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Unnumbered Ships Photo Archive

President Lincoln

Sunk 31 May 1918
Transport:

  • Built in 1907 as Scotian by Harland & Wolff, Belfast, Ireland
  • Sold in 1907 to the Hamburg-American Line and renamed Berlin
  • Renamed again in 1907 to President Lincoln
  • Acquired by the U.S. Navy in 1917
  • Commissioned USS President Lincoln 25 July 1917 at Brooklyn, NY
  • Torpedoed and sunk 1 June 1918 by the German submarine U-90, 600 miles off the French coast
  • Struck from the Navy Register 26 August 1918.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 32,500 t.
  • Length 619'
  • Beam 68'
  • Draft 34'
  • Speed 14.5 kts.
  • Complement 430
  • Armament: Four 6" mounts
  • Propulsion: Two quadruple expansion engines, two shafts.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    SS President Lincoln
    President Lincoln 80k Underway, prior to World War I
    U.S. Navy photo NH 41893    		 Naval Historical Center
    President Lincoln 111k Underway in harbor, prior to World War I.
    U.S. Navy photo NH 41887
    President Lincoln 195k Undated post cards Tommy Trampp
    President Lincoln 171k
    President Lincoln 99k
    President Lincoln 70k Post card dated c. 1910
    President Lincoln 100k Post card dated 28 March 1911, Hudson Terminal Station, NY
    President Lincoln 74k In port, circa 1917.
    U.S. Navy photo NH 103270    		 Naval Historical Center
    President Lincoln 113k Underway in a harbor, prior to World War I. The original print of this photograph was found on board the ship by W.C. Lang in 1917. He donated it to the President Lincoln Club on 17 November 1931.
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection.
    U.S. Navy photo NH 103352
    USS President Lincoln
    President Lincoln 125k Crew of the ship's after starboard six-inch gun in action, during World War I
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 41700    		 Robert Hurst
    President Lincoln 131k Troops wearing life preservers on deck, while passing through the submarine zone, en route to France during World War I. These Soldiers appear to be members of an
    African-American unit
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 41889
    President Lincoln 67k A U.S. Army "Doughboy" congratulates a member of one of President Lincoln's ship's gun crews for efficient watch in the submarine zone, while en route to France during World War I
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 41890
    President Lincoln 138k Six-inch gun mounted on the ship's starboard quarter, photographed from above while she was underway transporting troops to France during World War I
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 41899
    President Lincoln 111k Junior Officers posed on board President Lincoln, in early May 1918. The Lieutenant at the left end of the middle row is Edouard V.M. Isaacs, who was made a prisoner of war when President Lincoln was sunk on 31 May 1918
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 103271
    President Lincoln 85k Ship's port bow six-inch gun, circa 1917-1918
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 103272
    President Lincoln 112k Soldiers of the 505th Service Battalion (an African-American unit) on deck, wearing life preservers as they pass through the submarine zone during the ship's second trip to France, circa late 1917. Mess kits are in evidence and some of the men are eating
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 103273
    President Lincoln 126k View looking aft from the ship's foremast, while she was at Hoboken, New Jersey, during World War I
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 103355
    President Lincoln 74k Ship's after port six-inch gun, photographed while she was at Hoboken, New Jersey, during World War I
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 103356
    President Lincoln 75k Ship's forward starboard six-inch gun firing in target practice, during World War I. The officer at left is [the Gunnery Officer], Lieutenant Jesse B. Oldendorf, USN
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 103357
    President Lincoln 50k Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Edouard V.M. Isaacs, USN, on board President Lincoln
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 103362
    President Lincoln 63k Assistant Paymaster (Lieutenant) Andrew Mowat, USN, on board President Lincoln, circa 1917-1918. The officer on the right is identified (on the reverse of the original print) as "Lieutenant J.E. Johnston, Medical Corps". However, James E. Johnston was an Assistant Paymaster (Ensign), USNRF, and the uniform worn by the officer on the left does not appear to have Pay Corps insignia. Both Paymaster Mowat and Paymaster Johnston were lost when President Lincoln was sunk on 31 May 1918
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection
    Naval History and Heritage Command photo NH 103363
    President Lincoln 85k 25 May 1918
    U.S.Army Signal Corps photo 13887 from the Imperial War Museum [Photo © IWM(Q 58444)], American First World War Official Exchange Collection    		 Mike Green
    President Lincoln 110k Underway at sea during World War I. Photographed from USS Susquehanna (ID 3016), which was in convoy with President Lincoln when the latter was torpedoed and sunk on
    31 May 1918.
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection.
    U.S. Navy photo NH 103353    		 Naval Historical Center
    President Lincoln 124k Photographed by the wireless operator of USS Rijndam (ID 2505) just after she was torpedoed on 31 May 1918. The radioman was then sending out an "S-O-S" message. President Lincoln sank about a half-hour later. The original print has been retouched to emphasize the smoke issuing from her stack
    Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington, D.C. - USS President Lincoln Collection
    Naval Historical Center photo NH 103354    		 Robert Hurst
    President Lincoln 138k Undated post card Tommy Trampp
    President Lincoln 288k U.S. troops on deck, of the transport President Lincoln "in the danger zone" wearing life jackets, as the transport passed through the submarine "danger zone" en route to France. Image taken prior to being torpedoed by U-90 on 31 May 1918
    Photo from "A History Of The Transport Service: Adventures Of United States Transports And Cruisers In The World War", by Vice Admiral Albert Gleaves, USN, Published by George H. Doran Company, New York    		 Robert Hurst
    President Lincoln 139k President Lincoln by Fred Dana March, 1920, depicting the ship sinking after she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-90 on 31 May 1918. twenty-six lives were lost with her, and one officer taken prisoner
    Courtesy of the U.S. Navy Art Collection, Washington, DC
    Naval Historical Center photo NH 86494-KN
    Commanding Officers
    01CDR Yates Sterling, Jr., USN - USNA Class of 1892
    Awarded the Navy Cross (1920) - Retired as Rear Admiral    		25 July 1917 - November 1917
    02CDR Percy Wright Foote, USN - USNA Class of 1901
    Awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal (1918) - Retired as Rear Admiral    		November 1917 - 31 May 1918
    Courtesy Joe Radigan
    View the President Lincoln
    DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command website
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