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NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive

USS Adams (II)

1913 - International Radio Call Sign:
Nan - Tare - Item
NTI
Adams Class Screw Steamer:
  • Laid down in February 1874 as Adams a single screw, wooden-hull, bark-rigged steamer at Boston, MA., by Donald McKay
  • Launched, 24 October 1874
  • Commissioned, USS Adams, 21 July 1876, at the Boston Navy Yard, CDR. John Woodward Philip in command
  • Initially assigned to the North Atlantic Station
  • Reassigned to the South Atlantic Station in April 1877
  • Reassigned to the Pacific Station from January 1878 to 1907
  • USS Adams operated in Alaska, along the west coasts of the United States, Central and South America, as well as in and around the islands of Hawaii, Tonga, and Samoa
  • Decommissioned, 20 September 1884, at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA.
  • Recommissioned, 2 November 1885, at Mare Island, CDR. Louis Kempff in command
  • Decommissioned, at Mare Island from 25 March to 22 April 1889
  • Recommissioned, 22 April 1889, CDR. Edwin T. Woodward in command
  • Placed out of commission, in ordinary, 31 July 1890
  • Recommissioned, at Mare Island, 23 March 1892, CDR. Thomas Nelson in command
  • Decommissioned, 16 November 1894, at Mare Island
  • Recommissioned, 24 December 1895, CDR. Eugene W. Watson in command
  • Decommissioned, 30 April 1898, at Mare Island
  • Recommissioned, 7 October 1898, at Mare Island, CDR. George M Book in command
  • Decommissioned, 31 December 1907
  • Custody turned over to the State of Pennsylvania, 20 August 1908 as a school ship at the Pennsylvania Nautical School (PNS), Philadelphia
  • Custody returned to the US Navy, 6 February 1914 to be turned over to the State of New Jersey, to train the state's naval militia
  • Recommissioned, 27 August 1917, to serve as station ship in the Delaware River
  • Decommissioned, 5 August 1919
  • Sold to Joseph N. Tobin, New York City in August 1920 for merchant service with a Polish company, renamed SS Stefan Batory
  • Final Disposition, broken up circa 1921-22
    Specifications:
    Displacement 1,375 t.
    Length 185'
    Beam 35'
    Draft 14' 3"
    Speed 9.8 kts
    Complement 190 Armament
    one 11" gun
    four 9" guns
    one 60-pdr Parrott rifle
    Propulsion steam and sail, single propeller

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    Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Adams
    098602819
    188k
    Namesake
    John Adams - (October 30, 1735[a] – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before his presidency, he was a leader of the American Revolution that achieved independence from Great Britain. During the latter part of the war and in the early years of the nation, he served as a diplomat in Europe. He was the first person to hold the office of vice president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. (Wikipedia).
    Photo - Oil on canvas portrait of John Adams by Gilbert Stuart, circa 1800-1815, National Art Gallery Accession Number 1954.7.1.
    Tommy Trampp
    Adams 255k Adams under construction in drydock at Donald McKay Shipyard, Boston, MA., circa late 1874.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 46485
    Mike Green
    Adams 379k Adams at Boston Navy Yard, MA., in December 1875 while fitting out. Note receiving ship USS Ohio in the background.
    US Naval History and Heritage Command, Photo No. NH 57285
    Mike Green
    Adams 1374k USS Adams moored pierside at Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, CA., circa 1898-99. Moored mid-stream is the torpedo boat USS Farragut (Torpedo Boat #11). Darryl Baker
    Adams 44k USS Adams moored off Vallejo, CA., in mid-March 1898, shortly before the ship was placed out of commission at the Mare Island Navy Yard.
    US Navy photo # NR&L (0) 5806.
    Robert Hurst
    Adams
    098602818
    150k USS Adams at anchor at Honolulu, T.H., 1899.
    Image 43 Collection. Hawaii Islands. I. History. Iconographic documents collected by Louis Pierre Vossion. Compiled by Louis Pierre Vossion.
    Robert Hurst
    Adams 2288k USS Adams in Dry Dock #1 at Mare Island, 17 September 1902 with the ferry Vallejo. She was in dock from September 17 to September 22, 1902.
    File name: Adams D 15 9903-7-69, Navy Photo, 9/17/1902.
    Darryl Baker
    Adams
    Adams D 14 09271902, Navy Photo, 9/27/1902
    4248k USS Adams at a buoy in the Mare Island Channel, 27 September 1902.
    File name: Adams D 14 09271902, Navy Photo, 9/27/1902 and File name: Adams D 16 09271902, Navy Photo, 9/27/1902
    Darryl Baker
    Adams
    Adams D 16 09271902, Navy Photo, 9/27/1902
    981k
    Adams 582k USS Adams moored pierside, circa 1905, location unknown.
    Photo from the family photo album of Frances M. Darter, USS Adams
    Robert Hurst
    Adams 637k USS Adams drydocked at Mare Island Navy Yard, circa 1906.
    Photo from the family photo album of Frances M. Darter, USS Adams
    Robert Hurst
    Adams 750k USS Adams crewmen manning the yards, circa 1906.
    Photo from the family photo album of Frances M. Darter, USS Adams
    Robert Hurst
    Adams
    098602817
    36k Pennsylvania Nautical School (PNS) cadets aboard their schoolship TS Adams, 1909.
    Pennsylvania Nautical School, J. Henderson Welles Archives and Library
    Robert Hurst
    Adams 199k TS Adams in a trough while in tow by USS Yorktown, May 1913.
    Photo from the collections of the Brooklyn Navy Yard Archives.
    Tommy Trampp

    USS Adams (II)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR. Philip, John Woodward :COMO21 July 1876 - ?
     Decommissioned20 September 1884 - 2 November 1885
    02CDR. Kempff, Louis2 November 1885 - ?
     Decommissioned25 March 1889- 22 April 1889
    03CDR. Woodward, Edwin Tully22 April 1889 - ?
     In Ordinary31 July 1890 - 23 March 1892
    04CDR. Nelson, Thomas23 March 1892 - ?
     Decommissioned16 November 1894 - 24 December 1895
    05CDR. Watson, Eugene Winslow, USN :ADM24 December 1895 - ?
     Decommissioned30 April 1898 - 7 October 1898
    06CDR. Book, George M.7 October 1898 - ?
    Courtesy Bill Gonyo

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    Last Updated 17 February 2023