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G. Randy Rothenberger
G. Randy Rothenberger
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Source 3
The Koln was a steel-hulled 7409 gross ton civilian passenger liner built during 1898 and 1899 at Geestemunde, Germany by J.C. Tecklenborg for
the North German Lloyd (Norddeutscher Lloyd) steamship line. Her length was 428.9 ft. and her beam was 54.3 ft. She had one funnel, two
masts, twin screws and a speed of 13 knots. There were accommodations for 120 second and 1,850 third class passengers.
Launched on July 24, 1899, she sailed from Bremen on her maiden voyage to Galveston on October 20, 1899. On December 21, 1899 she
commenced her first voyage from Bremen to Baltimore, and on the 4th of January 1902 her first run from Bremen to New York. Subsequently, she
ran from Bremen to Baltimore or Galveston, occasionally to or via New York. On September 7, 1910 she commenced her first run from Bremen to
Philadelphia, and on the 26th of April 1912, she started her first of two voyages from Hamburg to Quebec and Montreal.
On January 21, 1914, the Koln started sailing between Bremen, Boston and New Orleans. She started her last Bremen-Boston voyage on the 29th
of July 1914 and arrived in Boston on the 11th of August 1914. World War I broke out in 1914 and the Koln was interned by the United States
government.
When the United States entered the war on April 6, 1917, the Koln was seized and used as a troop transport, dubbed the Amphion, by the U.S.
Army to move its expeditionary forces to France. In October 1918, the Amphion had a running gunfire engagement with a German U-boat,
receiving shell damage and resulting in the deaths of two crewmen and six wounded, but was able to reach port and undergo lengthy repairs.
After the war, in the spring of 1919, the Amphion was transferred to the Navy's Cruiser Transport Force, given the identification number (ID No.)
1888 and commissioned USS Amphion on April 12, 1919 at Hoboken, N.J., Lt Comdr. David R. Fleming, USNR, in command. Between May 21st and
September 3rd, 1919, Amphion journeyed three times to France, twice to St. Nazaire and once to Brest, bringing home 6,410 American troops.
On September 27, 1919, the Amphion was decommissioned at Brooklyn, N.Y. and turned over to the United States Shipping Board (USSB) for
disposition; and her name was simultaneously striken from the Naval list. In January of 1924, she was sold by the USSB for scrapping.
the North German Lloyd (Norddeutscher Lloyd) steamship line. Her length was 428.9 ft. and her beam was 54.3 ft. She had one funnel, two
masts, twin screws and a speed of 13 knots. There were accommodations for 120 second and 1,850 third class passengers.
Launched on July 24, 1899, she sailed from Bremen on her maiden voyage to Galveston on October 20, 1899. On December 21, 1899 she
commenced her first voyage from Bremen to Baltimore, and on the 4th of January 1902 her first run from Bremen to New York. Subsequently, she
ran from Bremen to Baltimore or Galveston, occasionally to or via New York. On September 7, 1910 she commenced her first run from Bremen to
Philadelphia, and on the 26th of April 1912, she started her first of two voyages from Hamburg to Quebec and Montreal.
On January 21, 1914, the Koln started sailing between Bremen, Boston and New Orleans. She started her last Bremen-Boston voyage on the 29th
of July 1914 and arrived in Boston on the 11th of August 1914. World War I broke out in 1914 and the Koln was interned by the United States
government.
When the United States entered the war on April 6, 1917, the Koln was seized and used as a troop transport, dubbed the Amphion, by the U.S.
Army to move its expeditionary forces to France. In October 1918, the Amphion had a running gunfire engagement with a German U-boat,
receiving shell damage and resulting in the deaths of two crewmen and six wounded, but was able to reach port and undergo lengthy repairs.
After the war, in the spring of 1919, the Amphion was transferred to the Navy's Cruiser Transport Force, given the identification number (ID No.)
1888 and commissioned USS Amphion on April 12, 1919 at Hoboken, N.J., Lt Comdr. David R. Fleming, USNR, in command. Between May 21st and
September 3rd, 1919, Amphion journeyed three times to France, twice to St. Nazaire and once to Brest, bringing home 6,410 American troops.
On September 27, 1919, the Amphion was decommissioned at Brooklyn, N.Y. and turned over to the United States Shipping Board (USSB) for
disposition; and her name was simultaneously striken from the Naval list. In January of 1924, she was sold by the USSB for scrapping.
USS Amphion (Koln) in port with troops, circa 1919
U.S Army transport Amphion (Koln), circa 1917-18
