USS Howell Cobb was a United States Navy transport ship in commission during the final months of World War I. The vessel was originally constructed as a commercial passenger‑and‑cargo steamer and was acquired by the Navy for wartime service.
Construction and commercial service
- Built: 1900 by William Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
- Type: Steam‑powered passenger and cargo liner.
- Original owner: Commercial operators on routes along the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic seaboard.
- Naming: Named after Howell Cobb (1815–1868), a prominent Georgia politician who served as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Governor of Georgia, and Secretary of the Treasury.
Naval acquisition and World War I service
- Acquired by the U.S. Navy: 1918, assigned Identification Number (Id. No.) 1319.
- Commissioned: 23 April 1918 as USS Howell Cobb (ID‑1319).
- Role: Operated as a transport ship, carrying troops, equipment, and supplies between United States ports and European destinations, primarily supporting the American Expeditionary Forces in France.
- Service period: 1918–1919.
- Decommissioned: 30 April 1919 and returned to the U.S. Shipping Board for civilian use.
Post‑war civilian career
After decommissioning, the vessel resumed commercial operations under the name SS Howell Cobb. She continued to serve in passenger and cargo service on Gulf and Atlantic routes until being withdrawn from active service in the early 1930s and subsequently scrapped.
Technical specifications (as built)
- Length: Approximately 350 feet (≈ 107 m).
- Beam: Approximately 45 feet (≈ 14 m).
- Propulsion: Coal‑fired triple‑expansion steam engine, driving a single screw.
- Speed: 12–13 knots.
- Capacity: Designed to accommodate several hundred passengers and a substantial cargo load; specific troop‑transport capacity during naval service not publicly documented.
Historical significance
USS Howell Cobb exemplified the U.S. Navy’s practice during World War I of requisitioning existing commercial vessels for auxiliary purposes, thereby expanding the transport fleet rapidly without constructing new warships. Her brief naval career contributed to the logistical effort that enabled the deployment of American forces to the European theater.
References
- Naval History and Heritage Command, “Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS) – Howell Cobb (ID‑1319).”
- Shipbuilding records of William Cramp & Sons, 1900.
No further operational history is recorded beyond her decommissioning and return to civilian service.
