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USS Bali (ID-2483)
Encyclopedia
USS Bali (ID 2483) was a large Dutch
freighter
seized in New York City
by the U.S. Customs Service during World War I
. She was assigned to the U.S. Navy and later the U.S. Army as a cargo ship to be used to carry military cargo to Allied forces in France
. After a number of transatlantic voyages, she was returned to the Dutch government at war’s end. She subsequently remained busy transporting cargo until World War II
, when she was wrecked by Luftwaffe
bombers in the Mediterranean. Her remains were reclaimed and disposed of by scrapping in 1951.
under Proclamation 1436 of 20 March 1918 (40 Stat. 1761); inspected by the Navy at New York on 23 March 1918; assigned the identification number (Id. No.) 2483; and commissioned at New York on 27 March, Lt. Comdr. Norman Ferguson, USNRF, in command.
that had left the harbor five hours earlier, Bali developed engineering difficulties that compelled her to anchor off Tompkinsville, Staten Island
, to carry out repairs.
, for repairs on 16 April. She resumed her voyage once again on 28 April; and this time, Bali reached Brest, France
, on 14 May despite a rough passage.
She steamed thence to St. Nazaire the following day, but a crowded harbor kept her waiting for a berth. Finally able to discharge a portion of her cargo, she left St. Nazaire for Nantes
on 6 June, where labor conditions were such that German prisoners of war had to be employed working the ship's hatches during the unloading process. She finished working her cargo and proceeded down the Loire River early in the evening of 15 June. Bali joined a convoy the following day and, after returning briefly to Brest on 16 June, sailed for the United States on the afternoon of 18 June. She reached Hoboken, New Jersey
, on 2 July.
at the Norfolk Navy Yard. While in the yard, Bali received her main and secondary batteries, a 5-inch gun and a 6-pounder that had originally been installed on board the battleship USS Arkansas (BB-31)
and the cruiser USS Raleigh (C-8)
, respectively. Moving out of the yard on the morning of 21 July, she joined a convoy and sailed that afternoon for France
.
On 8 August, only a few days before arriving at her destination, Bali observed a steamer on her starboard side sounding a submarine
warning and opening fire on a “suspicious object” in the water. Bali opened fire with her forward gun, but apparently neither ship scored any hits. Dropping anchor in Quiberon
Bay on 10 August, she proceeded thence first to La Pallice and then to Bordeaux
on 13 August. After unloading her cargo, the freighter sailed for New York on 21 August and reached that port on 5 September.
delayed the installation of stalls to enable her to serve as a horse transport. Three days after the armistice
, however, she was docked at the Bush Docks in Hoboken, New Jersey
, where modifications were made to accommodate 600 horses. Bali took the animals on board soon thereafter and loaded 2,551 tons of general cargo before sailing for France on 30 November. Reaching Verdon Roads on 14 December, the ship then proceeded up the Gironde River to Bordeaux on 16 December, where she discharged her cargo and loaded steel rails for ballast. She stood back down the river two days after Christmas
of 1918, bound for the United States
.
, the following day. There, workmen came on board and removed the horse stalls on 13 and 14 January. On the afternoon of 15 January, Bali entered the yard at the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., where her guns were removed.
From there, she proceeded to the Engineer Depot dock at Lambert’s Point
on 23 January, where she unloaded the steel rail ballast she had carried from France. The ship then shifted to a berth off Sewall’s Point on 28 January. The next day, a flood tide
and a strong breeze caused her to drag her anchors and drift down on the freighter Bonafan. The collision caused no great damage to either ship, and Bali steamed away under her own power. After coaling on 31 January, the freighter sailed for Baltimore, Maryland, on 3 February.
on 14 February. Reaching Copenhagen
on 7 March, Bali unloaded her cargo and sailed for the British Isles
on 20 March. Proceeding via the Kiel Canal
and Heligoland
, she reached Yarmouth
on 23 March to await a pilot; proceeding thence to Harwich
and Plymouth
, she reached the latter port on 25 March. She remained there until the 29 March, when she sailed, in ballast, for the United States.
Bali made port at New York City
on 10 April, mooring at Jersey City, New Jersey
that same afternoon. Moving thence to the Morgan Pier on 17 April and Shewan’s Drydock on 19 April, she underwent repairs on 19 and 20 April.
dock on 22 April and loaded a cargo of lard
and flour. She sailed for Europe
on 29 April. Touching briefly at Falmouth
, England
, on 11 May for sailing orders and onward routing, she pushed on the next day, reaching Hamburg, Germany, on the morning of 16 May.
on the morning of 24 May, Bali entered the Amsterdamsche Drydock Company drydock on 27 May. She was decommissioned at Amsterdam on 30 May 1919 and was returned to her owners. Her name was struck from the Navy list
simultaneously.
colors until bombed by German planes off the coast of France between Roque and Berville
, and two of her crew killed, on 9 June 1940. Run aground to prevent her sinking, the wreck was used as a bombing target by the Luftwaffe
during the German occupation of France. The wreck was subsequently broken up for scrap about 1951.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
freighter
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
seized in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
by the U.S. Customs Service during 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 was assigned to the U.S. Navy and later the U.S. Army as a cargo ship to be used to carry military cargo to Allied forces in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. After a number of transatlantic voyages, she was returned to the Dutch government at war’s end. She subsequently remained busy transporting cargo until World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, when she was wrecked by Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
bombers in the Mediterranean. Her remains were reclaimed and disposed of by scrapping in 1951.
Seized by U.S. Customs
Bali - a single screw steel-hulled freighter completed in 1917 at Rotterdam, Holland by the Rotterdam Dry Dock Co. for the Stoomvaart Mattschappij Nederland — was seized by customs officials at New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
under Proclamation 1436 of 20 March 1918 (40 Stat. 1761); inspected by the Navy at New York on 23 March 1918; assigned the identification number (Id. No.) 2483; and commissioned at New York on 27 March, Lt. Comdr. Norman Ferguson, USNRF, in command.
Assigned to NOTS
Assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (NOTS) on an Army Account, Bali began loading cargo less than two hours after going into commission. She completed the evolution, as well as the bunkering of her fuel, by 1630 on 1 April 1918. Sailing two hours later to chase and join a convoyConvoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
that had left the harbor five hours earlier, Bali developed engineering difficulties that compelled her to anchor off Tompkinsville, Staten Island
Tompkinsville, Staten Island
Tompkinsville is a neighborhood in northeastern Staten Island in New York City in the United States. Though the neighborhood sits on the island's eastern shore, along the waterfront facing Upper New York Bay — between St...
, to carry out repairs.
First voyage to France
Underway again on 9 April with another convoy, Bali still failed to maintain speed well enough to keep pace, and she had to put in at Halifax, Nova ScotiaCity of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
, for repairs on 16 April. She resumed her voyage once again on 28 April; and this time, Bali reached Brest, France
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
, on 14 May despite a rough passage.
She steamed thence to St. Nazaire the following day, but a crowded harbor kept her waiting for a berth. Finally able to discharge a portion of her cargo, she left St. Nazaire for Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
on 6 June, where labor conditions were such that German prisoners of war had to be employed working the ship's hatches during the unloading process. She finished working her cargo and proceeded down the Loire River early in the evening of 15 June. Bali joined a convoy the following day and, after returning briefly to Brest on 16 June, sailed for the United States on the afternoon of 18 June. She reached Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
, on 2 July.
Second voyage to France
Taking on board 6,759 tons of general cargo, Bali put to sea for Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 18 July and reached her destination the next day, mooring alongside the battleship USS Mississippi (BB-41)USS Mississippi (BB-41)
USS Mississippi , a , was the third ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 20th state, and the second battleship to carry the name. Commissioned in 1917, too late to serve in World War I, she served extensively in the Pacific in World War II, for which she earned eight battle stars...
at the Norfolk Navy Yard. While in the yard, Bali received her main and secondary batteries, a 5-inch gun and a 6-pounder that had originally been installed on board the battleship USS Arkansas (BB-31)
USS Arkansas (BB-33)
USS Arkansas , a was the third ship of the United States Navy named in honor of the 25th state.A dreadnought battleship, Arkansas was laid down on 25 January 1910 at Camden, New Jersey, by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation. She was launched on 14 January 1911 sponsored by Miss Nancy Louise...
and the cruiser USS Raleigh (C-8)
USS Raleigh (C-8)
USS Raleigh was a United States Navy protected cruiser commissioned in 1894 and in periodic service until 1919.The second ship named Raleigh, C-8 was laid down on 19 December 1889 at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Virginia; launched 31 March 1892; sponsored by Mrs. Alfred W. Haywood; and...
, respectively. Moving out of the yard on the morning of 21 July, she joined a convoy and sailed that afternoon for France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
On 8 August, only a few days before arriving at her destination, Bali observed a steamer on her starboard side sounding a 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...
warning and opening fire on a “suspicious object” in the water. Bali opened fire with her forward gun, but apparently neither ship scored any hits. Dropping anchor in Quiberon
Quiberon
Quiberon is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.It is situated on the southern part of the Quiberon peninsula, the northern part being the commune of Saint-Pierre-Quiberon...
Bay on 10 August, she proceeded thence first to La Pallice and then to Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
on 13 August. After unloading her cargo, the freighter sailed for New York on 21 August and reached that port on 5 September.
Third voyage to France
Sent to Hoboken on 6 September, the ship loaded 6,887 tons of general cargo and underwent repairs to her engines. Following a trial trip on 16 September, she sailed on 18 September for France. Reaching Verdon Roads on 5 October, Bali unloaded a portion of her cargo to a barge before mooring to a dock at Bordeaux on 9 October to finish unloading. She had to wait a number of days for a return convoy to be formed, but Bali finally sailed west again on the afternoon of 24 October and arrived back in New York on 7 November.Transporting horses to France
Word of the impending armistice with the Central PowersCentral Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
delayed the installation of stalls to enable her to serve as a horse transport. Three days after the armistice
Armistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
, however, she was docked at the Bush Docks in Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
, where modifications were made to accommodate 600 horses. Bali took the animals on board soon thereafter and loaded 2,551 tons of general cargo before sailing for France on 30 November. Reaching Verdon Roads on 14 December, the ship then proceeded up the Gironde River to Bordeaux on 16 December, where she discharged her cargo and loaded steel rails for ballast. She stood back down the river two days after Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
of 1918, bound for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Bali collides off Sewall’s Point
Bali dropped anchor in Hampton Roads late on 11 January 1919, and shifted to a mooring at Newport News, VirginiaNewport News, Virginia
Newport News is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia. It is at the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula, on the north shore of the James River extending southeast from Skiffe's Creek along many miles of waterfront to the river's mouth at Newport News...
, the following day. There, workmen came on board and removed the horse stalls on 13 and 14 January. On the afternoon of 15 January, Bali entered the yard at the Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., where her guns were removed.
From there, she proceeded to the Engineer Depot dock at Lambert’s Point
Lambert's Point
Lamberts Point is a point of land on the south shore of the Elizabeth River near the downtown area of the independent city of Norfolk in the South Hampton Roads region of eastern Virginia, United States...
on 23 January, where she unloaded the steel rail ballast she had carried from France. The ship then shifted to a berth off Sewall’s Point on 28 January. The next day, a flood tide
Flood Tide
Flood Tide is an adventure novel by Clive Cussler. This is the 14th book featuring the author’s primary protagonist, Dirk Pitt. He must rescue illegal immigrants from a Chinese tycoon and locate the bones of the Peking Man, the famous lost example of Homo erectus...
and a strong breeze caused her to drag her anchors and drift down on the freighter Bonafan. The collision caused no great damage to either ship, and Bali steamed away under her own power. After coaling on 31 January, the freighter sailed for Baltimore, Maryland, on 3 February.
Transfer to the Shipping Board
Having been transferred from the NOTS Army Account to the Shipping Board Account on 1 February 1919, Bali reached Baltimore on 4 February and loaded 7,458 tons of Food Administration flour, peas, and beans earmarked for European relief. Then, having had “otter gear” installed for minesweeping at that port, she departed Baltimore for DenmarkDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
on 14 February. Reaching Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
on 7 March, Bali unloaded her cargo and sailed for the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
on 20 March. Proceeding via the Kiel Canal
Kiel Canal
The Kiel Canal , known as the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Kanal until 1948, is a long canal in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein.The canal links the North Sea at Brunsbüttel to the Baltic Sea at Kiel-Holtenau. An average of is saved by using the Kiel Canal instead of going around the Jutland Peninsula....
and Heligoland
Heligoland
Heligoland is a small German archipelago in the North Sea.Formerly Danish and British possessions, the islands are located in the Heligoland Bight in the south-eastern corner of the North Sea...
, she reached Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
on 23 March to await a pilot; proceeding thence to Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
and Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, she reached the latter port on 25 March. She remained there until the 29 March, when she sailed, in ballast, for the United States.
Bali made port at New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on 10 April, mooring at Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
that same afternoon. Moving thence to the Morgan Pier on 17 April and Shewan’s Drydock on 19 April, she underwent repairs on 19 and 20 April.
Final war support voyage
After that, Bali moved to the West Shore RailroadWest Shore Railroad
The West Shore Railroad was the final name of a railroad from Weehawken, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from New York City, north along the west shore of the river to Albany, New York and then west to Buffalo...
dock on 22 April and loaded a cargo of lard
Lard
Lard is pig fat in both its rendered and unrendered forms. Lard was commonly used in many cuisines as a cooking fat or shortening, or as a spread similar to butter. Its use in contemporary cuisine has diminished because of health concerns posed by its saturated-fat content and its often negative...
and flour. She sailed for Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
on 29 April. Touching briefly at Falmouth
Falmouth, Cornwall
Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on 11 May for sailing orders and onward routing, she pushed on the next day, reaching Hamburg, Germany, on the morning of 16 May.
Decommissioning
Arriving at AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
on the morning of 24 May, Bali entered the Amsterdamsche Drydock Company drydock on 27 May. She was decommissioned at Amsterdam on 30 May 1919 and was returned to her owners. Her name was struck from the Navy list
Navy List
A Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a country....
simultaneously.
Subsequent destruction in World War II
Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland operated Bali until sometime in 1932 when she was acquired by Georges Portolo. Her port of registry then became Ithaca, Greece and she was renamed Max Wolf. The freighter operated under GreekGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
colors until bombed by German planes off the coast of France between Roque and Berville
Berville, Seine-Maritime
Berville is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.-Geography:A farming village situated in the Pays de Caux, some northwest of Rouen, at the junction of the D67 and the D27 roads.-Population:...
, and two of her crew killed, on 9 June 1940. Run aground to prevent her sinking, the wreck was used as a bombing target by the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
during the German occupation of France. The wreck was subsequently broken up for scrap about 1951.