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NavSource Online: Army Ship Photo Archive

USAMP Cyrus W. Field

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

World War I Victory Medal

Mine Planter:

Built in 1901 at Hartford, CT., as the steam lighter Margaret

Launched in 1901

Purchased for service by the US Army Quartermaster Department, 6 May 1904

Converted to perform duties as a cable ship for the Signal Corps

Renamed in honor of Cyrus W. Field, renowned capitalist and entrepreneur who was responsible for laying the first Trans-Atlantic telegraph cable from the United States to Great Britain in 1866

Stationed at Fort Sherman, Panama Canal Zone as of January 1919 and serving as a mine planter with the Coast Artillery

Commissioned USAMP Cyrus W. Field, 18 March 1920, Capt. William R. Deeble, USA, in command

Assigned to the Panama Coast Artillery District, 4 May 1920

Further assigned to the Coast Defenses of Cristobal, 9 November 1920. Typically docked at the mine wharf at Fort Sherman, CZ

Though officially designated a mine planter by 1919, Cyrus W. Field still maintained a dual capability as a cable ship

She was also unique among the primary mine planters of this period in that it was constructed primarily of wood

Final Disposition, ran aground near Fort Sherman, 31 March 1921, and was severely damaged. All enlisted personnel were relieved from assignment in April 1921 and assigned to the 5th Coast Artillery Co. She was salvaged by the crew of USAMP Gen. William M. Graham and stricken from the list of Army Mine Planters, 31 July 1921

Specifications:
Displacement 348 gross tons
Length 132.1'
Beam 32.2'
Draft 10'
Speed unknown

Complement

Officers, unknown

Enlisted, twelve

Civilian, unknown

Cruise Radius unknown

Fuel Capacities unknown

Propulsion unknown

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Source
	7k	*Namesake* Cyrus West Field, born November 30, 1819, Stockbridge, MA., U.S.—died July 12, 1892, New York City, N.Y), American financier noted for the success of the first transatlantic cable. He was the younger brother of the law reformer David Dudley Field and of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen J. Field. After an early career in the paper business, Field became interested in a proposal to lay a transatlantic telegraph cable. He was one of the founders (1854) of the New York, Newfoundland and London Telegraph Company, formed to carry out the project. Two years later he helped organize a British company, the Atlantic Telegraph Company. In August 1857 the first of several unsuccessful attempts to lay a cable were made. Success was finally achieved in July 1866, and Field was acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic. Later he ventured into other enterprises. In 1877 he bought a controlling interest in the New York Elevated Railroad Company and for the next three years served as its president. Field also worked with Jay Gould in developing the Wabash Railroad and became the owner of a New York newspaper, the Mail and Express. Field suffered heavy financial losses, however, in his later years.		Encyclopedia Britannica
	50k	USAMP Cyrus W. Field at anchor, location unknown, circa 1919-1921		US National Archives photo, a US Army Signal Corps photo

The history for USAMP Cyrus W. Field is from US Army Order of Battle 1919-1941 Vol. 2

Commanding Officers
01	Capt. William R. Deeble, USA	18 March 1920 - 27 April 1921
02	Capt. William D. Evans, USA	27 April 1921 - 31 July 1921


US Army Order of Battle 1919-1941 Vol. 2

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This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo

Last Updated the Week of 17 December 2018