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USS Camden (AS-6)
Encyclopedia
USS Camden (AS-6) was the first ship of the United States Navy
to bear the name Camden, after Camden
, New Jersey
the city that lies on the Delaware River
across from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
.
, Flensburg
, Germany
, as SS Kiel; seized by the United States
after its entry into World War I
in April 1917; transferred from the Shipping Board on 22 May 1917; fitted out as a cargo ship
and commissioned on 15 August 1917 as USS Camden (ID-3143), Lieutenant Commander
E. C. Jones, USNRF, in command.
Clearing New York
in September 1917, Camden carried coal between Cardiff, Wales, and French
ports, with one voyage to the United States, until 25 April 1918, when she again sailed for the U.S. She was decommissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard on 3 May for conversion into a submarine tender
.
s on 21 February 1919, when she was re-commissioned as a submarine tender, AS-6. Based on New London, Connecticut
, she was flagship
for Commander, Submarine Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet
, and Commander, Submarine Division 9 (SubDiv 9) until 15 September 1920. After repairs at Norfolk, Virginia
, she followed her division to the Pacific, where she took up tender duties based on San Pedro, California on 24 June 1921. She briefly served as flagship of Commander, Submarine Flotilla, Pacific Fleet
early in 1922, and in March 1923 returned to the Atlantic for duty. As flagship of SubDiv 4 at New London, and later as flagship of Commander, Control Force, she led in large-scale maneuvers and exercises. Highlights of this period included her participation in determined efforts to raise in September-October 1925, and her presence at the presidential Naval Review
in Hampton Roads
in May 1927. Camden was decommissioned at Philadelphia on 26 May 1931.
. Towed by tug
, the floating barracks arrived at Pier 92, New York City on 18 September, and performed her humble but essential role of berthing the war-swollen complement of the yard until 23 October 1946, when she was sold.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
to bear the name Camden, after Camden
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
the city that lies on the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
across from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
.
Cargo ship, 1917-1918
Camden was built in 1900 by Flensburger Schiffbau-GesellschaftFlensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft
Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft is a German shipbuilding company located in Flensburg. The company is trading as Flensburger and commonly abbrevated FSG.-History:...
, Flensburg
Flensburg
Flensburg is an independent town in the north of the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. Flensburg is the centre of the region of Southern Schleswig...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, as SS Kiel; seized by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
after its entry into World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in April 1917; transferred from the Shipping Board on 22 May 1917; fitted out as a cargo ship
Cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's seas and oceans each year; they handle the bulk of international trade...
and commissioned on 15 August 1917 as USS Camden (ID-3143), Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant commander (United States)
Lieutenant commander is a mid-ranking officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, with the pay grade of O-4 and NATO rank code OF-3...
E. C. Jones, USNRF, in command.
Clearing New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in September 1917, Camden carried coal between Cardiff, Wales, and French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
ports, with one voyage to the United States, until 25 April 1918, when she again sailed for the U.S. She was decommissioned at Philadelphia Navy Yard on 3 May for conversion into a submarine tender
Submarine tender
A submarine tender is a type of ship that supplies and supports submarines.Submarines are small compared to most oceangoing vessels, and generally do not have the ability to carry large amounts of food, fuel, torpedoes, and other supplies, nor to carry a full array of maintenance equipment and...
.
Submarine tender, 1919-1931
Camden began her many years of service with submarineSubmarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s on 21 February 1919, when she was re-commissioned as a submarine tender, AS-6. Based on New London, Connecticut
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
, she was flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
for Commander, Submarine Flotilla, Atlantic Fleet
United States Fleet Forces Command
The United States Fleet Forces Command is an Atlantic Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources that are under the operational control of the United States Northern Command...
, and Commander, Submarine Division 9 (SubDiv 9) until 15 September 1920. After repairs at Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, she followed her division to the Pacific, where she took up tender duties based on San Pedro, California on 24 June 1921. She briefly served as flagship of Commander, Submarine Flotilla, Pacific Fleet
United States Pacific Fleet
The United States Pacific Fleet is a Pacific Ocean theater-level component command of the United States Navy that provides naval resources under the operational control of the United States Pacific Command. Its home port is at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hawaii. It is commanded by Admiral Patrick M...
early in 1922, and in March 1923 returned to the Atlantic for duty. As flagship of SubDiv 4 at New London, and later as flagship of Commander, Control Force, she led in large-scale maneuvers and exercises. Highlights of this period included her participation in determined efforts to raise in September-October 1925, and her presence at the presidential Naval Review
Naval Review
A Naval Review is an event, where the whole of the US Navy is paraded to be reviewed by the president or the Secretary of the Navy. It often includes delegates from other national navies. It is more regular and frequent than its British equivalent, the Fleet Review, and often occurs on a Navy...
in Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
in May 1927. Camden was decommissioned at Philadelphia on 26 May 1931.
Barracks ship, 1940-1946
War called the veteran back from retirement, and on 17 September 1940 Camden was reclassified IX-42, and assigned to New York Navy Yard as a barracks shipBarracks ship
Barracks ship or barracks barge are terms used to indicate a ship or a non-self-propelled barge containing a superstructure of a type suitable for use as a temporary barracks for sailors. A barracks ship may also be used as a "Receiving Unit" for sailors who need temporary residence prior to being...
. Towed by tug
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
, the floating barracks arrived at Pier 92, New York City on 18 September, and performed her humble but essential role of berthing the war-swollen complement of the yard until 23 October 1946, when she was sold.