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NavSource Online: Identification Numbered Vessel Photo Archive

Finland (ID 4543)

Navy call sign (1918):
George - Boy - Jig - Have

Call sign (1919):
Nan - Able - Fox - Have

ex-USAT Finland

Civilian call sign (1919):
King - Sail - Boy - Cast

Finland served both the U. S. Army and Navy

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
World War I Victory Medal (with Armed Guard and Transport clasps)

Transport::

Laid down in 1902 by William Cramp and Sons, Philadelphia, PA

Launched in 1902 for the International Mercantile Marine Co.

Chartered by the Army Transport Service 3 June 1917

Designated ID-4543 in late 1917

Delivered to the Navy 24 April 1918

Commissioned USS Finland 26 April 1918

Decommissioned 15 November 1919 and transferred to the War Department for later return to the Red Star Line

Chartered by the American Line in 1923

Scrapped in 1928 by Hughes Bolckow Shipbreaking, Ltd. at Blyth, Northumberland, England

Specifications:

Displacement: 22,400 t.(fl)

Length: 580'

Beam: 60' 2"

Draft: 31' 4"

Speed: 15.7 kts.

Complement: 414

Armament: Four 4"/40 gun mounts, two 1-pounders and two machine guns

Propulsion: Nine single ended and one auxiliary boiler, two 4,650hp vertical triple-expansion steam engines, two shafts.

Click on thumbnail for full size image	Size	Image Description	Source
SS Finland
	72k	American Red Star Ocean Liner SS Finland in New York Harbor off the Statue of Liberty 1906, the vessel is starting its transatlantic voyage to Antwerp (Belgium) - Signed and dated "A. Jacobsen 1906". The flag on the main mast is the house flag of the shipping company (Red Star Line New York), while there is the Belgium flag on the fore mast, which indicates that this American Liner is heading for Antwerp Post card by Antonio Nicolo Gasparo Jacobsen 1850-1921	Robert Hurst
	244k	Undated post card	Tommy Trampp
	94k	Underway in a U.S. harbor, prior to World War I U.S. Navy photo NH 100549	Naval Historical Center
	128k	Halftone reproduction of a photograph of the S.S. Finland taken prior to World War I Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2005 Naval Historical Center photo NH 103300	Robert Hurst
	347k	Taken prior to World War I Photo from a rural restaurant in Virpazar, Montenegro	Robert A. Ramik
	141k	Undated post card	Tommy Trampp
	153k	Photograph shows port quarter view of SS Finland, c. 1915-1917 Library of Congress photo LC-B2-4144-10, George Grantham Bain Collection	Mike Green
USS Finland (ID 4543)
	181k	Undated post card	Tommy Trampp
	72k	Photographed while serving as a transport during World War I, probably in 1917. This view, which shows her in one of the experimental camouflage schemes used in about 1917, has been heavily retouched Courtesy of the International Merchantile Marine Company, New York City U.S. Navy photo NH 53905	Naval Historical Center
	86k	USS Alcedo (SP-166), left center, and USS Wakiva II (SP 160), at right picking up survivors in 1917. This photograph was probably taken on 28 October 1917, when these two converted yachts picked up men who had left the torpedoed transport Finland. The two-stacked ship in the center distance, beyond Alcedo's bow, appears to have four masts and is probably Finland, which survived the incident and later served as USS Finland (ID 4543). USS Alcedo was torpedoed and sunk on 5 November 1917 Courtesy of Mr. W.D. Porter, November 1937 Naval Historical Center photo NH 41745	Robert Hurst
	177k	King George V inspects American ship Finland in Liverpool, 15 May 1917 Library of Congress photo ggbain.24632 from the George Grantham Bain Collection	Robert Hurst
	189k	King George V, of England (center foreground, with beard) inspecting the armament of the American troop transport Finland, at Liverpool during World War I. Standing by the King's left shoulder is Lieutenant Commander Stanton L. H. Hazard, USN, who commanded the Navy gun crews on board the ship. The gun at left appears to be a 4"/40 U.S. Navy photo 53907	Naval Historical Center
	149k	In drydock at Brest, France, showing damage received when she was torpedoed on 28 October 1917 U.S. Navy photo NH 53906	Naval Historical Center
	282k	20 December 1918 St. Nazaire, Loire Inferieure, France The Princess Matoika [ID 2290], entering the locks, is passing between the transport Finland and the freighter, Artemis [ID 2187] U.S. Army Signal Corps photo	Tommy Trampp
	60k	Finland arriving at a U.S. east coast port with U.S. Troops from Europe, circa 1918-19	Paul E. Petoky
	297k	c. 1918/1919 Looking aft from the ship's foremast crows' nest Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2005 Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 103309	Robert Hurst
	94k	Jewish Welfare Board Soldiers & Sailors Post Card. Front side of a card issued to U.S. servicemen during the World War I era. It features a view of S.S. Finland in 1918-1919 Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2006 Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 104079-KN
	85k	Halftone reproduction of a photograph taken circa 1918-1919, showing the crew of one of the ship's four-inch guns in action. This image is one of ten photographs published circa 1918-1919 in a "Souvenir Folder" of views concerning *USS Finland* Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2005 Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 103303 Photo added 20 February 2020
	77k	Halftone reproduction of a photograph taken circa December 1918 - May 1919, showing Lieutenant Commander James B. Hill, USNRF, the ship's Commanding Officer (at left), and Lieutenant William J. Rague, Jr., USNRF, her Executive Officer. Note the overseas service chevrons on Lt. Rague's jacket sleeve. This image is one of ten photographs published in a "Souvenir Folder" of views concerning *USS Finland* Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2005 Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 103301 Photo added 20 February 2020
	124k	In port during the World War I era, probably in 1919 Collection of Chief Warrant Officer J.B. Dofflemeyer, 1972 U.S. Navy photo NH 83123
	137k	Photographed in 1919, while employed returning U.S. troops from France to the United States Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008 Naval Historical Center photo NH 105528
SS Finland
	119k	Photo post card dated 1 September 1921	Tommy Trampp

Commanding Officers
01	CDR William J. Giles, USNRF - Awarded the Navy Cross (1920)	26 April 1918
02	LCDR James B. Hill, USNRF - Awarded the Navy Cross (1920)	1918 - 1919

Courtesy Joe Radigan

View the Finland (ID 4543)
DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command website

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