# SS Re d'Italia

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**SS *Re d'Italia*** was an Italian [ocean liner](/source/Ocean_liner) for [Lloyd Sabaudo](/source/Lloyd_Sabaudo) named for the [King of Italy](/source/King_of_Italy) (Italian: *Re d'Italia*). Launched in 1906, she sailed between Italy and New York and South America for most of her career. During [World War I](/source/World_War_I) she was employed as a [troopship](/source/Troopship) carrying United States troops to France as part of the [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy) [Cruiser and Transport Force](/source/Cruiser_and_Transport_Force). She was scrapped in 1929.

## Early career

*Re d'Italia*, was built by [Sir J. Laing & Sons Ltd.](/source/James_Laing_(shipbuilder)) of [Sunderland](/source/Sunderland,_Tyne_and_Wear), with [steam engines](/source/Steam_engine) provided by G. Clark Ltd. of Sunderland. Launched on 22 December 1906 for [Lloyd Sabaudo](/source/Lloyd_Sabaudo), she sailed on her maiden voyage from [Genoa](/source/Genoa) to [Palermo](/source/Palermo), [Naples](/source/Naples), and [New York](/source/New_York_City) on 6 April 1907.[1] Continuing on Mediterranean–New York service, *Re d'Italia* sailed opposite of [*Principe di Piemonte*](/source/RMS_Folia) on the route through about 1910, and [SS *Regina d'Italia*](/source/SS_Regina_d'Italia) through about 1916.[2] In 1917, *Re d'Italia*, by this time the only Lloyd Sabaudo ship sailing to the United States, made four roundtrips to New York.[3]

## U.S. troopship duties

Beginning in May 1918, *Re d'Italia* was [chartered](/source/Ship_chartering) as a [United States](/source/United_States) troop transport and attached to the [United States Navy](/source/United_States_Navy) [Cruiser and Transport Force](/source/Cruiser_and_Transport_Force).[4]

*Re d'Italia* sailed on her first wartime convoy on 18 May from [Newport News](/source/Newport_News,_Virginia), [Virginia](/source/Virginia), with U.S. Navy transports [USS *Madawaska*](/source/USS_Madawaska_(ID-3011)), [USS *Pocahontas*](/source/USS_Pocahontas_(ID-3044)), [USS *Zeelandia*](/source/USS_Zeelandia_(ID-2507)). Rendezvousing with a contingent of transports from New York—Navy transports [USS *President Grant*](/source/USS_President_Grant_(ID-3014)), [USS *Calamares*](/source/USS_Calamares_(ID-3662)), Army transport ship [USAT *El Occidente*](/source/USAT_El_Occidente), Navy [stores ship](/source/Stores_ship) [USS *Bridge*](/source/USS_Bridge_(AF-1)), and Italian steamer [SS *Duca degli Abruzzi*](/source/SS_Duca_degli_Abruzzi)—the convoy was escorted by American [cruiser](/source/Cruiser) [USS *Huntington*](/source/USS_Huntington_(CA-5)), and [destroyers](/source/Destroyer) [USS *Little*](/source/USS_Little_(DD-79)) and [USS *Kimberly*](/source/USS_Kimberly_(DD-80)). After arriving in France on 30 May, *Re d'Italia* returned to the United States in mid June.[5]

*Re d'Italia'*s next convoy left Newport News on 23 June and consisted of the Italian steamers [SS *Caserta*](/source/SS_Caserta), [SS *Duca d'Aosta*](/source/SS_Duca_d'Aosta), the French [SS *Patria*](/source/SS_Patria), and American transports *Pocahontas* and *Susquehanna*. Accompanied by [USS *Montana*](/source/USS_Montana_(ACR-13)), [USS *South Dakota*](/source/USS_South_Dakota_(ACR-9)), [USS *Huntington*](/source/USS_Huntington_(CA-5)), [USS *Gregory*](/source/USS_Gregory_(DD-82)), and [USS *Fairfax*](/source/USS_Fairfax_(DD-93)), the convoy reached France on 5 July. *Re d'Italia* returned to Virginia on 21 July with *Caserta*.[6]

*Re d'Italia* left Newport News with the American transport [USS *Tenadores*](/source/USS_Tenadores_(1913)) on their next convoy on 31 July, joining up with New York transports [SS *Maui*](/source/SS_Maui_(1916)), [USS *Siboney*](/source/USS_Siboney_(ID-2999)), *Calamares*, [USS *Henry R. Mallory*](/source/USS_Henry_R._Mallory_(ID-1280)), and [USS *Orizaba*](/source/USS_Orizaba_(ID-1536)). Escorts for the convoy were cruisers [USS *Seattle*](/source/USS_Seattle_(ACR-11)) and [USS *Charleston*](/source/USS_Charleston_(C-22)), and destroyers [USS *Preble*](/source/USS_Preble_(DD-12)), [USS *Colhoun*](/source/USS_Colhoun_(DD-85)),[7][USS *Paul Jones*](/source/USS_Paul_Jones_(DD-10)). The convoy arrived in France on 12 August. *Re d'Italia* arrived back in Virginia on 24 August.[8]

The Italian liner made additional crossings in September and October, returning after the latter on 17 November, six days after the [Armistice](/source/Armistice_with_Germany).[9]

## Later career

*Re d'Italia'*s first voyage after the Armistice was from Genoa to [Marseille](/source/Marseille) and New York on 27 April 1919. In 1920, she was refitted to carry second- and third-class passengers only. She continued Mediterranean–New York sailings until 1922 when she was transferred to [South American](/source/South_America) service. On 26 October 1923 she made one roundtrip from Genoa to Naples, Palermo, and New York. She was scrapped at Genoa in 1929.[1]

## Notes

1. SD-R.

1. Immigration Information Bureau, pp. 122, 131, 138, 146, 189.

1. Immigration Information Bureau 1987, p. 192.

1. Gleaves, p. 240. (Page 240 shows the date as "July 1, 1916", but is wrong. See p. 102 for a description of the appendices with the correct date of "July 1, 1918" listed.)

1. Crowell & Wilson 1921, pp. 609–10.

1. Crowell & Wilson 1921, p. 611.

1. Crowell and Wilson (p. 614) list the destroyer as "*Calhoun*". The only [USS *Calhoun*](/source/USS_Calhoun_(1851)) ever was a former [Confederate](/source/Confederate_States_of_America) steamer captured during the [American Civil War](/source/American_Civil_War).

1. Crowell & Wilson 1921, p. 614.

1. Crowell & Wilson 1921, pp. 616, 619.

## References

- Crowell, Benedict & Wilson, Robert Forrest (1921). [*The Road to France: The Transportation of Troops and Military Supplies, 1917–1918*](https://archive.org/details/roadtofrancetra04wilsgoog). How America Went to War: An Account From Official Sources of the Nation's War Activities, 1917–1920. New Haven: [Yale University Press](/source/Yale_University_Press). [OCLC 18696066](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/18696066). – via [Internet Archive](/source/Internet_Archive)
- Immigration Information Bureau (1987 [First published 1931]). [*Morton Allan directory of European passenger steamship arrivals for the years 1890 to 1930 at the Port of New York and for the years 1904 to 1926 at the ports of New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Baltimore*](https://archive.org/details/mortonallandirec00balt). Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-8063-0830-2. [OCLC 16464579](https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/16464579). – via [Internet Archive](/source/Internet_Archive)
- ["Ship Descriptions - R"](https://web.archive.org/web/20081007103807/http://theshipslist.com/ships/descriptions/ShipsR.html). Archived from [the original](http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/descriptions/ShipsR.html) on 7 October 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2008.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [SS Re d'Italia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Re_d'Italia) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Re_d'Italia?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.