Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Army Ship Photo Archive

USAT Aisne

Transport
  • Laid down, date unknown, as SS Aisne at American International Shipbuilding Co. Hog Island, PA.
  • Launched, 5 June 1920
  • Named in honor of the U.S. Army’s participation in the Aisne campaign in World War I
  • Aisne was the last ship built by the American International Shipbuilding Company for World War I service
  • Delivered to the U.S. Shipping Board, 27 January 1921
  • Transferred to the War Department, 29 January 1921, and assigned to the A.T.S. Atlantic Fleet, homeported at Norfolk, VA.
  • Laid up, 2 February 1921, at Norfolk, VA.
  • Directed by Executive Order dated 1 February 1922 to be turned over to the U.S. Shipping Board
  • Turned over to the U.S. Shipping Board, 9 January 1923
  • Sold to the American Merchant Line, renamed SS American Merchant
  • Sold in 1940 to the Société Maritime Anversoise, a Belgian shipping firm, reflagged Belgian, renamed SS Ville de Namur
  • Final Disposition, sunk by U-52, 19 June 1940, off La Rochelle, Belgium
    Specifications:
    Displacement 12,275 t.(fl)
    Length 448'
    Beam 58' 3"
    Draft 26' (limiting)
    Speed 14.5 kts. (trial)
    Complement unknown
    Passenger capacity unknown
    Fuel Capacities
    NSFO 10,000 Bbls
    Diesel 360 Bbls
    Propulsion
    one General Electric geared turbine
    six Babcock and Wilcox boilers, 200psi Sat.
    double General Electric Main Reduction Gear
    three 200Kw 120V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    single propeller, 6,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Aisne
    301306403    		 199k
    Namesake
    Aisne - was named for three battles fought along the Aisne River in northern France during the First World War.
    Photo - French FT tanks moving forward to operate on the left of the 32nd Division at Valpries Farm near Juvigny, 29 August 1918. (History, U.S. Army, US Army Signal Corps photo)
    Map - Showing the course of the "Race to the Sea" during 1914 following the Battle of the Aisne. Allied front line and movement is shown in red, German front line and movement shown in blue. Three of the battles that occurred during or after the "race" are shown boxed. (Gsl, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons)    		 Tommy Trampp
    Aisne 71k Ex-USAT Aisne underway while in merchant service as the American Merchants Line cargo ship SS American Merchant Mariners Museum
    USAT Aisne history is from US Army Order of Battle 1914-1941 Vol 4
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The US Army Ship Index Back To The US Army Transport Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 23 September 2022