USS Bath (AK-4)
USS Bath (AK-4) was a cargo ship acquired by the U.S. Navy for service in World War I.
| History | |
|---|---|
 NetherlandsNetherlands | |
| Name: | Andromeda |
| Namesake: | Andromeda (mythology) |
| Owner: | Argo Steamship Co., Holland |
| Builder: | Oderwerke, Stettin, German Empire |
| Laid down: | 1913 |
| Launched: | date unknown |
| Completed: | 1913 |
| Out of service: | seized at New Orleans, La., 6 April 1917 |
| Stricken: | date unknown |
.jpg.webp) USS Bath (AK-4) At anchor and dressed with flags, circa 1920. | |
.svg.png.webp){kind=small} United States | |
| Name: | Bath |
| Namesake: | Bath, Maine |
| Acquired: | 6 April 1917 |
| Commissioned: | 30 July 1917, as USS Bath (ID-1997) |
| Decommissioned: | 9 May 1922 |
| Reclassified: | 17 July 1920, USS Bath (AK-4) |
| Stricken: | 30 September 1925 |
| Identification: |
|
| Fate: | sold to S. R. Paterno of Manila, 2 January 1926 |
| Status: | fate unknown |
| General characteristics [1] | |
| Displacement: |
|
| Length: | 344 ft (105 m) |
| Beam: | 46 ft 2 in (14.07 m) |
| Draught: | 20 ft 2 in (6.15 m) |
| Propulsion: | system unknown |
| Speed: | 10 kn (12 mph; 19 km/h) |
| Complement: | 99 |
| Armament: |
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Acquiring a captured German freighter
The first ship to be named Bath by the Navy, AK-4 was launched in 1913 by Oderwerke Stettiner, Stettin, Germany, as the Dutch freighter SS Andromeda; seized by Customs Officials at New Orleans, Louisiana, 6 April 1917; transferred to the Navy in May, renamed Bath 6 June 1917; and commissioned 30 July 1917, Lieutenant Commander E. O. Coffey, USNR, in command.
World War I North Atlantic operations
She left New Orleans 2 August 1917, joined a convoy at Boston, Massachusetts, and arrived at Brest, France, 18 September 1917. She was placed in Special Service with Train, Atlantic Fleet, and carried cargo between England and France until February 1918 when she returned to the United States. Bath was assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service in March 1918 and carried cargo between the United States and Europe. Between February 1919 and July 1921 she carried cargo between the east and west coasts of the United States and to the Caribbean.
Post-World War I activity
On 14 July 1921 Bath was assigned to the Asiatic Fleet and arrived at Cavite, Philippine Islands 6 January 1922.
Decommissioning
She remained with the Asiatic Fleet until decommissioned at Cavite 9 May 1922. She was sold on 2 January 1926. Her fate is unknown.
Military awards and honors
Her crew members were eligible for the following medal:
- World War I Victory Medal (with Transport clasp)
References
- "USS Bath (AK-4)". Navsource.org. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.