USS Chaumont, one of twelve 13,400-ton (displacement) Hog Island Type B (Design 1024) transports built for the U. S. Shipping Board at Hog Island, Pennsylvania, was laid down in November 1918 as the Shipping Board's Shope, launched in March 1920 as the U.S. Army's Chaumont, and completed a few months later. Excess to Army needs, she was transferred to the Navy and commissioned in November 1921. From her home port at San Francisco, Chaumont commenced a career of trans-Pacific troop service that initially consisted of voyages between California and Manila via Honolulu. Two or three voyages in 1925-26 took her to Shanghai instead of Manila, and she continued to stop at Shanghai at least once during most subsequent years. In August 1926 she sailed from San Francisco through the Panama Canal to Annapolis. The return trip took her to Norfolk, where she was drydocked for routine maintenance, and then to Guantanamo. Such voyages between the East and West Coasts also became near-annual events.
Chaumont's voyages to Shanghai provided important assistance to U.S. Far Eastern diplomacy during the 1920s and 1930s by supporting the Marine Corps units deployed to the International Settlement in that city to protect U.S. nationals there. At the end of January 1932 Japanese forces in the Settlement attacked nearby Chinese forces, leading to intensive fighting in the city. Chaumont was in Manila at the time, and on 31 January the Navy Department ordered her to embark the 1,000 men of the Army's 31st Infantry Regiment and sail for Shanghai. Responding rapidly, Chaumont cleared Manila with the troops on board on 2 February and arrived at Shanghai on the 5th. Five years later, in mid-September 1937, Chaumont rushed the 6th Marine Regiment to Shanghai to reinforce the 4th Regiment that was protecting the Settlement during the all-out Japanese effort to seize the city from tenacious Chinese defenders. Chaumont suffered two mishaps during her China service in 1936-37, a week-long period aground at Chingwangtao and a collision at Shanghai with the Italian cruiser Raimondo Montecuccoli.
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Chaumont was on one of her regular voyages from Hawaii to Manila. She was diverted to Darwin, Australia, and then sent back to the West Coast. After two runs to Pearl Harbor, the now elderly transport was assigned to service between Seattle and Alaska, bringing men and supplies to assist in the defense of the Aleutians. Selected in March 1943 for conversion to a hospital ship, Chaumont was decommissioned in August at Seattle. She returned to active service in March 1944 as Samaritan (AH-10) and retained that name and designation until she was sold for scrapping in early 1948.
This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have related to USS Chaumont (AP-5), which became USS Samaritan (AH-10) in 1943.
For other images concerning this ship, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 55089 USS Chaumont (AP-5) Underway in the 1920s. Courtesy of Captain F. L. Oliver, USN, 1927. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 114KB; 740 x 625 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 99601 USS Chaumont (AP-5) Alongside a pier in the 1920s or 1930s. Collection of BMC Ralph E. Turpin. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 47KB; 740 x 465 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 83456 USS Chaumont (AP-5) Photographed during the 1920s or 1930s while dressed with flags. Note the enclosed area below the bridge, a recognition feature for this ship. Courtesy of D. M. McPherson, 1975. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. This photo was originally identified as USS Argonne (AP-4). Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 495 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 76474 USS Chaumont (AP-5) In Chinese waters during the 1930s. Courtesy of Mrs. Ulrika Mikel, 1972. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 48KB; 590 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 1375 USS Chaumont (AP-5) At anchor in the 1920s or 1930s. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 605 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 77810 USS Chaumont (AP-5) Arriving off the Bund at Shanghai, China, with the 6th Regiment, U. S. Marine Corps, on 19 September 1937. The Marines had been sent to reinforce the 4th Marine Regiment in guarding the U. S. sector of the International Settlement during the Sino-Japanese war. The tug is St. Sampson or St. Dominic. Courtesy of Vice Admiral M. L. Deyo, USN (Ret.), 1973. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 105KB; 740 x 585 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 55090 USS Chaumont (AP-5) Moored to a landing with troops on deck in the 1920s or 1930s. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 54KB; 740 x 545 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 99602 USS Chaumont (AP-5) Underway during the 1920s. Collection of John Spector. This photograph was part of a Christmas card. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 56KB; 740 x 490 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 55091 USS Chaumont (AP-5) Pierside at Corinto, Nicaragua, in the 1920s or 1930s. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 54KB; 740 x 465 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 77893 USS Chaumont (AP-5) Arriving at Shanghai, China, with the 6th Regiment, U. S. Marine Corps, on 19 September 1937. Assisted by the tugs St. Sampson and St. Dominic, she is preparing to moor in "Man of War Row" in the Whangpoo (Huangpu) River off the Shanghai Bund. The ships moored in the row include the British cruiser Danae and sloop Falmouth, the French cruiser Dumont d'Urville and sloop Tahure, and the Italian cruiser Raimondo Montecuccoli. The Dutch destroyer Van Galen is astern of Chaumont. Courtesy of Rear Admiral J. P. Walker, USN (Ret.), 1973. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 71KB; 740 x 595 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 81988 "Man of War Row" in the Whangpoo (Huangpu) River, Shanghai, China Probably photographed in late May or early June 1939. USS Chaumont (AP-5) is moored in the most distant row, ahead of the Italian cruiser Bartolomeo Colleoni and astern of the French cruiser Lamotte-Picquet. The merchantman moored in the nearer offshore row include the British Shantung (left) and the Italian Enderia (center). The British merchantman Yingchow is moored in the distance, beyond Chaumont's bow. This image forms a panorama with Photo #s NH 81985, NH 81986 and NH 81987. Collection of Admiral Harry E. Yarnell, 1975. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 69KB; 740 x 505 pixels |
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Photo #: 19-N-25845 USS Chaumont (AP-5) At the Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, Va., on 4 October 1941. USS Texas (BB-35) is in the background to the right with USS Dickerson (DD-157) and another four-piper. The British aircraft carrier in the foreground is probably HMS Illustrious under repair under "Aid Short of War." Photograph from the Bureau of Ships Collection in the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 80KB; 740 x 625 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
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In addition to the images presented above, the National Archives appears to hold other views of USS Chaumont (AP-5). The following list features these images:
The images listed below are NOT in
the Naval Historical Center's collections.
DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our
page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions".
Port side aerial oblique view of USS Chaumont (AP-5) underway on 3 February 1927. Starboard side view of USS Chaumont (AP-5) at anchor on 1 February 1930. Reproductions of these images should be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system for pictures not held by the Naval Historical Center. The images listed in this box are NOT in the Naval Historical Center's collections. DO NOT try to obtain them using the procedures described in our page "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions". |
For other images concerning this ship, see:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 10 October 2004
Caption updated 6 November 2004