USS Edith (ID-3459)

History
United States
NameUSS Edith
NamesakePrevious name retained
Launched16 June 1915
Acquired1918
Commissioned1 October 1918
Decommissioned18 May 1919
Fate
  • Returned to owner 1919
  • Sunk 7 June 1942
General characteristics
TypeCargo ship
Displacement7,160 long tons (7,275 t)
Length338 ft (103 m)
Beam46 ft 2 in (14.07 m)
Draft21 ft 6 in (6.55 m)
Speed9 knots (17 km/h; 10 mph)
Armament
  • 1 × 5 in (130 mm) gun
  • 1 × 3 in (76 mm) gun
Service record
Operations: World War I

USS Edith (No. 3459) was a supply ship in the United States Navy.

The U.S. Navy acquiredSS Edith from the United States Shipping Board for service during World War I and commissioned her as USS Edith on 1 October 1918.

Operational history

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On 1 November 1918, Edith sailed for Nantes, France, with a cargo of ammunition and trucks. Returning to New York City on 12 December 1918, she loaded cargo destined for South America, discharging a portion at Bahia, Brazil, and the remainder at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At Santos, Brazil, she took on sugar cane for delivery to New Orleans, Louisiana; however, engine trouble caused her to complete the trip under tow by the U.S. Navy tug USS Potomac.

Decommissioning

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Edith was decommissioned on 18 May 1919 and returned to her owner.

Later career

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The ship returned to commercial service as SS Edith. During World War II, she was torpedoed and sunk in the Caribbean Sea 200 nautical miles (370 km) southeast of Jamaica (14°33′N 74°35′W / 14.550°N 74.583°W / 14.550; -74.583) on 7 June 1942 by the German submarine U-159 with the loss of two of her 31 crew members.[1]

References

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Public Domain This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.

  1. ^ "Edith". Uboat. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
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