USS Kerwood (ID-1489) was a cargo ship that served in the United States Navy from 1918-1919.

History
United States
NameUSS Kerwood
NamesakePrevious name retained
BuilderRichardson, Duck and Company, Thornaby-on-Tees, England
Yard number616[1]
Launched28 February 1911[1]
Completed1911
Acquired5 November 1918
Commissioned5 November 1918
Decommissioned19 March 1919
FateTransferred to United States Shipping Board for simultaneous return to owner, 19 March 1919
Notes
  • Served as merchant ship Budapest and Kerwood 1911-1918 and as Kerwood in 1919
  • Mined, 12 December 1919[2]
General characteristics
TypeCargo ship
Tonnage
Displacement3,651 long tons (3,710 t)
Length331 ft (101 m)
Beam48 ft 4 in (14.73 m)
Draft21 ft 4 in (6.50 m)
Installed powersteam
Propulsionscrew
Speed10 kn (19 km/h)
Complement52
Armamenttwo 3 in (76 mm) guns

Kerwood was built as the merchant ship SS Budapest at Thornaby-on-Tees, England, by Richardson, Duck and Company.[1] She was later renamed SS Kerwood. The U.S. Navy acquired Kerwood for World War I service on 5 November 1918, assigned her the naval registry Identification Number (Id. No.) 1489, and commissioned her the same day as USS Kerwood.

Assigned to the Naval Overseas Transportation Service, Kerwood commenced coaling runs from Cardiff, Wales, to French ports. She continued these operations until 28 December 1918, when she arrived at Bordeaux, France with 1,000 tons of United States Army stores. From Bordeaux, she proceeded to Cardiff before departing for the U.S. on 29 January 1919. She arrived at Norfolk, Virginia on 27 February.

Kerwood was decommissioned on 19 March and transferred to the United States Shipping Board for simultaneous return to her owner.

Once again SS Kerwood, the ship returned to commercial service. On 12 December 1919, with 40 troops on board, she struck a naval mine laid during World War I[2] and sank 20 nmi (37 km) north of Terschelling Island, in the Frisian Islands on the northern coast of the Netherlands. The transport Edilyn arrived in New York Harbor on 1 January 1920 with 25 members of the Kerwood crew aboard.[3]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c "Budapest". Teesbuiltships. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  2. ^ a b NavSource Online (at http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/171489.htm)
  3. ^ United Press, “Transport Brings Home Crew Of Wrecked Steamer,” Riverside Daily Press, Riverside, California, Thursday evening 1 January 1920, Volume XXXV, Number 1, page 1.

References

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53°31′57″N 04°44′20″E / 53.53250°N 4.73889°E / 53.53250; 4.73889