SS Haleakala
| {{Infobox Ship Begin}}
{{Infobox Ship Image |Ship image= |Ship caption= }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country= United States |Ship flag={{shipboxflag|USA}} |Ship name=*Haleakala |Ship namesake=Haleakalā |Ship owner=*USSB |Ship operator=*Pacific Mail Steamship Co. (1919–October 1920)
|Ship ordered=10 July 1918 |Ship awarded= |Ship builder=Long Beach Shipbuilding Co., Long Beach |Ship yard number=134 |Ship laid down=3 February 1919 |Ship launched=13 September 1919 |Ship sponsor=Mrs. Violet Makee |Ship christened= |Ship completed= |Ship acquired= |Ship original cost={{US$|1750000|long=no}} |Ship commissioned=10 December 1919 |Ship maiden voyage=6 January 1920 |Ship recommissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship identification = *US official number 219333
|Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship registry=*Los Angeles |Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship honours= |Ship honors= |Ship captured= |Ship fate=Disappeared, September 1926 |Ship notes= |Ship badge= }} {{Infobox Ship Characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship type= Design 1019 Cargo ship |Ship tonnage=*{{GRT|5958}}
|Ship displacement= |Ship length={{convert|410.5|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|54.3|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draught= |Ship draft= |Ship depth={{convert|27.2|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship hold depth= |Ship ice class= |Ship sail plan= |Ship power= 2800 Ihp, 359 Nhp |Ship propulsion=Owens, Hooven & Rentschler 3-cylinder triple expansion |Ship speed={{convert|11|kn}} |Ship range= |Ship endurance= |Ship test depth= |Ship boats= |Ship capacity= |Ship complement= |Ship crew= |Ship time to activate= |Ship troops= |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament= |Ship armour= |Ship armor= |Ship aircraft= |Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship notes= }} |
Haleakala was a steam cargo ship built in 1919 by Long Beach Shipbuilding Company of Long Beach for the United States Shipping Board (USSB) as part of the wartime shipbuilding program of the Emergency Fleet Corporation (EFC) to restore the nation's Merchant Marine. The vessel was first employed in the Pacific trade before being briefly laid up. She was reactivated in 1922 and entered the South American trade connecting the ports of Argentina and Brazil with a variety of ports in the Northeastern United States. In September 1926 while on one of her regular trips, she disappeared without a trace, possibly foundering in the hurricane with the loss of all hands.
Design and construction
After the United States entry into World War I, a large shipbuilding program was undertaken to restore and enhance shipping capabilities both of the United States and their Allies. As part of this program, EFC placed orders with nation's shipyards for a large number of vessels of standard designs. Most of these new vessels were known as the West ships as they were built by several shipyards on the West Coast of the United States and all were given names that began with the word West. Design 1019 cargo ship was among the designs adopted by USSB, and was a standard cargo freighter of approximately 8,800 deadweight tonnage designed by Theodore E. Ferris.
Haleakala was part of the order for eight vessels placed by USSB with the Long Beach Shipbuilding Co. on 10 July 1918 and was laid down at the shipbuilder's yard on 3 February 1919 and launched on 13 September 1919 (yard number 134), with Mrs. Robert A. Smith, formerly Miss Violet Makee of Ulupalakua Ranch on Maui, being the sponsor.{{cite news |newspaper=Long Beach Press |date=13 September 1919 |page=20 |title=Volcanic Name Assigned To Big Ship At Launching. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82119071/press-telegram/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=24 July 2021}}{{free access}} Originally the vessel were to be named West Kaw but thanks to over-subscription to the Fourth Liberty Loan by the residents of Maui, USSB deferred naming rights to them to recognize their contribution.{{cite news |newspaper=The Honolulu Advertiser |date=5 March 1919 |page=7 |title=Valley Island Wins Honor Of Naming Vessel. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82118424/the-honolulu-advertiser/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=24 July 2021}}{{free access}} The launch was witnessed by several thousand people, mostly workers of the shipyard. The vessel was launched approximately 80% complete, and was expected to be finished in sixty days.
Similar to all vessels of this class the ship had two main decks and was built on the three-island principle of ship construction. She had her machinery situated amidships and had five main holds which allowed for the carriage of a variety of goods and merchandise.{{cite book |title=Register of Ships Owned by United States Shipping Board |date=1 August 1920 |url=https://www.shipscribe.com/mercrefs/USSB_1920/pages2/Haddon%20-%20Hickman.html |location=Washington, DC |publisher=United States Government Printing Office |page=41}} The vessel also possessed all the modern machinery for quick loading and unloading of cargo from five large hatches, including ten winches and eleven booms. She was also equipped with wireless apparatus and submarine signal system and had electric lights installed along the decks.
As built, the ship was {{convert|410.5|ft|m}} long (between perpendiculars) and {{convert|54.3|ft|m}} abeam, and had a depth of {{convert|27.2|ft|m}}.{{cite book |year=1920–1921 |title=Merchant Vessels of the United States |location=Washington, DC |publisher=United States Government Printing Office |page=107}} Haleakala was originally assessed at {{GRT|5958}} and {{NRT|4512}} and had deadweight tonnage of approximately 8,538. The vessel had a steel hull and a single 2,800 ihp triple expansion steam engine, with cylinders of {{convert|24+1/2|in|cm|adj=on}}, {{convert|41+1/2|in|cm|adj=on}} and {{convert|72|in|cm|adj=on}} diameter with a {{convert|48|in|cm|adj=on}} stroke that moved the ship at up to {{convert|11|kn|mph km/h}}.{{cite book |year=1921–1922 |title=Lloyd's Register, Steamships and Motorships |location=London |publisher=Lloyd's Register}}{{cite news |newspaper=Long Beach Press |date=29 September 1919 |page=14 |title=New Haleakala To Have Speed Eleven Knots. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82119180/press-telegram/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=24 July 2021}}{{free access}} The steam for the engine was supplied by three Scotch marine boilers fitted both for coal and oil fuel.
The sea trials were held on December 2–3 and after their successful completion the ship sailed into San Pedro to load part cargo destined for East Asia.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82119416/the-long-beach-telegram-and-the-long/ |newspaper=Long Beach Telegram |date=26 November 1919 |page=5 |title=News Items Of Interest. |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=24 July 2021}}{{free access}}{{cite news |newspaper=San Pedro Daily News |date=4 December 1919 |page=5 |title=Shipping News}} While there Haleakala was examined by the Shipping Board representatives and officially accepted by them on December 10. The ship then continued on to San Francisco where she were to load the rest of her cargo.
Operational history
While Haleakala was nearing her completion, she was allocated by the Shipping Board to Pacific Mail Steamship Company to operate between California and India. The ship loaded part of her cargo at Los Angeles which consisted mostly of general merchandise but also included hundreds of American-made motorcycles and fifty automobiles and continued to San Francisco.{{cite news |newspaper=Los Angeles Evening Express |date=1 December 1919 |page=13 |title= New Boat To Carry L.A. Cargo To India. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82119504/los-angeles-evening-express/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=24 July 2021}}{{free access}} After finishing loading the rest of her cargo, the freighter sailed from San Francisco on 6 January 1920 bound for Manila.{{cite news |newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner |date=7 January 1920 |page=14 |title=Sailed From This Port.}} The vessel made a short stop for bunkers at Honolulu where the crew was given a warm welcome and taught how to properly pronounce their ship's name.{{cite news |newspaper=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |date=16 January 1920 |page=10 |title=Haleakala's Crew Is Happy; Men Know How To Pronounce Name. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82126260/honolulu-star-bulletin/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=20 July 2021}}{{free access}} Haleakala reached Manila on February 5{{cite news |newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner |date=12 February 1920 |page=27 |title=Marine Exchange Shipping News.}} and from there proceeded to visit the ports of Saigon, Singapore, Calcutta and Colombo. Aside from her regular oriental cargo, the ship carried back home a large number of various exotic animals such as monkeys, orangutan, tigers and a 100 year old elephant destined to be sold to zoos around the country. During the trip an elephant died and had to be buried in the ocean, and monkeys got free and the crew was forced to shoot the orangutan when he tried to engage the reverse gear.{{cite news |newspaper=The Sacramento Bee |date=30 April 1920 |page=6 |title=Animals Take Over Ship From Calcutta. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82126922/the-sacramento-bee/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=24 July 2021}}{{free access}} On her way back Haleakala also met another Shipping Board steamer, SS West Selene, who lost two of her propeller blades and was drifting helplessly. Haleakala took the stricken ship into tow and safely brought her into Honolulu where West Selene was repaired.{{cite news |newspaper=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |date=20 April 1920 |page=6 |title=West Selene Used Her Anchor Chain As Part Of Her Lengthy Tow Line. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82154487/honolulu-star-bulletin/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=24 July 2021}}{{free access}} The vessel returned to San Francisco on 29 April 1920, thus successfully completing her maiden voyage. Following her arrival, four more monkeys escaped from the freighter and after swimming for about an hour made it ashore under the wharves where they joined an existing monkey tribe.{{cite news |newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner |date=3 May 1920 |page=17 |title=Monkey Tribe Grows. |via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82154655/the-san-francisco-examiner/ |access-date=24 July 2021}}{{free access}} After conducting one more trip to India and the Philippines, Pacific Mail Steamship Co. returned Haleakala to the USSB in October 1920 due to significant overabundance of available tonnage and scarcity of cargo.{{cite news |newspaper=The San Francisco Examiner |date=22 October 1920 |page=21 |title=Marine Exchange Shipping News. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82160688/the-san-francisco-examiner/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=24 July 2021}}{{free access}}
At about the same time, Sudden & Christensen decided to charter a steamer for one trip from the Pacific Northwest to the United Kingdom and chose to take Haleakala as she was readily available.{{cite news |newspaper=The Oregon Daily Journal |page=16 |date=21 October 1920 |title=S.S. Wawalona Fixed For U.K.; Will Load Flour. |via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82160582/the-oregon-daily-journal/ |access-date=25 July 2021}}{{free access}} The ship left San Francisco loaded with a large cargo of fuel oil, and upon reaching Portland embarked a cargo of lumber destined for London and West Hartlepool.{{cite news |newspaper=The Oregon Daily Journal |date=13 November 1920 |page=15 |title=Big Cargoes To Leave Portland By Water Route. |via=Newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82161295/the-oregon-daily-journal/ |access-date=25 July 2021}}{{free access}} After completing the voyage the ship returned to New York in ballast on 19 February 1921 and was laid up as the shipping crisis was still ongoing.{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Tribune |date=20 February 1921 |page=16 |title=Marine Reports: Arrived Yesterday.}}
On 13 April 1922 EFC announced that Haleakala was allocated to the International Freighting Corporation to be used in the East Coast of the United States to east coast of South America service.{{cite news |newspaper=The New York Tribune |date=14 April 1922 |page=18 |title=Ship Allocations. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82173615/new-york-tribune/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=25 July 2021}}{{free access}} Upon loading, the vessel cleared out from Philadelphia on 12 May 1922 bound for Buenos Aires and various Brazilian ports via Jacksonville.{{cite news |newspaper=New York Herald |date=13 May 1922 |page=19 |title=Shipping News.}} She reached Buenos Aires on July 6, and then continued on to Rosario and Rio de Janeiro loading various cargo such as fertilizer, manganese ore and coffee. Haleakala returned to Baltimore on September 2, concluding the first trip for her new operators.{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=9 July 1922 |page=21 |title=Port of Baltimore: Memoranda.}}{{cite news |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |date=3 September 1922 |page=23 |title=Local Port News And Ship Activity. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82380034/the-baltimore-sun/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=28 July 2021}}{{free access}} The freighter continued serving the same general route for the rest of her career. On her trips south she usually carried case oil and various general merchandise in addition to occasional machinery pieces. For example, in January 1925 Haleakala transported eight locomotives to Brazil as part of her load.{{cite news |newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=18 January 1925 |page=78 |title=News Of Ships And Shipping Men. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82194155/the-philadelphia-inquirer/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=25 July 2021}}{{free access}} On her way north Haleakala transported mainly coffee from Brazilian ports of Santos, Rio de Janeiro and Bahia. In addition, she also carried other agricultural products such as cocoa, hides, wool, quebracho and animal bones. For example, in October 1923 the freighter brought near record load of coffee to Boston in addition to general cargo.{{cite news |newspaper=The Boston Globe |page=5 |date=25 October 1923 |title=Port Of Boston. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82191690/the-boston-globe/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=25 July 2021}}{{free access}} Similarly she brought in another large cargo of coffee, wool and hides to Boston in July 1924.{{cite news |newspaper=The Boston Globe |date=26 July 1924 |page=8 |title=Port Of Boston. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82193853/the-boston-globe/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=25 July 2021}}{{free access}}
=Disappearance=
Haleakala cleared out from Philadelphia on 21 August 1926 laden with case oil, sugar and structural steel bound for Montevideo.{{cite news |newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=22 August 1926 |page=20 |title=News Of The Ships And Shipping Men.}} The steamer made a call at Newport News where she loaded coal, lumber and general merchandise to complete her cargo.{{cite news |newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=20 August 1926 |page=11 |title=News Of The Ships And Shipping Men. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82388138/the-philadelphia-inquirer/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=28 July 2021}}{{free access}} The ship entered Hampton Roads for bunkers and sailed out on September 3.{{cite news |newspaper=The Tampa Tribune |date=4 September 1926 |page=25 |title=The Tribune Shipping News: At Other Ports.}} The vessel was under command of captain John H. Pratt and had a crew of thirty eight. Haleakala was supposed to arrive at her destination by early October, however, she never showed up at Montevideo, and, even though she was equipped with wireless, no messages were received from her.{{cite news |newspaper=Daily Press |date=22 October 1926 |page=1 |title=Fear Ships From Hampton Roads Caught In Storm And Many Lives Are Lost. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82198304/daily-press/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=25 July 2021}}{{free access}} Upon arrival at Buenos Aires on October 16 captain Fischer of Danish steamer Nevada stated that he last communicated with Haleakala at about 23:00 on September 8 while being in approximate position {{coord|26|N|63|W}}, but was unable to communicate with her the next day.{{cite news |newspaper=Daily Press |date=20 October 1926 |page=13 |title=Shipping News: Marine Disasters. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/82197667/daily-press/ |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=25 July 2021}}{{free access}} It was assumed that Haleakala ran into a strong hurricane that swept through the Bahamas and Florida around that time and foundered with the loss of her entire crew.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Design 1019 ships}}
{{1926 shipwrecks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Haleakala}}
Category:Ships built in California
Category:Merchant ships of the United States
Category:Steamships of the United States