USS Manchuria (ID-1633)

USS "Manchuria" (ID-1633) was a transport ship for the United States Navy during World War I. Before the war she was known as SS "Manchuria" in civilian passenger service. In the interwar years she reverted to her original name but was later renamed SS "President Johnson". During World War II, she served as a transport ship for the United States Army. After World War II, she was sold and renamed SS "Santa Cruz". The liner was scrapped in Italy in 1952.

Early career

"Manchuria", a passenger liner transport, was laid down by the New York Shipbuilding Co. of Camden, New Jersey, for the Pacific Mail Steamship Co., also of Camden, on 3 September 1902; launched on 2 November 1903; sponsored by Miss Laura Wick; acquired by the Navy from the Atlantic Transport Line, a subsidiary of International Mercantile Marine Co., on 10 April 1918; and commissioned at New York on 25 April 1918, Commander Charles S. Freeman in command.

World War I

Assigned to the Cruiser and Transport Force, "Manchuria" departed New York with the 18th Field Artillery and the 153d and 154th Infantry Battalions embarked for Europe. She arrived in Saint-Nazaire, France, on 13 May to debark her passengers. Five days later she returned to the east coast, arriving at New York on 30 May.

The troop transport made 13 round trips to Europe with nine of them after the Armistice, bringing approximately 39,500 troops home. On 25 August 1919 she arrived New York, decommissioned there 11 September, and was returned to her owner.

Interwar years

"Manchuria" continued service on the New York to Hamburg run, begun in 1919, until 1923, when she was shifted to New York–Panama Canal–San Francisco run to operate under another subsidiary of International Mercantile Marine Co., the Panama Pacific Line. On 1 November 1928 she was renamed "President Johnson" and sold 7 days later to Dollar Steamship Lines for round‑the‑world cruises. The ship was acquired by the Maritime Commission on 26 October 1938 and operated by American President Lines.

World War II

On 29 November 1941 "President Johnson" was acquired by the U.S. Army from the War Shipping Administration. She departed from San Francisco for the Philippines on 5 December but turned back after learning of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 2 days later. On 27 December she began the first of eight round trips to Honolulu, transporting troops into September 1942. On 8 November, the ship sailed from San Francisco for the South Pacific to spend the next 2 years in support of the amphibious operations which had penetrated by July 1945 to the Japanese home islands. With stops at Eniwetok and Guam, Marshalls; Ulithi, Carolines; Peleliu, Palaus; and Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, long behind her, "President Johnson" returned to San Francisco 14 January 1946 to end her World War II service with the Army.

Later career

She was returned to the Maritime Commission 26 April 1946 and sold to Tagus Navigational Co. of Panama City, Panama. Renamed "Santa Cruz", she was chartered to Societa Saicen of Savona, Italy, in 1948 to transport Italian war refugees to South America. The transport was scrapped at Savona on 12 January 1952.

References

*

External links

*