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- USS President Lincoln during the Great War -


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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

USS President Lincoln



 American Troopship  

USS President Lincoln

USS President Lincoln was a troop transport in the United States Navy during World War I.

Formerly the German steamer President Lincoln of the Hamburg-American Line, was built by Harland and Wolff, Belfast, in 1907. It was seized in New York harbour in 1917, turned over to the Shipping Board, and transferred to the Navy for operation as a troop transport.

Having been damaged severely by her German crew, President Lincoln underwent extensive repairs and conversion at Robin's Dry Dock and Repair Company, Brooklyn, New York. The ship commissioned as a Navy troop transport at Brooklyn on the 25 July 1917, Commander Yates Sterling, Jr., in command.

President Lincoln made five voyages from New York to France, transporting approximately 23,000 American troops which she disembarked at Brest, France and St. Nazaire. Four cycles were completed without incident: October-November 1917, December 1917-January 1918, February-March, and March-May. She sailed from New York on her fifth and final trip to Europe on 10th May 1918. Arriving at Brest on the 23rd, she disembarked troops, and — escorted by destroyers — got underway on the 29th with troopships Rijndam, Susquehanna and Antigone for the return voyage to the U.S. At sundown on the 30th May 1918, having passed through the so-called "danger zone" of submarine activity, the destroyers left the convoy to proceed alone. At about 09:00 on the 31st May 1918, President Lincoln was struck by three torpedoes from the German submarine U-90, and sank about 20 minutes later. Of the 715 people aboard, 26 men were lost with the ship, and a Lieutenant Edward Isaacs was taken aboard U,90 as prisoner. Survivors were rescued from lifeboats late that night by destroyers Warrington and Smith. They were taken to France, arriving at Brest on the 2nd June 1918.

John Doran


31st May 1918 USS President Lincoln sunk  The USS President Lincoln, the largest U.S. Naval vessel to be lost during the First World War, was torpedoed by the German submarine U-90, at about 9am, twenty minutes later she sank beneath the waves with the loss of twenty-six lives. Once the submarine had left the area, the lifeboats and rafts were lashed together to minimize the chances of further loss of life. During the night the destroyers USS Warrington and USS Smith arrived and took everyone on board, a considerable crowd for two ships of such modest size. Whilst en-route back to France, they encountered U-90 and attacked her with depth charges, but caused no damage. The survivors of USS President Lincoln arrived back at Brest on the 2nd of June.

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There are:2 articles tagged USS President Lincoln available in our Library

  These include information on officers service records, letters, diaries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.


Those known to have served in

USS President Lincoln

during the Great War 1914-1918.

  • Corbett John Lawrence.
  • Izac MH.. Edouard.

The names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed, please Add a Name to this List

Records of USS President Lincoln from other sources.


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      Did you know? We also have a section on World War Two. and a Timecapsule to preserve stories from other conflicts for future generations.






Want to know more about USS President Lincoln ?


There are:1 items tagged USS President Lincoln available in our Library

  These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.






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