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UNITED STATES NAVY
TEMPORARY AUXILIARY SHIPS
WORLD WAR I

Photo # 19-N-1109: USS Siboney underway in 1918

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --

USS Siboney (ID # 2999), 1918-1919.
Also served as U.S. Army Transport Siboney (1942-1944) and U.S. Army Hospital Ship Charles A. Stafford (1944-1948)

USS Siboney, an 11,298 ton (displacement) transport, was built at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a 7652 gross ton civilian passenger liner. Launched in August 1917 as S.S. Oriente, her name was changed to Siboney at the end of February 1918. The ship was acquired by the Navy upon completion of construction in April 1918 and was placed in commission at that time. Assigned to the Cruiser and Transport Force, Siboney began trans-Atlantic troop carrying operations in the same month and during the rest of the First World War made six round-trip voyages from the U.S. to France, bringing thousands of "Doughboys" to the European war zone. During her second such trip, she rescued survivors of the British steamship Dwinsk, which had been torpedoed in mid-June. Her fourth voyage, in August, was marred by an ordnance explosion on board that killed four of her complement and injured others. The great influenza epidemic struck hard on Siboney during her sixth trip, killing 38 men as she steamed from New York to Brest, France, in the first half of October 1918.

Siboney was ready to sail on a seventh passage to France in early November when the swiftly collapsing enemy situation provoked a change in plans. Landing her load of troops, she embarked a relatively modest number of Navy passengers, and arrived at St. Nazaire, France, just as the Armistice brought an end to the "Great War"'s carnage. Returning to the U.S. later in November with wounded veterans of the conflict, she was soon heavily engaged in the important task of bringing home the American Expeditionary Force. Averaging more than 3000 troop passengers at a time, she made ten voyages for this purpose between December 1918 and early September 1919. USS Siboney was decommissioned in mid-September and turned over to the U.S. Army.

Employed between the Wars by the New York and Cuba Mail Steamship Company as S.S. Siboney, she was chartered by the Army in June 1941 and spent the next five years as the Army Transport Siboney and the Army Hospital Ship Charles A. Stafford. Laid up in 1948, she was scrapped in 1957.

This page features, and provides links to, all the views that are available concerning USS Siboney (ID # 2999), U.S. Army Transport Siboney, and U.S. Army Hospital Ship Charles A. Stafford.

For other images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Siboney (ID # 2999) -- Actions and Activities;
  • USS Siboney (ID # 2999) -- On Board Views (Exterior);
  • USS Siboney (ID # 2999) -- On Board Views (Interior);
  • USS Siboney (ID # 2999) -- Miscellaneous Views; and
  • USAT Siboney (U.S. Army Transport, 1941), later U.S. Army Hospital Ship Charles A. Stafford.


    Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.


    Photo #: 19-N-1109

    USS Siboney     (ID # 2999)

    Underway in 1918, while painted in "dazzle" camouflage.

    Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives.

    Online Image: 91KB; 740 x 615 pixels

    Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system.

     
    Photo #: NH 105888

    USS Siboney     (ID # 2999)

    Halftone reproduction of a photograph showing the ship painted in "dazzle" camouflage in 1918-1919.
    This view was published in 1919 as one of ten images in a "Souvenir Folder" concerning USS Siboney.

    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 76KB; 740 x 510 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 43470

    USS Siboney     (ID # 2999)

    Photographed by Machinist John G. Krieger, USN, in May 1918.
    Note her "dazzle" type camouflage.

    Donation of John G. Krieger, 1967.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 54KB; 740 x 445 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 103238-A

    USS Siboney     (ID # 2999)

    In New York Harbor, with her decks crowded with troops returning home from France, circa late 1918 or early 1919.
    Photographed by E. Muller, Jr., New York.

    Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 95KB; 900 x 505 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 103238

    USS Siboney     (ID # 2999)

    In New York Harbor, with her decks crowded with troops returning home from France, circa late 1918 or 1919.
    Photographed by E. Muller Jr., New York.

    Collection of Captain Clarence S. Williams, USN. Donated by Mrs. Clarence S. Williams, 1975.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 88KB; 900 x 495 pixels

    Note:     The original print is broken into three sections and is badly stained in some areas.

     
    Photo #: NH 43469

    USS Siboney     (ID # 2999)

    Photographed by Machinist John G. Krieger, USN, in May 1918.
    Note her "dazzle" type camouflage.

    Donation of John G. Krieger, 1967.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 48KB; 740 x 445 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105781

    USS Siboney     (ID # 2999)

    Arriving at Naval Base, Hampton Roads, Virginia, on 8 August 1919, bringing U.S. Marines home from overseas service.
    The original image is printed on post card ("AZO") stock.

    Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image size: 54KB; 740 x 490 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 106391

    USS Siboney     (ID # 2999)

    At Brest, France, August 1919.

    Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 61KB; 740 x 455 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105529

    USS Siboney     (ID # 2999)

    Photographed in 1919, while engaged in returning troops to the United States from France.
    The original image printed on postcard ("AZO")stock. The card's reverse bears the hand-written inscription: "The Ship that brought us HOME".

    Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image size: 74KB; 740 x 465 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105972

    USS Siboney     (ID # 2999)

    In port, probably at Newport News, Virginia, circa mid-1919.

    Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 71KB; 740 x 475 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 103262-KN (color)

    USS Siboney (ID # 2999)

    Letterpress reproduction of an artwork by Musician Loren C. Holmberg, USN, printed on page 5 of "Historical Souvenir of the U.S.S. Siboney", published by the ship's crew in 1919 as a momento of her service.

    Collection of Captain Clarence S. Williams, USN. Donated by Mrs. Clarence S. Williams, 1975.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 495 pixels

     


    The following images show USS Siboney (ID # 2999) in the background of photographs of other subjects:

    Photo #: NH 95200

    USS Colhoun (DD-85)

    Escorting a convoy of troopships, in mid-1918.
    The two-stack transport beyond her bow is USS Siboney (ID # 2999).
    Photographed by R. Bowman.

    Courtesy of Jack L. Howland, 1983.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 85KB; 740 x 460 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 64932

    American Bassens, Gironde River, France

    Large field guns on flat cars at the U.S. Army docks, American Bassens, 20 February 1919.
    USS Siboney (ID # 2999) is in the background.
    Photographed by Machinist John G. Krieger, USN.
    Note the slide-like structure on Siboney's stern, between her two after 5"/51 guns.

    Donation of John G. Krieger, 1967.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 67KB; 740 x 485 pixels

     


    For other images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Siboney (ID # 2999) -- Actions and Activities;
  • USS Siboney (ID # 2999) -- On Board Views (Exterior);
  • USS Siboney (ID # 2999) -- On Board Views (Interior);
  • USS Siboney (ID # 2999) -- Miscellaneous Views; and
  • USAT Siboney (U.S. Army Transport, 1941), later U.S. Army Hospital Ship Charles A. Stafford.


    NOTES:

  • To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded and used for any purpose.

  • Some images linked from this page bear obsolete credit lines citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center". Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval History and Heritage Command".


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    Page made 28 November 2005
    New images added 28 February 2008