USS Mexican, a 19,550-ton (displacement) cargo ship and transport, was built at San Francisco, California, in 1907 as the American Hawaiian Steamship Company's 8673 gross ton freighter of the same name. She was chartered by the War Department in December 1917 and later in that month placed in commission as a Navy ship. Operated as an animal transport during the rest of World War I, in December 1918, as with many other large cargo ships, Mexican was converted for troop carrying duties. She was then employed bringing U.S. service personnel home from the former war zone. In early August 1919, with this work largely completed, she was returned to her owner and resumed her commercial career. Following nearly three more decades of operation, S.S. Mexican was scrapped in 1948.
This page features, and provides links to, all the views we have concerning USS Mexican (ID # 1655) and the civilian freighter Mexican.
For more images related to this ship, see:
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.
Photo #: NH 65104 S.S. Mexican (American Freighter, 1907) In port, possibly when she was inspected by the 12th Naval District on 10 June 1917. This steamer was commissioned as USS Mexican (ID # 1655) on 23 December 1917. She was returned to her owner, the American Hawaiian Steamship Company, on 4 August 1919. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 71KB; 740 x 605 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 103457 USS Mexican (ID # 1655) Photographed circa late 1918, possibly while undergoing conversion from an animal transport to a troopship. She appears to in the process of having her World War I "dazzle" camouflage replaced by an overall gray color scheme. The original image was printed on postal card ("AZO") stock, the reverse of which bears the following pencilled inscription: "Left St. Nazair (sic) France Apr. 3 1918 in U.S. Ship Mexican". Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2006. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 56KB; 740 x 470 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105771 USS Mexican (ID # 1655) Arriving at New York with homeward-bound troops on board, 1919. Photographed by E. Muller, Jr., New York. Donation of Charles R. Haberlein Jr., 2008. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image size: 95KB; 900 x 555 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 99394 USS Mexican (ID # 1655) Panoramic photograph of the ship at St. Nazaire, France, in 1919, while serving as a troop transport. USS Roanoke (ID # 1695), a former minelayer also employed as a troop transport, is at right. Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation. Collection of Lieutenant Charles Dutreaux. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 126KB; 1200 x 400 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105718 USS Mexican (ID # 1655) Probably at St. Nazaire, France, with two local children in the foreground and homeward-bound troops on the ship's decks, circa 11 June 1919. The original image is printed on post card ("AZO") stock. See Photo # NH 105718-A-KN for a reproduction of the reverse of this card, which is dated 22 June 1919. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 70KB; 460 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105718-A-KN (color) USS Mexican (ID # 1655) Reverse of a post card, dated 22 June 1919, mailed by a homeward-bound Soldier upon his arrival in New York Harbor on board the ship. The message reports that Mexican sailed from St. Nazaire, France, on 11 June 1919. See Photo # NH 105718 for the photo of USS Mexican seen on the front of this postcard. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2008. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 89KB; 740 x 495 pixels |
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The freighter Mexican is visible in the right background of the following view of another ship:
For more images related to this ship, see:
NOTES:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 16 June 2004
Coding updated 26 December 2010