Frederick Luckenbach
1918-1919
The Navy retained the name carried by this vessel at the time of her acquisition.
(Cargo ship: tons 2,903 (gross); length between perpendiculars 317'6"; beam 40'2"; depth of hold 24'1"; speed 9.5 knots; complement 42; armament 2 3-inch)
The steel hull, single-screw cargo vessel Charters Towers was completed in 1888 by J. Readhead and Co., South Shields, England. First renamed San Mateo, and then Frederick Luckenbach, she was acquired by the Navy under the latter name on 2 October 1918; and commissioned at Cardiff, Wales, on 5 October 1918, Lt. Cmdr. H. A. Lewell, USNRF, in command.
Frederick Luckenbach operated with the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (Army Account), and carried coal for use by the U.S. Army from Cardiff and Belfast, Ireland, to French ports until 20 March 1919, when she sailed from Cardiff for New York City, where she was decommissioned on 7 May 1919 and returned to her owner.
Updated, Robert J. Cressman
15 June 2020
