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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 Pocahontas (ID # 3044), 1917-1919.
Originally commissioned as USS Prinzess Irene
USS Pocahontas, a 18,000 ton (displacement) transport,
was built at Stettin, Germany, in 1900 as the 10,881 gross ton
passenger liner Prinzess Irene. As part of the North German
Lloyd shipping line, she made commercial voyages from Germany
and the Mediterranean to America and the Far East. Prinzess
Irene had recently arrived at New York when World War I began
in early August 1914, and British dominance of the sea routes
kept her there, laid up, for the next three years.
With other interned German ships, she was seized when the United
States entered the conflict in April 1917 and turned over the
the Navy. In late July, while refitting at the New York Navy Yard,
the ship was placed in commission as USS Prinzess Irene
(sometimes spelled Princess Irene). Renamed Pocahontas
at the beginning of September, and later assigned Navy registry
ID # 3044, she made her initial voyage as a Navy troop transport
during September and October 1917, steaming from New York to St.
Nazaire, France, and back. Eight more round-trips trips between
the U.S. and France followed before the fighting ended in November
1918. In all, Pocahontas carried more than 24,000 service
personnel to the combat zone. During her wartime service, she
had one notable encounter with the enemy, a running gun battle
with a German submarine on 2 May 1918 that produced no damage
to either side.
With the return of peace, Pocahontas reversed her passenger
flow from eastbound to westbound, making nine more voyages to
bring over 23,000 American war veterans home from France. She
finished the last of these trips in late October 1919. Decommissioned
in early November and transferred to U.S. Shipping Board custody,
she returned to commercial employment early in 1921 as S.S. Pocahontas,
steaming between the U.S. and Italy. However, she was laid up
at Gibraltar in May of that year, with machinery problems, and
remained inactive until 1922, when North German Lloyd purchased
their old ship. She reentered German flag service in April 1923
as S.S. Bremen, was renamed Karlsruhe in 1928 and
continued to operate until mid-1932. The old ship was then scrapped
at Bremerhaven.
This page features, and provides links to, all the views
we have concerning USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044), which was
originally commissioned as USS Prinzess Irene.
For other images related to this ship, see:
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
-- Activities and Miscellaneous On Board Views;
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
-- Crew Members, in Groups;
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
-- Crew Members, as Individuals; and
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
-- Miscellaneous Images.
Click on the small photograph to prompt
a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 94205
USS Prinzess Irene (with two relatively short funnels)
Fitting out for transport service, at the New York Navy Yard,
Brooklyn, New York, circa August 1917. This ship became USS Pocahontas
(later receiving ID # 3044) on 1 September 1917.
The ship with four taller smokestacks, immediately beyond Prinzess
Irene, is USS Kaiser Wilhelm II, which became USS
Agamemnon (later receiving ID # 3004) on 1 September 1917.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 42KB; 740 x 400 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 106034
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
Underway at sea during her first U.S. Navy trans-Atlantic voyage,
September 1917.
The original photograph is printed on post card ("AZO")
stock, bearing the inscription (on its reverse): "Princess
Irene with four thousand troops.". Originally commissioned
as USS Prinzess Irene (or Princess Irene) in July
1917, the ship was renamed Pocahontas at the beginning
of September, shortly before the beginning of this voyage. However,
the earlier name is still visible on her bow.
Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 65KB; 740 x 495 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 93102
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
Steaming in an Atlantic convoy, circa later 1917 or early 1918.
Photographed from USS Maumee (Fuel Ship # 14).
Collection of Hubert C. Rickert, courtesy of Daniel Rickert,
1981.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 48KB; 740 x 450 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 43032
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
Entering harbor at St. Nazaire, France, 31 May 1918.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 89KB; 740 x 475 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 68721-A
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
Photographed in pattern camouflage, 1918.
Note that this image has been retouched, especially in the after
part of the ship.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 51KB; 740 x 445 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 82958
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
Wearing pattern camouflage, during World War I.
Collection of the USS Pocahontas Reunion Association,
1974.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 63KB; 740 x 440 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 82955
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
Leaving Bordeaux, France, 23 December 1918.
Collection of the USS Pocahontas Reunion Association,
1974.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 64KB; 740 x 620 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 68722-A
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
Underway in 1919, while transporting U.S. service personnel home
from Europe.
Photographed by Allison.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 50KB; 740 x 430 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 82959
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
Anchored in the outer harbor of Brest, France, in 1919.
Collection of the USS Pocahontas Reunion Association,
1974.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 440 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 82954
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
Underway at sea, circa 1919.
Collection of the USS Pocahontas Reunion Association,
1974.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph..
Online Image: 53KB; 740 x 385 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 102879
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
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: 83KB; 740 x 555 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 82964
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
In a French port, 1919.
Collection of the USS Pocahontas Reunion Association,
1974.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 72KB; 740 x 455 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 103115
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
Panoramic photograph by F.G. Head, 488 7th Avenue, New York City,
entitled "Arrival of U.S.S. Pocahontas .. Final Trip ..
New York .. October 31, 1919". She was bringing Companies
E, F. L and M of the 2nd Pioneer Infantry, U.S. Army, home from
France.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 110KB; 1200 x 385
pixels |
 |
For other images related to this ship, see:
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
-- Activities and Miscellaneous On Board Views;
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
-- Crew Members, in Groups;
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
-- Crew Members, as Individuals; and
USS Pocahontas (ID # 3044)
-- Miscellaneous Images.
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 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 28 October 2005
New image added 7 January 2009