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Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive

Imperator (ID 4080)


Transport: Built in 1910 by Vulcan Works, Hamburg, Germany; Acquired by the Navy in 1918; Cmmissioned Imperator (ID 4080), 5 May 1919 at Brest, France; Decommissioned 24 November 1919 at New York and transferred to the British Ministry of Shipping the same day; Renamed Berengaria and put her back into the north Atlantic passenger trade. Later, she was also used for warm weather cruising to Bermuda and the Caribbean. Plagued by electrical fires beginning in the mid-1930s, she had to be withdrawn from service in 1938. Sold for scrapping prior to the outbreak of World War II, but was not completely dismantled until 1946.

Specifications: Displacement 51,969 t.; Length 906'; Beam 98' 3"; Draft 35' 2"; Speed 23.5 kts.; Complement unknown; Armament none.


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Size Image Description Source
Imperator 112k At anchor, circa 1913.
U.S. Navy photo NH 41938.
Naval Historical Center
Imperator 100k "The Hamburg American liner Imperator, which was turned over to the U.S. Navy to be used as a transport as the result of the agreement made at Brussels between the German and Allied representatives. Imperator is the third largest vessel now afloat, being of 52,000 tons. This photo was made on her arrival in New York in 1913 on her maiden voyage. She was tied up in Hamberg during the war." (quoted from the original 1919 caption).
U.S. Navy photo NH 53223.
Naval Historical Center
Imperator 112k Halftone reproduction of a photograph showing the ship underway in 1919, while she was employed bringing U.S. service personnel home from Europe.
Courtesy of William H. Davis, 1977.
U.S. Navy photo NH 85172.
Naval Historical Center
Imperator 112k In harbor, with tugs alongside, 1919.
Donation of Staff Sergeant Craig Ingersoll, USMC, 1980.
U.S. Navy photo NH 99104.
Naval Historical Center
Imperator 112k Berengaria in harbor, during the 1920s or 1930s.
U.S. Navy photo NH 697.
Naval Historical Center

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DANFS history entry located on the Naval Historical Center web site
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