Sold into mercantile service 29 July 1936; sold for scrapping Baltimore, Maryland 1948
General characteristics
Displacement
19,250 Tons
Length
536ft (163m)
Beam
65ft (20m)
Draft
27ft 8in (8.43m)
Propulsion
Coal-fueled vertical triple-expansion steam engines, two screws
Speed
14.32 k
Complement
82
Armament
4 × 4 inch/50
Aircraft carried
Up to 12 aircraft as a depot ship, or up to 24 as an aviation transport
USS Jason (AC-12/AV-2) was a collier in service with the United States Navy from 1913 to 1932. She was then sold into commercial service and served as SS Jason until she was scrapped in 1948.
On the morning of 7 March 1913 in Baltimore harbor, 300 tons of dynamite bound for use in constructing the Panama Canal was being loaded onto the British iron steamer Alum Chine from an adjacent car float when it detonated, completely annihilating both vessels. Jason, about 1,100 feet away and newly ready for sea trials, was blasted by the debris and showered with iron, timber and boxes of dynamite, some of which exploded on impact. At least three on Jason were killed, and many more wounded. The ship's master at the time, Capt. J. R. Thompson, on deck making preparations to leave, was knocked head over heels and nearly blown overboard. Jason's hull and plating, three-quarters to seven-eighths of an inch thick, was riddled with holes from the water line to the top of the smoke stacks, which were mashed almost flat by the force of the explosion.[3][4]Jason was so badly battered by the explosion she required extensive repairs before she would be accepted by the Navy.[5] As a result, she was not commissioned until 26 June 1913, Captain A. M. Whitton in command.[2]
During Woodrow Wilson's first administration, Mexico was torn by revolution and several factions struggled to attain undisputed control of the land. Jason sailed for the troubled area 4 September 1913 to fuel American ships stationed there. She returned to Norfolk 13 October to prepare for fueling operations in the Mediterranean.[2]
Jason departed Norfolk 25 October, fueled ships off Italy and France, and returned to Hampton Roads, Virginia, 18 December. Following further fueling duties during winter maneuvers in the Caribbean and Mexican waters in early 1914, she embarked refugees from Tuxpan, Mexico, in April and transported them to Louisiana. Later that year, Jason was once again involved in a humanitarian gesture as she sailed from New York 14 November, bearing Christmas gifts for the Mediterranean fleet and the people of Europe. The "Christmas Ship," as she was called, returned to Norfolk 15 March 1915.[2]
Ex-USS Jason in merchant service, 26 May 1943.
For the next two years Jason continued fueling operations, including one cruise to the West Coast March–June 1915. During the early months of the war she operated with the Atlantic Train, transporting coal, stores, and freight along the eastern United States. She continued these duties until 16 April 1918 when she arrived New York to load aviation materials for transportation to Inverness, Scotland. Upon her return to Hampton Roads 5 July, Jason was assigned to NOTS to transport coal along the East Coast.[2]
After the war the fuel ship made two cruises to Europe with coal and general cargo before being detached from NOTS 22 July 1919. Jason sailed from Norfolk 31 July to join the Pacific Train (having been reclassified AC12 on 17 July 1920). Six months later she returned to the East Coast and 21 September 1920 sailed with coal and stores for the ships in European waters. Upon returning to the United States, she loaded airplanes and artillery equipment and departed Philadelphia 24 January 1921 for Guam.[2]
Jason operated in the Pacific for two years performing fueling operations along the coast. During 1923 she cruised to Nicaragua, embarked Marines stationed there, and returned them to Norfolk. She arrived San Diego 5 May and resumed transport and fueling services until 1925. She also transported a load of Douglas DT-2 torpedo bomber floatplanes to Pearl Harbor during July 1923.[2]
Jason departed Pearl Harbor 2 May 1925 for service with the air squadron in the Far East as the official depot ship for the aircraft of the Asiatic Fleet, since the naval treaties forbade basing aircraft ashore in the Philippines. After arriving in the Philippines 25 May, she carried Marines to China to protect American interests. From 1925 to 1932 Jason operated in the Far East, engaging in transport duties and acting as a floating base supporting the Asiatic Fleet's air squadron. As an aside, the 1922 Washington Treaty and the associated Four-Power Treaty forbade the establishment of permanent air facilities ashore in the Philippines, and Jason was assigned to replace Ajax as the depot ship in the Philippines for American naval aviation in the islands, basing the six SC-2 (and the later T3M-2) seaplane torpedo bombers of VT-5A (originally established as VT-20)[6] and the six O2U-1 seaplane scouts of VS-8A (Asiatic Fleet detachments).
Peace in China was constantly jeopardized by warlike factions within and aggression from without. Jason and the other members of the Asiatic Fleet kept the situation in hand by making the presence of America's naval strength felt. Jason was reclassified as seplane tender AV-2 on 21 January 1930.[2] She returned to San Diego 13 May 1932, and was decommissioned at Bremerton Navy Yard 30 June 1932. Jason was struck from the Navy List 19 May 1936 and sold 29 July of that year.[2] Towed by the tug SS Roosevelt, built for Robert Peary′s polar explorations, she left Seattle on 31 October 1936 bound for New York City. This proved to be the last trip of the badly deteriorating Roosevelt which suffered from heavy seas and several failures. Another tugboat replaced it at Cristóbal on January 1937 and it was then beached and abandoned near the Old French Canal.[7]
Decommissioning and fate
Jason was then converted to a commercial bulk carrier and was scrapped in 1948.
Related Research Articles
USS New Orleans was a United States Navy protected cruiser of the New Orleans class.
USS Whipple, a Clemson-class destroyer was the second ship of the United States Navy named in honor of Captain Abraham Whipple (1733–1819), who served in the Continental Navy.
USS Chester (CL/CA-27), a Northampton-class cruiser, was the second ship of the United States Navy named after the city of Chester, Pennsylvania.
USS Rainbow (AS-7) was the only ship in the United States Navy by that name. The ship was originally converted to a distilling ship in 1898, and then converted again in 1917 to a submarine tender.
USS Kanawha (AO–1) was the lead ship of her class of replenishment oilers of the United States Navy. She was commissioned in 1915 and sunk on 8 April 1943 by Japanese aircraft off Tulagi, Solomon Islands.
USS Cuyama (AO-3) was a tanker of the United States Navy launched 17 June 1916 by Mare Island Navy Yard; sponsored by Miss M. Offley; and commissioned 2 April 1917, Lieutenant I. B. Smith, USNRF, in command.
USS John D. Ford (DD-228/AG-119) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Rear Admiral John Donaldson Ford.
USS Fox (DD-234/AG-85) was a Clemson-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was the fourth ship named for Gustavus Vasa Fox, Assistant Secretary of the Navy during the Civil War.
USS Noxubee (AOG-56) was a Patapsco-class gasoline tanker acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of transporting gasoline to warships in the fleet, and to remote Navy stations. She served in a commissioned status from 1945 to 1959, and 1965–1975. She was named for a river in Mississippi.
USS Kankakee (AO-39) was a Kennebec-class fleet oiler of the United States Navy. The ship was built as SS Colina by Bethlehem Steel Co., Sparrows Point, Maryland, launched on 24 January 1942, sponsored by Mrs. D. A. Little, acquired for the Navy on 31 March through the Maritime Commission from her owner, Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, New York City, and commissioned as Kankakee at Norfolk, Virginia, on 4 May.
USS Ajax (AC-14/AG-15) was a collier in the United States Navy. Originally she retained her previous name of Scindia, and was renamed for the mythical Ajax in 1901. In 1921, she became a receiving ship and was redesignated AC-14. She was reclassified as a seaplane tender and given the hull designator AG-15 in 1924.
USS Waccamaw (AO-109) was a Cimarron-class replenishment oiler in the United States Navy. She was named after Waccamaw River. The original capacity was 146,000 barrels (23,200 m3).
The second USS Mars (AC-6) was a collier of the United States Navy. The ship was laid down by the Maryland Steel Co., Sparrows Point, Maryland on 5 October 1908, launched on 10 April 1909, sponsored by Miss Juliana Keyser, and commissioned at Norfolk on 26 August 1909, Master A. B. Randall, Naval Auxiliary Service, in command. She was the sister of the USS Hector (AC-7).
The third USS Neptune (AC–8), a collier of the U.S. Navy, was laid down by the Maryland Steel Co., Sparrows Point, Md. 23 March 1910; launched 21 January 1911; and placed in service with a merchant crew at Norfolk Navy Yard 20 September 1911, Master F. E. Horton, Naval Auxiliary Service, in command.
USS Brutus, formerly the steamer Peter Jebsen, was a collier in the United States Navy. She was built in 1894 at South Shields-on-Tyne, England, by John Readhead & Sons and was acquired by the U.S. Navy early in 1898 from L. F. Chapman & Company. She was renamed Brutus and commissioned at the Mare Island Navy Yard on 27 May 1898, with Lieutenant Vincendon L. Cottman, commanding officer and Lieutenant Randolph H. Miner, executive officer.
USS Glacier (AF-4) was a Glacier-class stores ship acquired by the U.S. Navy for use in the Spanish–American War. She served again during World War I in the dangerous North Atlantic Ocean, delivering general goods and ammunition to American Expeditionary Force troops in Europe.
USS Stratford (AK-45/AP-41) was a Stratford-class transport commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering military personnel and equipment to ships and stations in the war zone.
USS Phobos (AK-129) was a Crater-class cargo ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
USS Beltrami (AK-162) was an Alamosa-class cargo ship commissioned by the U.S. Navy for service in World War II. She was responsible for delivering troops, goods and equipment to locations in the war zone.
USS Nero (AC–17), a steel steam collier, was built in 1895 as the steamer Whitgift by J.L. Thompson and Sons, Sunderland, England. The vessel was purchased on 30 June 1898 from McCondray and Co. at San Francisco and commissioned on 8 June 1898, Commander Charles Belknap in command.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
United States
