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UNITED STATES NAVY
TEMPORARY AUXILIARY SHIPS
WORLD WAR I

Photo # NH 91268: Artwork of S.S. Mongolia


Online Library of Selected Images:
-- CIVILIAN SHIPS --

Mongolia (Passenger-Cargo Steamship, 1904).
Later renamed President Fillmore and Panamanian.
Served as USS Mongolia (ID # 1615) in 1918-1919

Mongolia, 13,638 gross ton passenger-cargo steamship, was built in 1904 at Camden, New Jersey, for trans-Pacific commercial service. In 1915 she was shifted to Atlantic routes and in March 1917 received a self-defense armament of Navy-manned guns. On 19 April she fought off a German submarine, the first such engagement after the United States entered World War I. Mongolia continued civilian operation for another year, mainly carrying U.S. troops to Europe. In April 1918 she was taken over by the Navy and, in early May, placed in commission as USS Mongolia (ID # 1615). She remained in transport service until the November 1918 Armistice, then began bringing American veterans home from the former war zone. With the completion of this task, USS Mongolia was decommissioned in September 1919 and returned to her owner.

Mongolia's commercial career resumed soon afterwards, and lasted for another two and a half decades. She changed ownership several times and was twice renamed, becoming President Fillmore in 1929 and Panamanian in 1940. The old ship was scrapped at Shanghai, China, in 1946.

This page features, and provides links to, all available views concerning S.S. Mongolia.

For more images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Mongolia (ID # 1615), 1918-1919.


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

    Photo #: NH 91268

    S.S. Mongolia     (American Passenger-Cargo Ship, 1904)

    Artwork, probably made prior to World War I.
    Built for E.H. Harriman's trans-Pacific service, this ship later operated on both inter-coastal and trans-Atlantic routes. She served as USS Mongolia (ID # 1615) in 1918-1919. Renamed President Fillmore in 1929 and Panamanian in 1940, she was broken up at Shanghai in 1946.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 78KB; 740 x 475 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 45961

    S.S. Mongolia     (American Passenger-Cargo Steamship, 1904)

    Halftone reproduction of an artwork, printed on a postal card issued by the Jewish Welfare Board to Soldiers and Sailors of the U.S. Army & Navy, during World War I.
    This ship served as USS Mongolia (ID # 1615) in 1918-1919.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 62KB; 740 x 480 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 45962

    S.S. Mongolia     (American Passenger-Cargo Steamship, 1904)

    At Manila, Philippine Islands, in 1913.
    This ship served as USS Mongolia (ID # 1615) in 1918-1919.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 60KB; 740 x 430 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 89778

    S.S. Mongolia     (American Passenger-Cargo Ship, 1904)

    Painted with neutrality markings, circa 1915-1917.
    This ship was USS Mongolia (ID # 1615) in 1918-1919.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 36KB; 740 x 195 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 105919

    S.S. Mongolia     (American Passenger-Cargo Steamship, 1904)

    At the St. Pauli Landing Stage, Hamburg, Germany, while in commercial service after World War I.
    This ship served as USS Mongolia (ID # 1615) in 1918-1919.

    Donation of Captain Stephen S. Roberts, USNR (Retired), 2008.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 96KB; 740 x 490 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 41973

    S.S. Mongolia     (American Passenger-Cargo Steamship, 1904)

    One of the ship's forward six-inch guns, taken while Mongolia was at sea in April 1917. These guns were manned by armed guard crews supplied by the U.S. Navy.
    Mongolia engaged a German submarine on 19 April 1917, the first U.S. ship to encounter a U-Boat after the United States entered World War I.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 450 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 781

    S.S. Mongolia     (American Passenger-Cargo Steamship, 1904)

    Ship's after six-inch gun and its crew, April 1917. The two officers at right are identified, in the original photo caption, as Lieutenant Ware and Captain Emory Rice of the U.S. Naval Reserve Force.
    Note shells on deck, painted with letters: "T-E-X-A-S" and "T-E-D-D-Y" Mongolia was assigned a Navy armed guard on 17 March 1917. She engaged a German submarine on 19 April 1917, the first U.S. ship encounter with a U-Boat after the United States entered World War I.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 52KB; 740 x 460 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 41710

    S.S. Mongolia     (American Passenger-Cargo Steamship, 1904)

    Ship's after six-inch gun and its crew, 19 May 1917.
    The gun was nicknamed "Theodore Roosevelt" by its crew.
    This ship served as USS Mongolia (ID # 1615) in 1918-1919.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 95KB; 740 x 590 pixels

     
    Photo #: NH 52704

    S.S. Mongolia     (American Passenger-Cargo Steamship, 1904)

    Two officers on board the ship soon after her 19 April 1917 action with a German submarine.
    They are identified in the original photo captions as Lieutenant Charles F. (or Bruce R.) Ware, USN, and First Officer Waldo E. Wollaston (or Mollaston). Note the right hand officer's high boots, communications gear and .45 caliber M1911 pistol; binoculars worn by both; and non-U.S. Navy insignia on the left-hand officer's cap.

    U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.

    Online Image: 89KB; 435 x 765 pixels

     


    For more images related to this ship, see:

  • USS Mongolia (ID # 1615), 1918-1919.


    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 19 September 2004
    New images added 6 January 2009