SS Panaman

For USS Panama, see USS Panama (SP-101).

SS Panaman in 1913 at Baltimore, Maryland
SS Panaman in 1913 at Baltimore, Maryland
History
NameSS Panaman
OwnerAmerican-Hawaiian Steamship Company
OrderedSeptember 1911[1]
Builder
Cost$715,000[2]
Yard number128[3]
Launched28 June 1913
CompletedSeptember 1913[3]
IdentificationOfficial number: 211629[4]
FateChartered by U.S. Army
History
United States
NameUSAT Panaman
FateTransferred to U.S. Navy, 12 August 1918[5]
History
United States
NameUSS Panaman (ID-3299)
Acquired12 August 1918
Commissioned12 August 1918
Decommissioned18 September 1919
FateReturned to American-Hawaiian
History
Name
  • 1919–1947: SS Panaman
  • 1947–1954: SS Marcella
Owner
  • 1919–1947: American-Hawaiian Steamship Co.
  • 1947–1954: Italian government[5]
Port of registry
  • 1919–1949: United States United States
  • 1949–1952: Italy Italy
FateScrapped at Baltimore, 15 September 1954[4]
General characteristics
TypeCargo ship
Tonnage6,535 GRT[2] 10,175 LT DWT[2]
Length
Beam53 ft 8 in (16.36 m)[5]
Draft29 ft 6 in (8.99 m)[5]
Installed power4,000 ihp (2,983 kW)
Propulsion
Speed12 knots (22 km/h)[5]
CapacityCargo: 492,255 cubic feet (13,939.1 m3)[2]
Crew18 officers, 40 crewmen
NotesSister ships: Dakotan, Montanan, Pennsylvanian, Minnesotan, Washingtonian, Iowan, Ohioan[3]
General characteristics (as USS Panaman)
Displacement14,495 t[8]
Complement70[5]
Armament
  • 1 × 5-inch (130 mm) gun
  • 1 × 3-inch (76 mm) gun[5]

SS Panaman was a cargo ship built in 1913 for the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company. The ship was sometimes incorrectly referred to as SS Panamanian. During World War I she was known as USAT Panaman in service for the United States Army and USS Panaman (ID-3299) in service for the United States Navy. Late in her career she was known as SS Marcella for the Italian government.

She was built by the Maryland Steel Company as one of eight sister ships for the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company, and was employed in inter-coastal service via the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and the Panama Canal after it opened. In World War I, USAT Panaman carried cargo and animals to France under charter to the U.S. Army. When transferred to the U.S. Navy in August 1918, USS Panaman continued in the same duties, but after the Armistice, was converted to a troop transport and returned over 11,000 American troops from France. Returned to American-Hawaiian in 1919, Panaman resumed inter-coastal cargo service.

During World War II, Panaman was requisitioned by the War Shipping Administration and initially sailed between New York and Caribbean ports, but with two trips to African ports mixed in. Beginning in mid 1943, Panaman sailed from New York or Boston to ports in the United Kingdom. In late 1946, she was sailing in the Pacific Ocean. In July 1947, American-Hawaiian sold Panaman to the Italian government. Renamed Marcella at that time, she was scrapped in September 1954 at Baltimore.

  1. ^ Cochran and Ginger, p. 358.
  2. ^ a b c d Cochran and Ginger, p. 365.
  3. ^ a b c Colton, Tim. "Bethlehem Steel Company, Sparrows Point MD". Shipbuildinghistory.com. The Colton Company. Archived from the original on 8 October 2008. Retrieved 21 August 2008. Colton mistakenly refers to the ship as Panamanian.
  4. ^ a b c d "Panaman". Miramar Ship Index. R.B.Haworth. Retrieved 21 August 2008.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Naval Historical Center. "Panaman". DANFS.
  6. ^ a b Cochran and Ginger, p. 357.
  7. ^ "Panaman (ID 3299)".
  8. ^ Gleaves, pp. 258–59.