USS Newport News (AK-3)

USS Newport News (AK-3) was a cargo ship acquired by the U.S. Navy for service in World War I.

"AK-3" redirects here. For the highway in Alaska numbered 3, see George Parks Highway.
For other ships with the same name, see USS Newport News.
SS Odenwald at San Juan, Puerto Rico, in March 1915. She is being watched by the USLHT Myrtle, whose bow is to the right.
History
German Empire
Name: Odenwald
Namesake: Odenwald
Operator: Hamburg-American Line
Builder: Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft
Launched: 1904
Captured: taken over by the US Navy, 14 May 1917
USS Newport News in San Francisco Bay, California, circa 1919. The ship served in the Pacific from August 1919 until she was decommissioned in August 1924.
United States
Name: Newport News
Namesake: Newport News, Virginia
Acquired: 14 May 1917
Commissioned: 14 July 1917
Decommissioned: 1 August 1924
Stricken: 1 August 1924
Identification: Hull symbol:AK-3
Fate: sold for scrapping, 4 April 1925
General characteristics [1]
Displacement: 10,000 t (9,800 long tons)
Length: 371 ft 5 in (113.21 m)
Beam: 45 ft 5 in (13.84 m)
Draft: 23 ft 6 in (7.16 m)
Propulsion: system unknown
Speed: 13 kn (15 mph; 24 km/h)
Complement: 150
Armament: 4 × 3 in (76 mm)/23 caliber guns

Acquiring a captured German freighter

The first Navy ship to bear the name, Newport News was originally SS Odenwald, a German cargo ship built in 1904 by Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft. She was taken over from the Hamburg America Line during World War I in compliance with Executive Order 2619-A dated May 14, 1917. Commissioned on July 14, 1917, the renamed Newport News entered Navy service with Lt. Comdr. John Allison USNRF in command.

World War I North Atlantic operations

Newport News operated on transatlantic supply runs until assigned to NOTS 9 January 1918. Returning to Hampton Roads from Europe 2 February, she carried coal to Boston, Massachusetts, before sailing from New York 24 March laden with military supplies for England, arriving Liverpool on the 22nd. After discharging her cargo at Liverpool, Dublin, and Queenstown, she got underway for the United States 18 May, arriving Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the 31st.

In subsequent months, Newport News made three more voyages to European ports with mixed cargoes. Her last took her from New York to Gibraltar in April 1919. After unloading there, she took on food, clothing and other supplies and steamed to Constantinople to relieve famine and widespread suffering in the Middle East. Returning to Norfolk, Virginia, via Gibraltar 27 June, Newport News was detached from NOTS.

Servicing activities in the Pacific Ocean

Newport News departed Hampton Roads 12 July and steamed via the Panama Canal for the Pacific Ocean, arriving Mare Island 5 August. She operated on supply runs, primarily to the Far East.

Decommissioning

She was decommissioned at U.S. Navy Yard, Puget Sound, Washington, 1 August 1924 and struck from the Navy List the same day. Newport News was sold 4 April 1925 to John F. Blaine of Berkeley, California, for scrapping.

Military awards and honors

Newport News’ crew was authorized the following medal:

  • World War I Victory Medal (with Transport clasp)
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References
  1. "USS Newport News (AK-3)". Navsource.org. Retrieved May 23, 2015.
  • Photo gallery of USS Newport News (AK-3) at NavSource Naval History
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