USS Sturgeon Bay was a wood-hulled freighter built in 1918 at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin for the United States Shipping Board during World War I.

History
United States
NameUSS Sturgeon Bay
OwnerUnited States Shipping Board
BuilderRieboldt, Wolter & Company, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Laid down14 July 1917[1]
Launched25 April 1918
Sponsored byEleanor Wolter[1]
Acquired24 September 1921
Commissioned7 June 1922
Decommissioned7 February 1928
Stricken7 February 1928
FateSold for scrapping, 5 March 1928
General characteristics
TypeFreighter
Tonnage826 long tons (839 t) (net)
Length245 ft (75 m) p/p
Beam42 ft (13 m)
Draft23 ft 11 in (7.29 m)
Depth of hold26 ft (7.9 m)
Speed10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)

History

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She was laid down on July 14, 1917 at Rieboldt, Wolter & Company shipyard at Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin for the benefit of the Lake and Ocean Navigation Company of Chicago using Crosby & Sullivan (also of Chicago) as the general contractors.[1] Prior to her launching, the contract was assigned or purchased by the United States Shipping Board's Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFT) due to a shortage of cargo ships during World War I and her design was modified (referred to as Design 1007).[2][3] She was the only ship of her class which was usually referred to as the "Lake and Ocean"-type[3] and she was the last ship built by the Rieboldt-Walter shipyard which was purchased in early May 2018 by the Universal Shipbuilding Company.[4]

She was acquired by the Navy from the United States of America (U.S.) Shipping Board on 24 September 1921 and assigned to the 9th Naval District. She was transferred to the 3rd Naval District in June 1922 and commissioned at Norfolk, Virginia, on 7 June. Later that month, she was turned over to the New York State Naval Militia, on loan, for use as a floating armory at Buffalo, New York. She served New York until 30 January 1928, when she was taken over by the Commandant, 3rd Naval District, for disposal. She was decommissioned and her name was struck from the Navy List on 7 February 1928. On 5 March 1928, her hulk was sold to the Donahue Stratton Co. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Transport "Sturgeon Bay" Is Launched". The Sheboygan Press. April 26, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "NH 105922-KN S.S. Sturgeon Bay". Naval History and Heritage Command.
  3. ^ a b McKellar, Norman L. "American Wooden Shipbuilding in World War One, Part II" (PDF). American Wooden Shipbuilding in World War One, 1917-1921. ShipScribe. p. 341. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
  4. ^ "The Universal Shipbuilding Co. has purchased the Riebolt-Wolter shipyards at Sturgeon Bay for $100,000". The Gazette (Stevens Point). May 8, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
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