USS Californian
{{short description|Cargo ship of the United States Navy}}
{{other ships|Californian (ship)}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=SS Californian (1900).jpg |Ship caption=SS Californian underway in San Francisco Bay on builder's trials in 1900. }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=United States |Ship flag={{USN flag|1918}} |Ship name=USS Californian |Ship namesake=A resident of California (previous name retained) |Ship owner= |Ship operator= |Ship registry= |Ship route= |Ship ordered= |Ship awarded= |Ship builder=Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched=12 May 1900 |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened= |Ship completed=1900 |Ship acquired=13 May 1918 |Ship commissioned=14 May 1918 |Ship recommissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport= |Ship identification= |Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship honours= |Ship honors= |Ship captured= |Ship fate=Sunk by naval mine 22 June 1918 |Ship notes=In commercial service as SS Californian 1900-1918 |Ship badge= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= |Ship type=Cargo ship |Ship tonnage=5,658 Gross register tons |Ship displacement= |Ship length={{convert|413|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|51|ft|m|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draught= |Ship draft={{convert|26|ft|2|in|m|abbr=on}} (mean) |Ship depth= |Ship hold depth= |Ship decks= |Ship deck clearance= |Ship ramps= |Ship ice class= |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=Steam engine |Ship sail plan= |Ship speed=10 knots |Ship range= |Ship endurance= |Ship test depth= |Ship boats= |Ship capacity= |Ship troops= |Ship complement=78 |Ship crew= |Ship time to activate= |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament= |Ship armour= |Ship armor= |Ship aircraft= |Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship notes= }} |
USS Californian was a United States Navy cargo ship in commission in 1918.
SS Californian was launched on 12 May 1900 at San Francisco, California, by Union Iron Works and delivered later that year to the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company of New York City. After the United States entered World War I, the United States Shipping Board acquired Californian for war service and transferred her to the U.S. Navy on 13 May 1918. The Navy commissioned her as USS Californian on 14 May 1918.
Image:USS Californian (1900) sinking in the Bay of Biscay.jpg on 22 June 1918 after striking a naval mine.]]Californian immediately loaded a cargo of coal, fuel oil, and general supplies for the American Expeditionary Force in France and departed on 31 May 1918 to join a convoy off New York City.
On 22 June 1918, while proceeding through the Bay of Biscay, Californian struck a naval mine. Although a gallant attempt was made to tow her to port, she sank later that day. Her crew abandoned ship in good order and was picked up by the patrol vessel USS Corsair (SP-159) without suffering any casualties.
Unlike most commercial ships commissioned into U.S. Navy service during World War I, Californian never received a naval registry identification number.
References
- {{DANFS|https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/c/californian.html}}
- [https://archive.today/20121212221805/http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-c/califrnn.htm Department of the Navy: Naval Historical Center Online Library of Selected Images: U.S. Navy Ships: USS Californian (1918-1918). Originally the Civilian Freighter Californian (1900).]
- [http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/174542a.htm NavSource Online: Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive: Arizonan (ID 4245-A)]
{{coord missing|Atlantic Ocean}}
{{June 1918 shipwrecks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Californian (1900)}}
Category:World War I cargo ships of the United States
Category:Ships built in San Francisco
Category:World War I shipwrecks in the Atlantic Ocean
Category:Cargo ships of the United States Navy
Category:Maritime incidents in 1918