{{Short description|Ocean liner (1926–1957)}} {{Infobox ship |section1={{Infobox ship/image | image = | image_caption = }}
|section2={{Infobox ship/career | hide_header = | name = ''Algonquin'' | owner =*[[Clyde-Mallory Line]] (1926–1940) *[[Porto Rico Line]] (1941–1942) *United States Army (1942–1957) | operator =*Clyde-Mallory Line (1926–1940) *Puerto Rico Line (1941–1942) *United States Army (1942–1946) | registry =*{{flagicon|United States}} New York (1926–1942) *{{flagicon|United States}} Charleston (1942–1945) *{{flagicon|United States}} New York (1945–1957) | route = | ordered = | builder = Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co | original_cost = | yard_number = 317 | way_number = | laid_down = | launched = 9 September 1926 | completed = December 1926 | christened = | acquired = | maiden_voyage = | in_service = | out_of_service = | identification =*US [[Official Number]] 226126 *Code Letters MGJF (1926–1933) *{{ICS|Mike}}{{ICS|Golf}}{{ICS|Juliet}}{{ICS|Foxtrot}} *Code Letters KGDL (1934–1946) *{{ICS|Kilo}}{{ICS|Golf}}{{ICS|Delta}}{{ICS|Lima}} | fate = Sold for scrap, 1957 | notes = }}
|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics | hide_header = | header_caption = | class = | tonnage = {{GRT|5,946}} | displacement = | length = {{convert|317|ft|5|in|m|2|abbr=on}} | beam = {{convert|55|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} | height = | draught = {{convert|20|ft|m|2|abbr=on}} | draft = | depth = | decks = | deck_clearance = | ramps = | ice_class = | sail_plan = | power = | propulsion = Two steam turbines driving a single screw | speed = {{convert|15|kn|km/h}} | capacity = | crew = | notes = }} }}
'''''Algonquin''''' was an ocean liner built in 1926 for the [[Clyde-Mallory Line]]. She was involved in a collision in 1929 and rescued survivors from another in 1935. Repaired after a fire in 1940, she was requisitioned for use as a troopship and later a hospital ship. She served until 1946 when she was laid up, finally being scrapped in 1957.
==History== ''Algonquin'' was built by [[Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company]], [[Newport News, Virginia]]. She was yard number 317 and was launched on 9 September 1926 and completed in December that year.<ref name=Miramar>{{csr|register=MSI|id=2226126|access-date=31 October 2009}}</ref> ''Algonquin'' was built for the Clyde Mallory Line and her port of registry was New York.<ref name=Algonquin/>
On 18 December 1929, ''Algonquin'' was in collision with {{RMS|Fort Victoria}} in the [[Ambrose Channel]], off [[New York City|New York]] in thick fog. ''Fort Victoria'' was hit on the port side by the bows of ''Algonquin'', which was on a voyage from [[Galveston, Texas]] to New York. Both ships issued distress calls and all on board ''Fort Victoria'' were rescued before that ship sank.<ref name=Sea>{{cite book | first =Keith | last =Eastlake | year =1998 | title =Sea Disasters, the truth behind the tragedies | page=20 | publisher =Greenwich Editions | location =London |isbn=0-86288-149-8}}</ref>
On 24 January 1935, the [[SS Mohawk (1925)|SS ''Mohawk'']] was involved in a collision with the SS ''Talisman'' after her automatic steering gear failed. ''Mohawk'' sank within an hour. ''Algonquin'' and {{SS|Limon}} rescued 107 survivors between them but 46 people were killed.<ref name=Mohawk>{{cite web|url=http://www.aquaexplorers.com/mowhawk.htm |title=CLYDE LINER MOHAWK |publisher=Aqua explorers |access-date=31 October 2009}}</ref>
In July 1940, ''Algonquin'' caught fire and sank while docked at New York. The ship was salvaged and repaired, then transferred to the Puerto Rico Line on return to service in 1941. In January 1942, she was requisitioned and put into service as a [[troopship]].<ref name=Gare>{{cite web|url=http://www.garemaritime.com/algonquin-1939.html |title=Algonquin 1939 |publisher=Gare Maritime |access-date=31 October 2009}}</ref> Her port of registry was changed to [[Charleston, South Carolina]]. In July 1943, ''Algonquin'' was requisitioned by the United States [[Army Transport Service]]. She was refitted by the [[Alabama Drydock and Shipbuilding Company]], [[Mobile, Alabama]] and entered service at the end in January 1944. Her maiden voyage as a hospital ship was from [[New Orleans, Louisiana]] to [[Gibraltar]], then [[Oran]], [[Algeria]] and [[Bizerte]], [[Tunisia]] ending in [[Naples]], [[Italy]]. On her return to Charleston, she was sent to [[Merrill-Stevens Drydock & Repair Co.|Merrill-Stevens Drydock & Repair Company]], [[Jacksonville, Florida]] for repairs, spending most of April there.<ref name=USAHS>{{cite web|url=https://www.angelfire.com/home/usahsalgonquin/history.htm |title= United States Army Hospital Ship Algonquin |publisher=Rodney B. Wilkerson |access-date=31 October 2009}}</ref>
In May 1944, ''Algonquin'' made another voyage to Gibraltar and Bizerte, returning at the end of the month. The following month, the trip was repeated, with an additional call at Naples. In July and August, ''Algonquin'' was operating between Bizerte and Naples. On 15 August, she was one of twelve hospital ships supporting [[Operation Dragoon]], the Allied invasion of southern [[France]]. In mid-September ''Algonquin'' returned to Charleston, then departed for Oran on 22 September. She then spent some time operating between [[Livorno]], Italy, [[Marseille]], France, Naples and Oran, returning to Charleston on 22 February 1945. Between May and September, ''Algonquin'' made four return trips between the [[United States]] and [[Europe]], with one arrival in New York harbor on 2 July.<ref>Associated Press, "Two Hospital Ships Arrive in New York", ''The San Bernardino Daily Sun'', San Bernardino, California, Tuesday 3 July 1945, Volume 51, p. 2.</ref> Her return voyage in September was to her new port of registry, New York. Two more return trips to Marseille and Naples were made and then ''Algonquin'' was drydocked in December for conversion to trooping duties again. On completion of the work in January 1946, she was employed to repatriate American troops and Italian war brides from Europe.<ref name=USAHS/>
''Algonquin'' was withdrawn from service in June 1946 and laid up in the [[James River]].<ref name=USAHS/> She was scrapped in 1957 at [[Baltimore, Ohio]], arriving on 10 January.<ref name=Miramar/>
==Description== ''Algonquin'' was a {{GRT|5946|link=off}} ocean liner. She was {{convert|317|ft|5|in|m|2}} long, with a beam of {{convert|55|ft|m|2}} and a draught of {{convert|20|ft|m|2}}. She was propelled by two steam turbines which drove a single propeller through single reduction gearing.<ref name=Algonquin/> The twin turbines could propel her at {{convert|15|kn|km/h}}.<ref name=Miramar/>
==Official Numbers and Code Letters== Official Numbers were a forerunner to [[IMO ship identification number|IMO Numbers]]. ''Algonquin'' had the US Official Number 226126 and the [[Code Letters]] MGJF.<ref name=Algonquin>{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/30/30b0044.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, NAVIRES A VAPEUR ET A MOTEURS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=31 October 2009}}</ref> In 1934, her Code Letters were changed to KGDL.<ref name=Algonquin2>{{cite web|url=https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/34/34b0038.pdf |title=LLOYD'S REGISTER, STEAMERS & MOTORSHIPS |publisher=Plimsoll Ship Data |access-date=31 October 2009}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=124199 Photo of SS ''Algonquin'']
{{1929 shipwrecks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Algonquin}} [[Category:1926 ships]] [[Category:Ocean liners]] [[Category:Steamships of the United States]] [[Category:Merchant ships of the United States]] [[Category:Maritime incidents in 1929]] [[Category:Maritime incidents in 1935]] [[Category:Troop ships]] [[Category:Hospital ships of the United States Army]] [[Category:Transport ships of the United States Army]]