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Koningen der Nederlanden (ID 2708)



Navy call sign:
George - Boy - Jig - Quack


Koningen der Nederlanden served both the U. S. Navy and Army.

Transport:

  • Built in 1911 by the Nederland Shipbuilding Maats, Amsterdam, Holland
  • Acquired by the Navy 4 April 1918 and commissioned the same day
  • Decommissioned 7 November 1919 at New York and transferred to the War Department for return to her owner, Stoomvaart Maatschappij Nederland (Netherlands Steamship Co.)
  • Scrapped in 1932.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 8,225 t.
  • Length 455' 2"
  • Beam 55' 2"
  • Draft 26' 5"
  • Speed 14.5 kts.
  • Complement 221
  • Armament: Four 6"/50 mounts, two 1-pounders and two machine guns
  • Propulsion: Three double-ended and two single-ended boilers, two 3,300hp verticle quadruple expansion steam engines, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    SS Koningen der Nederlanden
    Koningen der Nederlanden 137k Photographed circa 1917, possibly soon after the ship was seized by the U.S. Government
    U.S. Navy photo NH 64598    		 Naval Historical Center
    Koningen der Nederlanden 99k Underway circa 1911-1914
    Photographed by Bieberichek
    The original image is printed on a postcard mailed to Belgium from Ventnor, Isle of Wight, England, on 27 April 1914
    Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2007
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 105381    		 Robert Hurst
    Koningen der Nederlanden 133k Steaming out of a harbor, probably in the Netherlands, prior to World War I
    Sepia toned picture post card published in the Netherlands
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 105622-KN
    Koningen der Nederlanden 158k Depicting the ship prior to World War I, published on a post card
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 105623-KN
    Koningen der Nederlanden 90k In port prior to World War I, being manoeuvered by tugs
    The original print is hand-marked on its reverse: "With the compliments of the Nederland Royal Mail Line, Amsterdam"
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 105624
    USS Koningen der Nederlanden (ID 2708)
    Koningen der Nederlanden 119k In dry dock, 1919. The Sailor standing on the forecastle with his foot on a bitt (in left center) is Earl H. Crane (1896-1961), who was the ship's barber
    Courtesy of Miona Crane Armstrong, daughter of Earl H. Crane, 2005
    Naval Historical Center photo NH 102997-KN    		 Robert Hurst
    Koningen der Nederlanden 108k Photographed in 1919, while serving as a troop transport.
    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2005.
    Naval Historical Center photo NH 103052
    Koningen der Nederlanden 171k At Newport News, Virginia, 4 June 1919, after arriving from Europe with Soldiers of the U.S. Army's 88th Division. Men in the foreground are from that division. Cropped from a panoramic photograph by Holladay, Newport News, Virginia. The entire original image is photo NH 103676.
    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2006.
    Naval Historical Center photo NH 103676-A
    Koningen der Nederlanden 97k In port 1919, probably at Newport News, Virginia
    Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2007
    Naval Historical Center photo NH 105068
    Koningen der Nederlanden 101k In port with troops crowding her decks, circa late 1918
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation
    Naval Historical Center photo NH 105625
    Koningen der Nederlanden 124k In port circa early 1919, prior to the removal of her guns. Location appears to be American Bassens, France
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation
    Naval Historical Center photo NH 105626
    Koningen der Nederlanden 101k Arriving at Newport News, Virginia, bringing troops home from Europe in 1919
    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 105861
    Koningen der Nederlanden 767k Arriving at Newport News, Virginia, 4 June 1919, while transporting U.S. troops home from Europe. She is being assisted by the tug Britannia
    Panoramic photograph by Clements, 619 F Street N.W., Washington, D.C.
    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2009
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 106641
    Koningen der Nederlanden 96k Scene on board in 1919, while the ship was at sea bringing American troops home from France. This view looks aft and to port from the foremast
    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2010
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 107032
    Koningen der Nederlanden 112k Homeward bound Soldiers (mainly African-Americans) on board the ship in 1919
    Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2010
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 107034
    Commanding Officers
    01LCDR N. T. Payne, USNRF4 April 1918
    02CAPT Walter M. Hunt, USN - Awarded the Navy Cross (1918)1918
    03CAPT William Pigott Cronan, USN - USNA Class of 1898
    Awarded the Navy Cross (1918) - Retired as Captain    		1918 - 1919
    Courtesy Joe Radigan
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: Koningen der Nederlanden, a Dutch ship launched by Nederland S.B. Maats, Amsterdam. Holland, in 1911, was seized by custom officials at San Francisco, acting under the Executive Order of 20 March 1918; and commissioned 4 April, Lt. Comdr. N. T. Payne, USNRF, in command.

    Assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (NOTS), Koningen der Nederlanden departed San Francisco 5 May 1918, arriving Balboa, C.Z., on the 11th. Here she was converted to a troop transport before steaming on to Norfolk in mid-July to prepare for a cruise to the war-ravaged European continent.

    On 6 August Koningen der Nederlanden was detached from NOTS and assigned to the cruiser-transport force embarking over 2,200 Army troops for duty in Europe. For the next 3 months the transport made two more round trip cruises from Norfolk to French ports, arriving Brest, France, on her third cruise 9 November. The Armistice which ended World War I was signed 2 days later, and Koningen der Nederlanden was assigned the task of returning war veterans to the United States.

    From November 1918 until August 1919 the transport made 5 cruises from French to American ports, carrying with her over 10,000 soldiers of the American-European forces to their home shores. Koningen der Nederlanden arrived New York from her final crossing on 19 August and decommissioned 7 November 1919 for return to her owner.

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