SS Harry Luckenbach

The SS Harry Luckenbach , built as the USN Sol Navis was a cargo ship built at Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. in Chester, Pennsylvania in 1919. On 17 March 1943 she was sunk by Uboat U-91 during World War II with a loss of all crew.

SS Harry Luckenbach -
History
United States
Name: SS Harry Luckenbach - USN Sol Navis
Builder: Sun Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co.
Launched: 9 February 1919
Commissioned: 7 July 1919
Fate: Sank 17 March 1943 by U-91
General characteristics
Type: Cargo
Displacement: 6,366 long tons (6,468 t)
Length: 448 ft 7 in (136.73 m) 136.8 x 18.4 x 11.5 m
Beam: 59 ft (18 m)
Draft: 37.7 ft (11.5 m)
Propulsion: 4 x De Laval Steam turbine engines SR geared to two screw shafts, 4 water tube boilers,968 n.h.p.
Speed: 13.5 knots (25.0 km/h; 15.5 mph)
Complement: 53
Armament: 1x 3inch gun, 1x 4inch gun, 8x 20mm guns

USN Sol Navis - World war 1

USN Sol Navis (Id.No.4031A) was the last of four sister ships ordered by the Luckenbach Steamship Company. Luckenbach Steamship Company did not take ownership of the ship, as the United States Shipping Board (USSB) requisitioned all merchant ships under construction or on order in American shipyards. The UN Navy took ownership of the ship on 3 August 1917. USN Sol Navis was launched on 9 February 1919 and completed at South Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 7 July 1919. The first Commander was Edward C. Jones, USNRF. USN Sol Navis was assigned to bring soldiers home from Europe at the end of World War I. In her cargo hold were built temporary troop accommodations for the trip home. Her first trip departed Philadelphia on 12 July 1919 for France. On 13 August 1919 she departed Brest, France with 30 US Army officers and 846 enlisted men arriving at Hoboken, New Jersey on 4 September 1919. She returned to Brest, France arriving on 13 September 1919 to bring home 67 officers, 1,699 doughboys soldiers, taking them to New York City quarantine place off Staten Island, arriving on 25 September. After quarantine troops arrived at Army's Bush Terminal at 59th Street in Brooklyn. Sol Navis was put into drydocked for repairs at Robins Dry Dock, Erie Basin, Brooklyn on 9 October 1919. Having completed he mission the UN Navy decommissioned her on 22 October 1919.[1]

SS Harry Luckenbach

Ownership was returned to the Luckenbach Steamship Company and she was renamed SS Harry Luckenbach. in 1920. On 17 March 1943 she was traveling in Convoy HX-229 (#111) from New York City to the United Kingdom. On 17 March 1943 400 miles off of Cape Farewell, Greenland she was hit by torpedoes from German submarine ( Kriegsmarine) U-91. The torpedoes hit on her starboard side midship in the machinery room. She sank within 3 minutes in the rough seas. She had a crew of 54 seaman and 26 Naval Armed Guard the man the guns. Some convoy ships saw some lifeboats, but they were not immediately sent rescue. By the time rescue was sent none of lifeboats or men were seen or heard from again. Sank at (50°38′N 34°46′W) [2][3][4][5][6]

Luckenbach ships

[8][9]

References
  1. US Navy, SN Sol Navis
  2. wrecksite.eu SS Harry Luckenbach
  3. Uboat SS Harry Luckenbach
  4. navsource.org USS MADISON (DD-425)
  5. "Harry Luckenbach". Uboat. Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  6. www.armed-guard.com SS Harry Luckenbach
  7. USN Eddelyn
  8. US Navy, Converted Freighters of the 1916-1919 Luckenbach Steamship Company
  9. The ships list, Luckenbach Steamship Company


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