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: Army Ship Photo Archive

USAT Northern Sword

Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Cargo Ship :
  • Laid down in 1918, as the cargo ship SS Norma for the United States Shipping Board (USSB) / United Fruit Co. at Bethlehem Shipbuilding Co., Wilmington, DE.
  • Launched in 1918
  • Delivered in 1918 to United Fruit Co.
  • Sold to Sword Steamship Co., date unknown, renamed SS Northern Sword
  • Acquired by the War Shipping Administration, 16 September 1941, at New York City as a time charter from Sword Steamship Co.
  • Operated as a time charter by Sword Steamship Co. from 16 September 1941 to 6 November 1942
  • Allocated, 6 November 1942, to the War Department Transportation Corp. as a bare bottom charter
  • Final Disposition, while underway in Convoy GZ 1, 8 February 1943, collided with SS Fisher Ames and sank in the Caribbean Sea at 10° 28'N 79° 32'W
    Specifications:
    Displacement 2,648 gross tons
    Length 300'
    Beam 45'
    Draft 25'
    Speed 10.5 kts
    Armament unknown
    Complement unknown
    Troopship Passenger Capacity unknown
    Cargo Capacity unknown
    Cruise Radius unknown
    Propulsion
    one triple expansion reciprocating steam engine
    single shaft, 1,700shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    Northen Sword
    301304601    		 78k SS Northern Sword grounded off Winthorp, MA., circa 1934
    Digital Commonwealth    		 John Spivey
    There is no history record for USAT North Sword available at NavSource
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    MARAD Vessel History Database
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The US Army Ship Index Back To The US Army Cargo Ships Photo Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 19 January 2024