Texan ScStr

Texan

(ScStr: dp. 18,000, 1. 484'5" b. 57', dr. 29'3"; s
13.5 k.; cpl. 70; a. i 6", 1 3")

Texan (Id. No. 1354)—a passenger liner built in 1902 by the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J., for the American Hawaiian Steamship Co.—was acquired by the United States Shipping Board (USSB) on 18 March 1918: was transferred to the Navy at New York City on the same day; and was commissioned on 23 March 1918.

Assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service after being refitted for naval service, the cargo ship loaded general military supplies and sailed on 9 April with a convoy for France. Texan arrived at Brest on the 24th and, after discharging her cargo, began the return voyage to New York on l9 May. Upon her arrival there, she underwent voyage repairs and then loaded supplies, including 405 tons of ammunition and 10 locomotives destined for Marseilles. The ship sailed with a convoy on 18 June and arrived at her destination on 7 July. Texan made another round-trip voyage to Marseilles in September and one to Verdon in November and December before returning to New York on 4 January 1919.

On 18 January 1919, Texan was transferred to the Cruiser and Transport Force and operated bringing troops of the American Expeditionary Force home from France until 7 August 1919 when she was assigned to the 5th Naval District. Texan was decommissioned on 22 August 1919 and returned to the USSB.