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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMAND
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --
USS Black Arrow (ID # 3913, later ID # 1534), 1919-1919.
Previously the Civilian freighter Rhaetia (1904), Black
Hawk and Black Arrow
USS Black Arrow, a 11,900-ton (displacement) transport,
was built in 1904 at Vegesack, Germany, as the 6599 gross ton
Hamburg-America line freighter Rhaetia. She was seized
by the United States Government in April 1917, when the U.S. entered
World War I. Renamed Black Hawk and later Black Arrow,
she spent the rest of the war carrying cargo for the U.S. Army,
making at least five trips to France. In January 1919 the ship
was transferred to the Navy, which placed her in commission as
USS Black Arrow and put her to work bringing American service
personnel home from the former war zone. After the completion
of three round-trip voyages for this purpose, she was decommissioned
in August 1919 and returned to the U.S. Shipping Board.
As a side note, significant to those interested in tracking
the numbers assigned to ships by the U.S. Navy, this ship (then
named Black Hawk) was inspected for possible Navy service
by the Fifth Naval District about mid-1917 and given the registry
ID # 1534. However, the record of this action was apparently misplaced,
and the ship (by now named Black Arrow) was given the new
ID # 3913 at about the time she entered Naval service. On 3 April
1922, nearly three years after she had been returned to the Shipping
Board, the error was corrected and her number changed back to
1534. This reflects the Navy's contemporary effort to maintain
a registry of civilian ships for possible acquisition in the event
of another national emergency.
This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have concerning USS Black Arrow (ID # 3913) and the civilian ship Black Arrow, which was previously named Rhaetia and Black
Hawk.
For more images related to this ship, see:
USS Black Arrow (ID # 3913, later ID # 1534) -- On Board and Close Up Views.
Click on the small photograph to prompt
a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 102940
USS Black Arrow (ID # 3913)
In a U.S. East Coast port, 1919.
The original photograph, taken by the National Photo Service,
Inc., is printed on postal card ("AZO") stock.
Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2005.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 480 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 105725
USS Black Arrow (ID # 3913)
In port, 1919
The original image is printed on post card ("AZO")
stock.
Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 68KB; 740 x 475 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 102873
USS Black Arrow (ID # 3913)
In port, 1919.
Courtesy of Boatswain's Mate First Class Robert G. Tippins, USN
(Retired), 2005.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 78KB; 740 x 495 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 106660
USS Black Arrow (ID # 3913)
Halftone reproduction of a photograph of the ship in port, 1919.
This view was published circa 1919 by A.M. Simon, 324 E. 23rd Street, New York City, as one of ten images in a "Souvenir Folder" concerning USS Black Arrow.
Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2009.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 118KB; 900 x 590 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 104780
USS Black Arrow (ID # 3913)
In port, possibly at Gibraltar, 1919.
This photograph was originally the property of Warren W. Joy,
who made two trips as a member of Black Arrow's crew,
one from New York to Bordeaux and the other to Marseilles.
Courtesy of Stanley R. Joy, 2007.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 48KB; 740 x 440 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 99385
S.S. Black Arrow (American Freighter, 1904)
In port, possibly when inspected by the Third Naval District
on 20 March 1919.
Built in 1904 as the Hamburg-America Line steamer Rhaetia,
this ship was seized by the United States in April 1917. Renamed
Black Hawk, and later Black Arrow, she served on
U.S. Army account for the rest of World War I. Transferred to
the Navy, she was placed in commission on 27 January 1919 as
USS Black Arrow. The ship was decommissioned and returned
to the U.S. Shipping Board on 9 August 1919. While in Navy service
she apparently had registry ID # 3913, reflecting the March 1919
inspection. This was changed to ID # 1534 on 3 April 1922, indicating
that she had been inspected in about mid-1917 and assigned the
lower number, but that this had been overlooked when she was
taken over by the Navy.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 78KB; 560 x 765 pixels |
 |
For more images related to this ship, see:
USS Black Arrow (ID # 3913, later ID # 1534) -- On Board and Close Up Views.
NOTES:
To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here
are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded
and used for any purpose.
Some images linked from this page may bear obsolete credit lines
citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center".
Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval
History and Heritage Command".
Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page.
Page made 16 June 2004
New images added and page divided 19 December 2009