cavite in September 1923, Ajax became the tender
Seaplane tender
A seaplane tender is a ship that provides facilities for operating seaplanes. These ships were the first aircraft carriers and appeared just before the First World War.-History:...
for the planes of the Asiatic Fleet aircraft squadrons in February 1924. On 1 July, she was reclassified as a miscellaneous auxiliary and redesignated AG-15.
Relieved of all duty in June 1925, she was decommissioned on 8 July 1925 and her name was simultaneously stricken from the Naval Vessel Register
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
. The former Ajax was sold at the Cavite Navy Yard to S. R. Paterno on 14 August.