USS Arethusa, a 3319-ton tanker, was built in England in 1893 as the merchant ship Lucilene. Purchased by the U.S. Navy in August 1898, at the end of the Spanish-American War, she was converted to a water tanker and supply ship and began her active service in the West Indies during late 1898 and early 1899. After spending more than a year out of commission, Arethusa was sent, via Suez, to the Asiatic Station where she supported U.S. Navy forces and carried relief supplies until returning to the U.S. East Coast (again via Suez) in August-October 1902. She was then employed as a water carrier in the Caribbean and western Atlantic areas, with both Navy and civilian crews. In December 1907 Arethusa began a long voyage around South America as a support ship for the "Great White Fleet"'s World cruise. She reached Hawaii at the end of June 1908, but was then reassigned to the Pacific Fleet. Following a year and a half operating along the shores of California and Mexico, some of it as flagship of the Pacific Torpedo Flotilla, she returned to the Atlantic in early 1910.
With oil beginning to supplement coal as the Navy's primary fuel, upon arrival at the East Coast Arethusa became the fleet's first oil tanker, serving in that role for the remainder of her career. Prior to U.S. entry into World War I she mainly supported destroyers, which were early users of liquid fuel, delivering her cargo to fleet operating areas in the Caribbean and along the Atlantic Coast. In January 1918 Arethusa was assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service and began a series of wartime and post-war voyages to take oil to bases in the Azores and Western Europe. She also supplied fuel to destroyers and submarine chasers during operations at sea. When the Navy implemented its hull number system in mid-1920 Arethusa was formally classified as an oiler and designated AO-7. She was placed out of commission in late June 1922 and sold in July 1927.
This page features all the views we have concerning USS Arethusa (1898-1927, later AO-7).
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
The after portion of what is probably USS Arethusa is partially seen on the left side of the following photograph of another ship.
NOTES:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 24 April 1998
New image added 12 June 2010