Philippines SP-1677

Philippines



(SP-1677: dp. 11,480; lbp. 501'4", b. 62'2"; dr. 30'2"; s. 11
k.; cpl. 470)

Philippines (SP-1677), originally Bulgaria, was built in 1898 by Blohm and Voss, Hamburg, Germany for the Hamburg-American Packet Steamship Co. She was caught in the port of Baltimore when the United States entered World War I and was acquired 6 April 1917 by the Army who operated her as an animal and general erago transport under the names of Her~es and later Philippine$ with an armed guard aboard. The Navy took her over as a troop transport 1 May 1919 at Hoboken, N.J. and commissioned her Philippines, Comdr. J. D. Willson in command. She made two transatlantic runs to France returning troops. During these trips she carried 4,165 servicemen to the United States. Upon completion of her naval service under the operational control of NOTS, the Philippines WD`s atruck from the Naval Reglster 23 October 1919 and returned on the same date to USSB.

Philippines (CB-4) was authorised 19 July 1940 to be built by the New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, N.J., but her contract was cancelled 24 June 1943.