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Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive

Koningen der Nederlanden (ID 2708)


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 Army; Later returned to her owner; Scrapped in 1932.

Specifications: Displacement 8,225 t.; Length 455' 2"; Beam 55' 2"; Draft 26' 5"; Speed 14.5 kts.; Complement 221; Armament two 1-pounders and two machine guns.


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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

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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