The USS Leviathan

Can you imagine a ship so huge, that its length, up-ended, would be forty-three feet higher than the combined height of the Woolworth Tower and the Statue of Liberty? Such a monster is the Leviathan, once the Vaterland, pride of Germany’s great merchant marine.

This magnificent specimen of ship-craft came into the possession when we declared war on Germany. The Vaterland, at anchor in American waters, was seized and converted into a U.S. army transport. The name was changed to Leviathan, which according to the dictionary, means “something huge and formidable.”

After the war, the ship was refitted as a luxury passenger liner once more. Aside from the Leviathan’s colossal size, there are other reasons why we consider her a valuable and interesting war trophy. She is not only the safest ship in the world, but the fastest. On her trial trip, June 22, 1923, she made a record of 28.04 knots per hour.

Being the biggest, safest, and fastest steamer of modern times would seem a sufficient reason to entitle the Leviathan to first place among American ships. But even these three essential features could not have won for her such national attention had it not been for the service performed during the war.

After she was converted into an army transport, she carried over 150,000 United States soldiers safely to France and brought them home again! Was it not fitting that such a ship be made a sort of living memorial to America’s heroic part in the greatest war in history?

 


20 Replies to "The USS Leviathan"

  • John A Schmitt
    20 December 2022 (12:22 pm)
    Reply

    My Grandfather was a painter on the ship and was with the group that painted it camouflage

  • Todd Cathey
    27 August 2022 (9:19 pm)
    Reply

    My Great Grandfather, Pvt. Foster Booker of Co. L, 57th Pioneer Infantry was aboard the Leviathan as they left Hoboken, NJ enroute to Brest, France.

  • David Christie
    08 May 2022 (11:45 pm)
    Reply

    My grandfather, Harry Hedenburg, served aboard USS Leviathan during WWI. I remember him telling a story of getting off watch in the middle of the night once and headed off to the mess hall to see if he could get something to eat. A cook on duty chased him off with a meat clever. Said he never ran so fast (and he was fast!)

  • Juan E Jimenez
    06 April 2022 (5:37 pm)
    Reply

    I have a 1917 tenor trombone (a Conn stencil sold by Carl Fischer in New York) engraved “Presented to the Engineering Department of the USS Leviathan by the Consolidated Iron Works.” I am trying to find out the names of the members of the ship’s band that entertained our soldiers there and back with daily concerts, and specifically who played trombone on that band (I think there were two). If anyone has any info about this, or knows where I can find out what I need, please let me know.

  • Jerry norgiel
    03 July 2021 (9:04 pm)
    Reply

    My father was a member of the crew when he was 17 years old and I have an original photograph and post cards with its pictures.

    • ROGER
      01 October 2023 (12:16 am)
      Reply

      Good morning,
      I am Belgian and I have been collecting the SS LEVIATHAN for years, especially 1917-1920.
      I have plans from 1918, photos of sailors……books, and the names of the sailors.
      I looked for your father, and found his name NORGIEL, JOHN, J. in my book.
      You can perhaps (if you don’t mind) send a copy of your father’s photo.
      Thanks in advance
      Sorry for my poor English.
      Good day,
      Roger.

  • Caroline
    21 May 2021 (12:51 pm)
    Reply

    My Great Aunt Millie was a WW1 Army Nurse who sailed on the SS Leviathan on May 22 1918 from Hoboken to Brest France…

    • Gail
      18 April 2022 (5:58 pm)
      Reply

      My grandfather, Edward Ludwig, was also on that voyage. He was in the 43rd Engineers, Co. C.

    • Joan Keith
      16 June 2022 (7:41 am)
      Reply

      Was her last name Cheney? She’s a relative of mine..

  • Don Farrar
    27 January 2021 (10:39 am)
    Reply

    My father was a navy fireman on the Leviathan, I have several of the ships newspapers The Transport Ace dated may ,June July of 1919.

  • Diane Laske Varsek
    20 August 2020 (12:21 pm)
    Reply

    My Dad was on this ship coming back home after the armistice with Germany was signed, I think he wrote in his notebook , November 30th or maybe it was the 29th. Anyway, I have his Navy ID card ship bullet card for this ship

  • Rick king
    17 August 2020 (5:25 am)
    Reply

    My grandfather was a stoker in the engine room. Family legend has it he made 17 crossings. Can you imagine the stress of thinking whenever some one drops wrench you expect the torpedo blast to follow knowing you’re a dead man. Unfortunately it affected him. He came home changed. My nana had to commit him to a mental hospital and he passed away around the time my father was born. PTSD?

    • Juan E Jimenez
      06 April 2022 (5:42 pm)
      Reply

      The Leviathan was too fast (28 knots max speed) for the German u-boats of the time. That is why it was never torpedoed. The torpedoes themselves topped out at 40 kts, but the sub had to get within 7,000 yards to fire, otherwise the torpedo would peter out and sink. That was extremely difficult for a u-boat captain to do. A pity that the ship’s officers did not brief the rest of the crew on that very important fact. Leviathan was so fast it would often race away from the protection of the convoy to outrun any subs.

    • Joseph P. Volpi
      08 December 2022 (6:49 am)
      Reply

      My grandfather, Anthony J. Grillo, served on this ship as a Coxswain 2nd Class. Born in Portsmouth, Virginia in 1893 he passed in 1973 in New York City. US Navy 1913 to 1919.

  • Rycke Fisch
    08 August 2020 (1:44 pm)
    Reply

    My grandfather, Andrew Pacholl, from Wilmont, MN, was one of the troops who made the trip to France from the U.S. I have a large black and white print of this ship hanging on the wall of my home office that he obtained during the time he served in the Army. The picture is approximately 12X18 inches, and is in it’s original frame. It shows the entire ship with “USS Leviathan” in the lower center. I also have a group photo of him with his tank unit that is panoramic. Both photos are treasured.

  • ZANE
    04 November 2019 (10:40 am)
    Reply

    I WAS LOOKING AT SOME PICS OF THE BOAT AND THE USS LEVIATHAN HAD A BURNT MARK JUST BEFORE IT WAS SHIPED OF INTO SEA I THINK THAT THE USS LEVIATHAN WAS BURNT IN THE ENGENGINE ROOM THAT WHY IT SANK

    • Juan E Jimenez
      06 April 2022 (5:43 pm)
      Reply

      The Leviathan did not sink. It was converted back into the luxury liner taking people to Europe and back, and was eventually sold for scrap when it could no longer be operated profitably.

  • Shanni Raye Thornton
    29 August 2019 (7:31 am)
    Reply

    My Great Grandfather served on this ship in 1918

    • Larry Jacobsen
      26 December 2019 (4:47 pm)
      Reply

      My great uncle sailed on the USS Leviathan for France in WWI. He saved a picture of the ship-a postcard, actually of the liner in dazzle camouflage meant to help obscure her profile from eyes in the periscopes of enemy submarines or surface warships.

    • Richard Rabbett
      20 February 2020 (11:13 am)
      Reply

      Hi Shanni – not sure if you’re a member of the SS Leviathan group on Facebook – it’s a great resource!
      https://www.facebook.com/groups/ssleviathan/


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