Overseas Movement: Transports



The EDMUND B ALEXANDER carried Division Headquarters and the 354th to Europe. (I thought we had 7000 on board, but the statistics say): Length 687", Beam 74", Draft 33", Gross tons 21,329, Speed (in knots) 17, Radius 22,000 miles, 2 recip engines, 5,159 passengers and cargo of 151,685 cu ft. Build in 1905 by Harland & Wolff at Belfast, Ireland as AMERIKA (AMERICA) was originally built as a passenger line for Hamburg-Amerika Line and was operated in the North Atlantic until the outbreak of WWI. She was interned at Boston in August 1914 and seized in April 1917. As the converted troopship America, she carried thousands of troops to and from France during that war. Following WWI, she was laid up a few years before being re-conditioned in 1923-24 by the US Shipping Board. She entered the trans-Atlantic passenger trade under the house flag of United States Lines. After several years of operation, she was laid up at Solomon's Island, Md. She was taken from the laid up fleet in October 1940 for Army use. After being towed to Baltimore she was there rehabilitated by the Bethlehem Steel Co for use as a floating barracks for 1, 200 troops in Newfoundland until permanent shore quarters were constructed. At this time she was renamed the EDMUND B ALEXANDER. She was still a coal burner, operated at only 10 knots. She left New York in January 1 941 being escorted to St Johns by the Coast Guard Cutter "Duane," and remained there until June 1941, when she returned to New York under escort. After extensive repairs at Atlantic Basin Iron Works she was operated for a short period between New Orleans and Panama.

In May 1942 she was ordered to Baltimore for major alterations and reboilering (including conversion to oil fuel). Upon completion of this work by the Bethlehem Steel Co, in April 1943, with speed increased to 17 knots and carrying over 5,000 troops, she began regular operation from New York to the European and Mediterranean Theatres of Operation. She was in this service throughout WWII. In February and March 1 946 she was altered to carry military dependents (904 adults, 314 children) from Europe to the United States. Other interesting information the same shipbuilders that built the TITANIC built the EDMOND B ALEXANDER. Relayed an ice warning to TITANIC on April 14, 1912. First liner to have electric elevators. First liner to have a separate luxury restaurant run by the Ritz Carlton hotel of London. First Class passengers who chose to eat in this restaurant instead of the ships dining room could deduct $25.00 from their first class fare. A typical dinner with caviar, soup, fish, lamb cutlets, roast pigeon, salad, Ice and Petit Fores cost about 18 pence with table favors of silver pencils.

(Thanks to Norman R Smith, AG for this information as well as information on the URUGUAY, a Moore-McCormack Lines serving South America prior to WWII. It sailed from Boston on Jan 10, 1945 in our convoy. This ship was originally commissioned the CALIFORNIA when Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Co built it in 1928. It carried 4,473 troops.)

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