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USS President Lincoln (1907)
Encyclopedia
USS President Lincoln was a troop transport in the United States Navy
during World War I
.
Formerly the German
steamer President Lincoln of the Hamburg-American Line, was built by Harland and Wolff
, Belfast, in 1907; seized in New York harbor in 1917; turned over to the Shipping Board
, and transferred to the Navy for operation as a troop transport.
Having been damaged severely by her German crew, President Lincoln underwent extensive repairs and conversion at Robin's Dry Dock and Repair Company, Brooklyn, New York. The ship commissioned as a Navy troop transport at Brooklyn on 25 July 1917, Commander
Yates Sterling, Jr., in command.
, transporting approximately 23,000 American troops which she disembarked at Brest, France
and St. Nazaire. Four cycles were completed without incident: October-November 1917, December 1917-January 1918, February-March, and March-May. She sailed from New York on her fifth and final trip to Europe on 10 May 1918. Arriving at Brest on the 23rd, she disembarked troops, and — escorted by destroyer
s — got underway on the 29th with troopships , and for the return voyage to the U.S. At sundown on 30 May 1918, having passed through the so-called "danger zone" of submarine
activity, the destroyers left the convoy to proceed alone. At about 09:00 on 31 May 1918, President Lincoln was struck by three torpedo
es from the German
submarine , and sank about 20 minutes later. Of the 715 people aboard, 26 men were lost with the ship, and a Lieutenant
Edward Isaacs
was taken aboard U–90 as prisoner. Survivors were rescued from lifeboats late that night by destroyers and . They were taken to France, arriving at Brest on 2 June.
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...
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...
.
Formerly the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
steamer President Lincoln of the Hamburg-American Line, was built by Harland and Wolff
Harland and Wolff
Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries is a Northern Irish heavy industrial company, specialising in shipbuilding and offshore construction, located in Belfast, Northern Ireland....
, Belfast, in 1907; seized in New York harbor in 1917; turned over to the 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....
, and transferred to the Navy for operation as a troop transport.
Having been damaged severely by her German crew, President Lincoln underwent extensive repairs and conversion at Robin's Dry Dock and Repair Company, Brooklyn, New York. The ship commissioned as a Navy troop transport at Brooklyn on 25 July 1917, 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...
Yates Sterling, Jr., in command.
Service history
President Lincoln made five voyages from New York to FranceFrance
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...
, transporting approximately 23,000 American troops which she disembarked at 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...
and St. Nazaire. Four cycles were completed without incident: October-November 1917, December 1917-January 1918, February-March, and March-May. She sailed from New York on her fifth and final trip to Europe on 10 May 1918. Arriving at Brest on the 23rd, she disembarked troops, and — escorted by destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s — got underway on the 29th with troopships , and for the return voyage to the U.S. At sundown on 30 May 1918, having passed through the so-called "danger zone" of 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...
activity, the destroyers left the convoy to proceed alone. At about 09:00 on 31 May 1918, President Lincoln was struck by three torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
es from the German
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
submarine , and sank about 20 minutes later. Of the 715 people aboard, 26 men were lost with the ship, and a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Edward Isaacs
Edouard Izac
Edouard Victor Michel Izac was a Lieutenant in the United States Navy during World War I, a Representative from California and a Medal of Honor recipient.-Biography:...
was taken aboard U–90 as prisoner. Survivors were rescued from lifeboats late that night by destroyers and . They were taken to France, arriving at Brest on 2 June.
External links
- Photo gallery at Naval Historical Center
- Photo gallery at navsource.org