S Leviathan

See also: Léviathan

The steamer S Vaterland was built by Blohm und Voss with Hamburg, in Germany, and was the second of a series of three buildings intended for the transatlantic line of Hapag-Lloyd. It was launched on April 13rd, 1913. The Vaterland had made only some outward journeys and returns when, at the end of July 1914, it arrived at the port of New York when the First World War burst. Being in the impossibility of retrourner in Germany because of British domination on the oceans, the steamer remained moored in Hoboken, in the New Jersey, during three years.

First World War

The steamer was seized by the the United States at the entry in war of those, the April 6th 1917. He was entrusted to U.S. Navy in June 1917, and was commissioned in July 1917 under the name of US Vaterland under the command of the captain J.W. Oman. The president Wilson baptized it Leviathan the September 6th 1917. A test towards Cuba was carried out in November 1917 and the building was useful in December as conveyer of troops towards Liverpool, in England. Because of work to be realized, it could join the USA only in February 1918. A second voyage towards Liverpool in March was again followed work. It is at that time that the building was repaints of a reason for Camouflage which it will carry until the end of the war. The Leviathan made regular outward journeys and returns between the USA and the French port of Brest, transporting more than 14.000 people per voyage, for a total office plurality of more than 119.000 soldiers to the November 11th 1918, date of the armistice. The Leviathan , was then repaints in gray in December 1918, and remade nine outward journeys and return to bring back the soldiers towards the USA. The last voyage took place the September 8th 1919. The October 29th 1919, the US Leviathan left the American military navy.

Post-war period

In April 1922, the steamer joined the port of Newport News, in Virginia, where it was entirely renovated with the standards of the time. Last work ended in June 1923.

The S Leviathan was the “king” of the fleet of American merchant navy and was used like liner (transatlantic liner) with the beginning of the year 1930. Called “Levi Nathan”, this boat was not as appreciated as its European rivals, because of absence of alcohol on board, due to Prohibition. The fall of customers due to the Grande depression struck the Leviathan hard. There was disarmed in 1931 and, except for a few months of service in 1934, remained unutilised until the December 10th 1937, date where he was sold at a British company which made him make its last transatlantic voyage bound for Rosyth, in Scotland, where he was dismantled the June 6th 1938.

In bulk

  • the American navy had more large building than the Leviathan only in 1945, with the construction of the Porte-avions US '' Midway ''
  • No building commercial of the United States did not exceed by the size the Leviathan , until 1952, year of construction of the S '' United States ''.
  • the orchestra of the Leviathan recorded several long-playing records

References

  • English language version of this article

External bonds

  • History and photographs of the '' Leviathan '' (in English)

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