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Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive

Housatonic (ID 1697)


Minelayer: Built in 1899 as El Rio by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Corp., Newport News, VA; Commissioned Housatonic (ID 1697) 25 January 1918; Decommissioned 5 August 1919 and returned to her owner, the Southern Pacific Steam Ship Co. Fate unknown.

Specifications: Displacement 7,620 t.; Length 405' 1"; Beam 48'; Draft 22' 6"; Speed 15 kts.; Complement 100; Armament one 5", two 3" and two machine guns.


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Quinnebaug 74k U.S. Navy minelayers steaming in column in the North Sea, September 1918. At left, British destroyers are covering the formation's flank with a smoke screen. Ships in the minelayer column are (from front to rear): Roanoke, Housatonic, Quinnebaug and Baltimore
U. S. Navy Photo NH 2805
Naval Historical Center
Canonicus 125k U.S. Navy Mine Layers steaming in line abreast during the laying of the North Sea mine barrage, September 1918. Analysis of camouflage patterns indicates that these ships are (from front to rear): USS Roanoke (ID 1695); USS Housatonic (ID 1697); USS Shawmut (ID 1255); USS Canandaigua (ID 1694); USS Canonicus (ID 1696); with USS Quinnebaug (ID 1687) and USS Saranac (ID 1702) in the left and right center distance. A four-stack British cruiser is in the left distance.
U.S. Navy photo 61101
Naval Historical Center
Quinnebaug 71k U.S. Navy minelayers proceeding to sea in two columns, in Area Number 2 of the North Sea, September 1918. Ships in the column at left are (from front to rear): Roanoke, Housatonic, Quinnebaug and Baltimore. Ships in column at right are (from front to rear): Canonicus (out of picture, to right), Canandaigua, Aroostook and Saranac.
Photograph from the Army Signal Corps Collection in the U.S. National Archives.
U. S. Army Signal Corps Photo 111-SC-43563
Naval Historical Center

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships History: The second Housatonic was built in 1899 by Newport News Ship Building & Dry Dock Co., Norfolk, Va., and was acquired by the Navy from Southern Pacific Steam Ship Co., under the name El Rio. She commissioned 25 January 1918 and served as a mine planter in the 3d Naval District until decommissioning 5 August 1919 when she was returned to her owner.
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