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Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive

Keresaspa (ID 1484)



Civilian call sign (1919):
Love - Have - Pup - Jig
Freighter:

  • Built in 1902 as Franconia by Northumberland Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., Newcastle, England for the Franconia Steamship Co., Ltd. of Trieste
  • Laid up in 1914 at Philadelphia, PA
  • Acquired in 1917 by Kerr Navigation Corp. of New York and renamed Keresaspa
  • Acquired by the Navy and commissioned USS Keresapa (ID 1484), 31 October 1918
  • Decommissioned, 11 February 1919 and returned to her owner
  • Acquired in 1921 by the United American Line, Inc. of New York
  • Acquired later in 1921 Oceana Sea Navigation Co., Ltd. of Budapest, Hungary and renamed Pannonia
  • Acquired in 1927 by Soc. Auxiliaire des Chargeurs Francais of Rouen, France and renamed Malakoff
  • Wrecked 2 January 1929 en route from Antwerp, Belgium to Madagascar, with general cargo, off Cape Dartuch near Port Mahon, Balearic Islands, Spain.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 3019 t.
  • Length 360'
  • Beam 48'
  • Draft 13' 5"
  • Speed 9 kts.
  • Complement 86
  • Armament: One 5" mount
  • Propulsion: One 1,785ihp triple expansion steam engine, one shaft.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Keresaspa 90k Photographed circa 1918, camouflaged for World War I service. The view looks forward from off the ship's starboard quarter. The five-masted ship forward of Keresaspa is not identified.
    The original print is in National Archives' Record Group 19-LCM.
    U.S. Navy photo NH 101959    		 Naval Historical Center
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships: Keresaspa, formerly Franconia, was launched 1903 by Northumberland Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., Newcastle, England. The cargo ship was acquired by the Navy from the Franconia S.S. Co., Ltd. and commissioned 31 October 1918, Lt. Comdr. James J. Boyce in command.

    Assigned to NOTS, Keresaspa departed New York with a cargo of 400 horses and mules for transport to France. She discharged her cargo at La Pallice, France, and returned to Baltimore 20 January 1919. Following repairs Keresaspa decommissioned 11 February 1919 and was returned to her owners. In 1922, while employed as a merchant ship, she was renamed Pannonia.

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