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USS Edward Luckenbach (ID-1662)
Encyclopedia
USS Edward Luckenbach (ID-1662) was a cargo ship
and troop transport that served in the United States Navy
from 1918 to 1919.
SS Edward Luckenbach was built as a commercial cargo ship in 1916 at Quincy
, Massachusetts
, by Fore River Shipbuilding Corporation for Luckenbach Steamship Company of New York City
. By 1918, she had come under control of the United States Shipping Board
. The Shipping Board transferred her to the U.S. Navy for World War I
service on 29 August 1918. Assigned Identification Number (Id. No.) 1662, she was commissioned
the same day as USS Edward Luckenbach with Lieutenant Commander
A. C. Fickett, USNRF, in command.
Assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service, Edward Luckenbach departed New York City on 18 September 1918 for Marseilles, France
, carrying United States Army
cargo
. By the time she returned to New York on 22 November 1918, the war had been over for eleven days, so it was her only wartime voyage as a U.S. Navy ship.
On 18 December 1918, Edward Luckenbach was transferred to the Newport News
Division of the Cruiser and Transport Force
for postwar use as a troop transport. After conversion into a transport, she made three voyages in 1919 from New York and Newport News, Virginia
, with cargo for St. Nazaire, France, returning with patients, convalescents, troops, and casuals to the United States
.
Edward Luckenbach was unable to continue her fourth voyage to Europe — this time from Hampton Roads
, Virginia — because of engine trouble. She was lying disabled in mid-ocean in the Atlantic on 15 July 1919 when troop transport USS Arizonan (ID-4542A)
— herself four days outbound on a voyage from Brooklyn, New York
, to St. Nazaire, France — encountered her. Arizonan towed her 425 nautical miles (787 kilometers) toward Boston, Massachusetts
. The United States Coast Guard
cutter
USCGC Ossipee
joined the two troop transports on the afternoon of 17 July 1919. On the morning of 19 July 1919, Ossipee took over the towing duty from Arizonan, freeing Arizonan to continue on her voyage to France.
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After arriving at Boston under tow, Edward Luckenbach was decommissioned
on 6 August 1919 and delivered to the Shipping Board the same day for return to Luckenbach Steamship Company.
Once again SS Edward Luckenbach, she resumed commercial service as a cargo ship, continuing in this role until 1 July 1942 when, during World War II
, she mistakenly entered a defensive minefield
north of Key West
, Florida
, struck two naval mine
s, and sank.
The shipwreck
was salvaged to recover the large quantity of tungsten
. The wreck was wire-dragged to prevent it from being a hazard to navigation. The wreck is scattered over a wide area in 65 feet (19.8 m) of water.
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...
and troop transport that served 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...
from 1918 to 1919.
SS Edward Luckenbach was built as a commercial cargo ship in 1916 at Quincy
Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Its nicknames are "City of Presidents", "City of Legends", and "Birthplace of the American Dream". As a major part of Metropolitan Boston, Quincy is a member of Boston's Inner Core Committee for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, by Fore River Shipbuilding Corporation for Luckenbach Steamship Company of 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 1918, she had come under control of the United States Shipping Board
United States Shipping Board
The United States Shipping Board was established as an emergency agency by the Shipping Act , 7 September 1916. It was formally organized 30 January 1917. It was sometimes referred to as the War Shipping Board.http://www.gwpda.org/wwi-www/Hurley/bridgeTC.htm | The Bridge To France by Edward N....
. The Shipping Board transferred her to the U.S. Navy for 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...
service on 29 August 1918. Assigned Identification Number (Id. No.) 1662, she was commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
the same day as USS Edward Luckenbach with Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
A. C. Fickett, USNRF, in command.
Assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service, Edward Luckenbach departed New York City on 18 September 1918 for Marseilles, 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...
, carrying United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
cargo
Cargo
Cargo is goods or produce transported, generally for commercial gain, by ship, aircraft, train, van or truck. In modern times, containers are used in most intermodal long-haul cargo transport.-Marine:...
. By the time she returned to New York on 22 November 1918, the war had been over for eleven days, so it was her only wartime voyage as a U.S. Navy ship.
On 18 December 1918, Edward Luckenbach was transferred to the Newport News
Newport 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...
Division of the Cruiser and Transport Force
Cruiser and Transport Force
The Cruiser and Transport Service was a unit of the United States Navy's Atlantic Fleet during World War I that was responsible for transporting American men and materiel to France.- Composition :...
for postwar use as a troop transport. After conversion into a transport, she made three voyages in 1919 from New York and Newport News, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, with cargo for St. Nazaire, France, returning with patients, convalescents, troops, and casuals to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Edward Luckenbach was unable to continue her fourth voyage to Europe — this time from 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...
, Virginia — because of engine trouble. She was lying disabled in mid-ocean in the Atlantic on 15 July 1919 when troop transport USS Arizonan (ID-4542A)
USS Arizonan (ID-4542A)
USS Arizonan , also written ID-4542-A was a United States Navy cargo ship and troop transport in commission from 1918 to 1919.-Construction and commercial service, 1902-1918:...
— herself four days outbound on a voyage from Brooklyn, 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...
, to St. Nazaire, France — encountered her. Arizonan towed her 425 nautical miles (787 kilometers) toward Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. The United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
cutter
United States Coast Guard Cutter
Cutter is the term used by the United States Coast Guard for its commissioned vessels. A Cutter is or greater in length, has a permanently assigned crew, and has accommodations for the crew to live aboard...
USCGC Ossipee
USCGC Ossipee (WPR-50)
USCGC Ossipee was a United States Coast Guard cutter that saw service in both World War I and World War II.-Coastal Patrol:...
joined the two troop transports on the afternoon of 17 July 1919. On the morning of 19 July 1919, Ossipee took over the towing duty from Arizonan, freeing Arizonan to continue on her voyage to France.
Ship decommissioning
To decommission a ship is to terminate her career in service in the armed forces of her nation. A somber occasion, it has little of the elaborate ceremony of ship commissioning, but carries significant tradition....
on 6 August 1919 and delivered to the Shipping Board the same day for return to Luckenbach Steamship Company.
Once again SS Edward Luckenbach, she resumed commercial service as a cargo ship, continuing in this role until 1 July 1942 when, during 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...
, she mistakenly entered a defensive minefield
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
north of Key West
Key West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, struck two naval mine
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
s, and sank.
The shipwreck
Shipwreck
A shipwreck is what remains of a ship that has wrecked, either sunk or beached. Whatever the cause, a sunken ship or a wrecked ship is a physical example of the event: this explains why the two concepts are often overlapping in English....
was salvaged to recover the large quantity of tungsten
Tungsten
Tungsten , also known as wolfram , is a chemical element with the chemical symbol W and atomic number 74.A hard, rare metal under standard conditions when uncombined, tungsten is found naturally on Earth only in chemical compounds. It was identified as a new element in 1781, and first isolated as...
. The wreck was wire-dragged to prevent it from being a hazard to navigation. The wreck is scattered over a wide area in 65 feet (19.8 m) of water.