A paddle steamer is a steamship or steamboat powered by a steam engine driving paddle wheels to propel the craft through the water. In antiquity, paddle wheelers followed the development of poles, oars and sails, whereby the first uses were wheelers driven by animals or humans.
USS LST-455 was a United States Navy LST-1-class tank landing ship used in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II. She was converted at Sydney, Australia, into an Achelous-class repair ship, shortly after commissioning, and used in the repairing of landing craft. Named after the Greek hero Achilles, she was the only US Naval vessel to bear the name.
The Defoe Shipbuilding Company was a small ship builder established in 1905 in Bay City, Michigan, United States. It ceased to operate in 1976 after failing to renew its contracts with the United States Navy. The site of the former company is now being developed for business and housing on the bank of the Saginaw River.
The Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) were several classes of landing craft used by the Allies to land large numbers of infantry directly onto beaches during World War II. They were developed in response to a British request for seagoing amphibious assault ships capable of carrying and landing substantially more troops than their smaller assault landing craft (LCA). The result was a small steel ship that could land 200 men, traveling from rear bases on its own bottom at a speed of up to 15 knots.
USS Pandemus (ARL-18) was one of 39 Achelous-class landing craft repair ships built for the United States Navy during World War II and was in commission from 1945 to 1946 and from 1951 to 1968. Named for Pandemus, she has been the only U.S. Navy vessel to bear the name.
USS Sentinel (AMCU-39) was a LCI(L)-351-class large landing craft of the United States Navy, later converted to an AMCU-7-class coastal minesweeper.
USS Owl (AMCU-35) was a LCI(L)-351-class large landing craft of the United States Navy, later converted to an AMCU-7-class coastal minesweeper.
USS Skimmer (AMCU-41/LCIL-1093) was an LCI(L)-351-class landing craft infantry built for the U.S. Navy for the task of landing troops in combat areas.
HMNZS Taupo was a Lake-class patrol vessel of the Royal New Zealand Navy. Taupo was commissioned in 1975 and decommissioned in 1991, serving for 16 years.
Lake Washington steamboats and ferries operated from about 1875 to 1951, transporting passengers, vehicles and freight across Lake Washington, a large lake to the east of Seattle, Washington. Before modern highways and bridges were built, the only means of crossing the lake, other than the traditional canoe or rowboat, was by steamboat, and, later, by ferry. While there was no easily navigable connection to Puget Sound, the Lake Washington Ship Canal now connects Lake Washington to Lake Union, and from there Puget Sound is reached by way of the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks.
MVSeymour Castle is a river boat sailing for Thames River Cruises of Reading, England as the MV Devon Belle. She is registered by National Historic Ships on the National Register of Historic Vessels, certificate number 1955, and is one of the surviving "Little ships of Dunkirk" from the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940.
Mohican II is a historic steel riveted hull excursion steamboat located at Lake George in Warren County, New York. She was built in 1907-08 for the Lake George Steamboat Company by the T.S. Marvel Shipuilding Company of Newburgh, New York. She measures 117 ft (36 m) in length, 26 ft (7.9 m) in beam, and 8.3 ft (2.5 m) depth of hold. She was designed for use on Lake George as an excursion vessel, has been in continuous use for over 100 years and is the oldest passenger vessel in the United States.
Queen of the Lakes is an unofficial but widely recognized title bestowed upon vessels on the Great Lakes of the United States and Canada, honoring the largest vessel currently in service on the lakes. A number of vessels, mostly lake freighters, have been known by the title. Since 1981, the title has been held by MV Paul R. Tregurtha, a lake freighter of the 1000-foot category operated by the Interlake Steamship Company. MV Paul R. Tregurtha is 1,013.5 ft (308.9 m) long, and is the longest-running holder of the title.
USS LCI(L)222 was a United States Navy ship classified as a Landing Craft Infantry Large. She was assigned to the Asiatic-Pacific Theater during World War II.
USS LCI(L)-90 was an amphibious assault ship manned by a United States Coast Guard crew. She was commissioned in 1943 and was used to land troops in the landings on French North Africa, Sicily and Anzio in 1943, and at Omaha Beach during the Invasion of Normandy in 1944. She participated in the invasion of Okinawa, where she was attacked by a Japanese kamikaze fighter. Her two commanding officers were both Lieutenant junior grade, of the Coast Guard. William Trump a seaman who volunteered to go ashore before the troops, at Omaha Beach, and lay out a cable through a safe path to shore, was awarded a Silver Star. According to a soldier who landed from LCI-90 during the Invasion of Normandy, the vessel's doors were damaged by enemy fire. During the Invasion of Okinawa LCI-90 was damaged by a kamikaze, after she had landed her soldiers, and one seaman was killed.
SS Midland City was originally a Canadian side-wheel steamboat that provided passenger and cargo transportation on the Great Lakes from 1871 until 1955. Originally named Maud, then America, she underwent several extensive refits over her 84-year service, and saw several owners. The ship was intentionally run aground and burnt to the waterline in 1955 near the mouth of the Wye River in Midland Bay. The wreck is intact and visible above the water to this day, where it acts as a breakwater for the Wye Heritage Marina and local attraction.
USS Sparrow (AMCU-42/LCIL-1098) was an LCI(L)-351-class landing craft infantry built for the U.S. Navy for the task of landing troops in combat areas.
SY Tern, now operating as MY Tern[a], is a passenger vessel on Windermere, England. Launched in 1891 she was built for the steamer service carrying passengers from the Furness Railway. She underwent several changes in owner as companies were merged throughout the twentieth century, and spent time as a sea cadet training ship during the Second World War. Refitted several times, her original steam engines have been replaced with diesel engines. Tern is the oldest vessel operating on Windermere, and is a member of the National Historic Fleet. She is currently operated by Windermere Lake Cruises as the flagship of their fleet.
Steam Pinnace 199 is a steam pinnace of the Royal Navy, built in 1909 by J. Reid of Portsmouth. She is now owned by the National Museum of the Royal Navy, and is based at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard.
United States
United States