Panaman Str

Panaman

(Str: dp. 14,500, 1. 429'2" b. 53'8", dr. 29'6", s. 12 k.; cpl. 70; a. i 5", 1 3")

Panaman (No. 3299), a cargo ship built in 1913 by Maryland Steel Co., Sparrows Point, Md. for the American Hawaian Steamship Co., was taken over at New York and commissioned into NOTS 12 August 1918.

After refitting she took on a cargo of general supplies and beef, and a deck load of trucks, and departed New York in convoy 21 September for St. Nazaire, France, arriving 27 September. She returned to New York 7 October, where she was equipped with 821 stalls for horses. After taking on general cargo and horses, she steamed in convoy 19 October for Bordeaux, France, arriving 6 November.

An eleven day return crossing saw her stand into Newport News, Va. for repairs 27 November. She departed 8 December for New York where, upon arrival, a Board of Survey inspection found her suitable for conversion to a troop transport.

Detached from NOTS service 10 December 1918, she was assigned to the Cruiser Transport Force, in which status she returned 10,798 men of the American Expeditionary Forces to the United States. Panaman decommissioned 18 September 1919 and was simultaneously returned to her owner.