SS Ohioan

The SS Ohioan was a cargo ship built in 1914 by the Maryland Steel Company of Sparrows Point, Maryland, for the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company. She was one of eight sister ships built for the company to serve in the intercoastal trade between the United States East Coast and West Coast via the Panama Canal.

During World War I, the Ohioan was requisitioned by the United States Navy and commissioned as USS Ohioan (ID-3280) in 1918. She served as a transport ship, carrying troops and supplies to Europe. After the war, she was decommissioned and returned to the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company.

In World War II, the Ohioan was again requisitioned by the War Shipping Administration. She continued to operate as a cargo ship, supporting the war effort. She survived the war and was eventually sold and renamed. Her ultimate fate is not definitively known, but it is believed she was scrapped sometime after 1950.

The Ohioan represents a common type of merchant vessel that played a crucial role in global trade and wartime logistics in the early to mid-20th century. Her service in both World Wars highlights the importance of merchant shipping during periods of international conflict.