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S.S. San Francisco


 
Gross Tonnage:5,102Net:3,164
Dimensions:405' 0" x 52' 0" x 28' 1"MC Type:
 
Builder:The North of Ireland Shipbuilding Co. Ltd.
Londonderry, Ireland
Hull #
USMC Hull #
Date of Build:
Delivered:
57

1914
5/14
Engines:3SB, 9cf, GS184, HS7457Engine Builder:Richardsons, Westgarth & Co. Ltd.
W. Hpl.
Navigation:ElecLight, WirelessDecks, etc.:2 Decks(Stl)

Began Isthmian Service:1914Ended Isthmian Service:1933

----------------------------------- Vessel History -----------------------------------
Date
Vessel
#
Vessel
Name
Vessel
Owner
Call Ltrs
Home
Port
Flag
1914
136675
San FranciscoIsthmian S.S. Co.
London
 
LondonBritish
1915
212786
San FranciscoU.S. Steel Products Co.
New York
LDPV
New YorkUS
1918
212786
Saint Francis*** Name Change ***
U.S. Steel Products Co.
New York
LDPV
New YorkUS
1919
212786
San Francisco*** Name Change ***
U.S. Steel Products Co.
New York
LDPV
New YorkUS
1933
212786
Lammot DuPontInternational Freighting Co.
Wilmington, DE
WDCY
WilmingtonUS

Events:
11/17/17: Requistioned by the War Department in New York.
2/17/18: Rechristened ST. FRANCIS. When taken over by the Shipping Board she was renamed to avoid confusion in Navy messages, as there was already a cruiser named SAN FRANCISCO.
12/28/18: Returned to Isthmian by the Shipping Board in New York.
1/19: Name changed back to SAN FRANCISCO.
1933: Sold to IFC, DuPont's shipping company and kept on the accustomed run to Chile and Peru handling nitrates for the DuPont's powder plants.

Disposition DateComments
19424/23 - On a voyage from Buenos Aires to New York, Robert Cameron Housten Master, with 6,812 tons linseed and general cargo, steaming a 9.5 knot nonevasive course at 3:20 PM, position 27.10 N, 57.10 W, the vessel was attacked by U-125 (Folkers) who fired a torpedo that struck approximately 15 ft below the waterline on the port side between the #4 hatch and the engine room. The explosion blew the booms at the #4 and #5 hatches onto the deck and threw a large column of water and linseed from #4 hatch. The vessel listed rapidly to port and within 5 mins rolled onto her side. Only 1 lifeboat and 3 rafts could be launched by the 9 officers, 37 crewmen and 9 armed guards. Four of these men never left the ship. The Swedish MV ASTRI rescued 15 men on 2 of the rafts after 2 days afloat, transferring them to the USS OMAHA (CL-4). Two men abandoned ship on a broken raft. Although other survivors attempted to reach them in the heavy seas, they drifted away and were never found. The lifeboat containing 31 drifted for 23 days, 8 men dying before the USS TARBELL (DD-142) spotted them. Three more died in a San Juan hospital. In all, 8 officers, 22 crewmen and 8 armed guards survived.







The information on this web site is the kind contribution of our Historian, Skip Lewis, © 2003. Skip, whose dad sailed for Isthmian, is an avid collector and researcher of everything Isthmian and States Marine. In his quest, he has used many sources and publications including Lloyd's of London and Imperial Steel by John Atherton.

If you have any questions about, or information for, this website, please contact us.

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