Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online:
Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive

Lake Otisco (ID 4410-F)



Civilian call sign (1919):
Love - Jig - Sail - Mike
Freighter:

  • Built in 1918 as War Oak by the American Shipbuilding Co., Cleveland, OH
  • Renamed Lake Otisco during construction
  • Launched 15 December 1917
  • Acquired by the Navy 5 October 1918 and commissioned USS Lake Otisco (ID 4410-F) the same day
  • Decommissioned 4 April 1919 and returned to the United States Shipping Board
  • Sold in 1921 to the International Coal Transportation Corp. of New York, NY
  • Sold in 1923 to Cie Nationale de Navigation of LeHavre, France and renamed Floreal
  • Sold in 1929 to Hetland A/S of Copenhagen, Denmark and renamed Nivaa
  • Sold in 1933 to Hoyrylaiva O/Y J. Nurminen of Raumo, Finland and renamed Usko
  • Sold in 1939 to J. Pruun of Tallinn, Estonia and renamed Meero
  • On 10 October 1940, the Soviets formally nationalized the Estonian ships, including Meero, within the newly-created Estonian State Sea Shipping Co. Meero was requisitioned for use as military transport
    VT-542 by the Soviet Baltic Fleet and used to evacuate troops from Koivisto on 1 September 1941. On 2 September 1941 while sailing to Leningrad, Meero was torpedoed and sunk by the Finnish torpedo boat Syosky off Koivisto. The crew was rescued by other ships.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 2,015 t.
  • Length 261'
  • Beam 43' 6"
  • Draft 17' 9"
  • Speed 9 kts.
  • Complement 52
  • Armament: One 3"/50 mount
  • Propulsion: Two single ended boilers, one 1,200ihp triple expansion steam engine, one shaft.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    No image of Lake Otisco (ID 4410-F) is available at this time
    Commanding Officers
    01Civilian Captain S. A. Kidston5 October 1918
    02LCDR Charles E. Anderson, USNRF1918
    Courtesy Joe Radigan
    View the Lake Otisco (ID 4410-F)
    DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command website
    Back To The Main Photo Index Back to the Identification Numbered Civilian Ships (ID) Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster
    This page created by Joseph M. Radigan and maintained by David Wright
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History