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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --
USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919) --
Stranding, January 1919
On Christmas Day 1918, USS Northern Pacific departed
Brest, France, beginning the westbound leg of her eleventh World
War I era trans-Atlantic troop carrying cycle. On board were 2508
passengers, among them homeward bound veterans, some of them wounded,
and seventeen Navy Nurses. At 2:20 A.M. on New Year's Day, 1919,
while approaching the port of New York in a pouring rain, she
ran aground on a sand bar off Fire Island. The sea was very rough,
with waves continually breaking over the ship's superstructure
and smokestacks, and Northern Pacific's attempts back free
were fruitless. An S.O.S. message was sent out. U.S. Coastguardsmen
soon arrived and shot a line out to the stranded ship.
After dawn several Navy ships arrived, among them the salvage
tug Resolute and a number of destroyers. Northern Pacific
was by now hard aground, in less than half as much water as her
normal draft. Big waves continued to roll in, and one of her lifeboats
was washed away from its position high on the ship's superstructure.
That day, under difficult conditions, a Coast Guard boat removed
254 men, fortunately without loss of life. The next day was calmer,
and 210 more people were taken off, though a motor launch from
the cruiser Columbia was
swamped and thrown ashore in the process. Late in the day Resolute
and the minesweeper Widgeon secured lines to Northern
Pacific's stern and refloating efforts commenced, though without
success. On 3 and 4 January submarine chasers and small craft
busily removed passengers, taking the wounded men to the transport
Henry R. Mallory and
hospital ship Solace,
which were standing by offshore.
Salvage work now began in earnest, with barges being used to
remove Northern Pacific's four six-inch guns, liferafts,
boats, signal towers and other gear in order to lighten her. On
every high tide three tugs were employed to pull the ship seaward.
Progress was achieved a few feet at a time until finally, just
before 9 P.M. on 18 January, USS Northern Pacific was again
afloat. Tugs then towed her into New York Harbor, where she anchored
off Staten Island on the morning of 20 January 1919. With damaged
bottom plating and a non-functional rudder, she would require
months of repairs before returning
to service.
This page features all the views we have concerning the
stranding and recovery of USS Northern Pacific in January
1919.
For other images related to this ship, and this incident,
see:
USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919);
and
USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919)
-- Under Repair, January-May 1919.
Click on the small photograph to prompt
a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 103179
USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919)
Aground off Fire Island, New York, circa 1-18 January 1919.
The original print was made by Naval Air Station Rockaway Beach,
New York, and is dated 20 February 1919.
Collection of Harry Polunsky. Donated by his grandson, Stephen
Polunsky, 1974.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 79KB; 740 x 590 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 44755
USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919)
Stranded off Fire Island, New York, in early January 1919.
Note the swamped boat on the beach (with letter "C"
on its bow), another boat full of men just off Northern Pacific's
stern, and destroyers standing by offshore.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 73KB; 740 x 605 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 103278
USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919)
Stranded off Fire Island, New York, during the first half of
January 1919. Several U.S. Navy destroyers and other ships are
offshore, engaged in rescue and salvage operations.
The original image was printed on postal card ("AZO")
stock.
Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2005.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 74KB; 740 x 470 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 44759
USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919)
Stranded off Fire Island, New York, after going aground on 1
January 1919.
A destroyer and two other ships are standing by offshore, and
a boat is near Northern Pacific's stern.
Soldiers in the foreground are examining a beached and swamped
boat, which has the letter "C" on its bow.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 41KB; 740 x 530 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 44758
USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919)
Stranded off Fire Island, New York, after going aground on 1
January 1919.
Soldiers in the foreground are standing by a breeches buoy, which
was used to bring men ashore from the ship after she grounded.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 75KB; 740 x 625 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 44756
USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919)
Stranded off Fire Island, New York, after going aground on 1
January 1919.
USS SC-294 and several boats are alongside.
Note that Northern Pacific's after stack is still producing
smoke.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 87KB; 740 x 595 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 1023
USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919)
Stranded off Fire Island, New York, in early January 1919, with
USS SC-291 off her stern debarking wounded troops, and
other ships standing by further offshore.
A HS-1 type seaplane is overhead.
Collection of James Lee, USNRF.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 77KB; 740 x 545 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 44757
USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919)
Stranded off Fire Island, New York, after going aground on 1
January 1919.
Men are visible on the ship's stern, and in a boat just below.
A Curtiss HS-1 type flying boat is overhead.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 565 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 103279
Stranding of USS Northern Pacific, January 1919
A motor launch en route to the Northern Pacific, which
had run hard aground off Fire Island, New York, on 1 January
1919. Photographed circa 3-4 January, while the hospital ship
Solace (visible in the center distance) was receiving
wounded Soldier passengers from the stranded ship.
The original image was printed on postal card ("AZO")
stock.
Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2005.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 47KB; 740 x 475 pixels |
 |
The following photograph shows a submarine chaser that was
involved in removing troops and crew members from USS Northern
Pacific after her 1 January 1919 grounding:
Photo #: NH 42594
USS SC-292 (1918-1921)
Underway in harbor, circa 1918.
She was one of the submarine chasers which took the troops and
crew off the transport USS Northern Pacific, when the
transport went aground off Fire Island, New York, on 1 January
1919.
Note the 3"/23 gun mounted on SC-292's foredeck.
U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph.
Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 570 pixels |
 |
For other images related to this ship, and this incident,
see:
USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919);
and
USS Northern Pacific (1917-1919)
-- Under Repair, January-May 1919.
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Historical Center home page.
Page made 29 November 2005