USS Rijndam

The Rijndam was launched in 1901 and built by by Harland & Wolf Ltd., Belfast, Ireland, as a passenger liner for the Nederlandsche-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Mastschappij (Holland American Line), for the Rotterdam to New York service. She was 12,527 gross tons, 575 feet in length and 62 feet wide. She was coal powered steam triple expansion engines with twin screws. Her service speed was 15 knots. She carried 2,282 passengers with 286 first class, 196 second class and 1,800 third class.

On 25 May 1915, Rijndam was rammed by the Norwegian-flagged fruit steamer Joseph J. Cuneo about 10 nautical miles (19 km) south of the Nantucket Shoals. Responding to the SOS, U.S. Navy battleships Texas, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Michigan, rescued 230 passengers from the damaged liner. While the Rijndam was operating on the New York-Rotterdam route on January 18, 1916 she is damaged by a mine that was laid by the German U-boat UC-1 under the command of Oberleutnant zur See Egon Von Werner. This occoured just off the Elbow Buoy near the entrances to the Thames River Estuary. Rijndam is repaired and put back into service.

The Rijndam was on the way from New York to Rotterdam when Germany called the unlimited U-boat war on February 1, 1917. Returning to New York she was interned and seized (pursuant to the right of angary) in March, 1918 by U.S. Customs officials along with 88 other Dutch vessels, 31 of which entered U.S. Navy service. Rijndam was commissioned on May 1, 1918 at New York as a troopship, Commander John J. Hannigan in command. Converted to a troopship, Rijndam could carry nearly 3,200 soldiers.

She departed New York on May 10, 1918 in a 13 ship East bound convoy on the first of six voyages to Europe before war’s end. The other ships in the convoy were: Antigone, Kursk, Duca d' Aosta, Pastores, President Lincolin, Caserta, Lenape, Wilhelmina, Covington, Devinsk, Rijndam, and the Dante Alighieri. The American cruiser Frederick served as escort for the assembled ships, which were the 35th U.S. convoy of the war. On 20 May, the convoy sighted and fired on a "submarine" that turned out to be a bucket; the next day escort Frederick left the convoy after being relieved by 11 destroyers. Three days later the convoy sighted land at 06:30 and anchored at Brest that afternoon.

During the War period, she transported almost 18,000 troops to Europe, and after the Armistice, carried nearly 21,000 troops back from Europe. She landed troops and supplies at Brest on five occasions and once at St. Nazaire. Rijndam was nearly torpedoed on May 31, 1918, at the same time as the transport President Lincoln was sunk. Aboard the Rijndam a wireless operator had witnessed the torpedoing of the President Lincoln, the wireless operator took a picture and then sending an S. O. S. message stating she had been hit. Avoiding the torpedo attack, Rijndam nearly rammed the German U-boat cruising at periscope depth. Following the Armistice, Rijndam made seven round trip voyages between Quiberon, St. Nazaire, and Brest transporting AEF servicemen back home.

On her next transport voyage, Rijndam left New York on 15 June with Kroonland, Finland, DeKalb, George Washington, Covington, the Italian steamer Dante Alighieri, and British steamer Vauban and met up with the Newport News portion of the convoy, which included Lenape, Wilhelmina, Princess Matoika, Pastores, and British troopship Czar, the next morning and set out for France. The convoy was escorted by cruisers North Carolina and Frederick, and destroyers Stevens and Fairfax; battleship Texas and several other destroyers joined in escort duties for the group for a time. The convoy had a false alarm when a floating barrel was mistaken for submarine, but otherwise uneventfully arrived at Brest on the afternoon of 27 June.

On July 1, 1918 the Rijndam was sailing in a convoy when the USS Covington was torpedoed and sunk the next day. The transports in this convoy were Dekalb, Covington, George Washington, Rijndam, Lenape, Dante Aleghieri, Princess Matoika and Wilhelmina. The escorting destroyers were Little, Conner, Cummings, Porter, Jarvis, Smith and Reid.

Rijndam made seven round-trip voyages from Quiberon, Saint-Nazaire, and Brest, France, following the end of World War I, returning U.S. troops and personnel to Newport News, Virginia; Norfolk, Virginia; Hoboken, New Jersey; and New York.

The 61st Field Artillery Brigade, the 111th Ammunition Train, less that detachment with the main body of the 36th division, and the 111th Trench Mortar Battery had left Coetquidan in the latter part of February, 1919, and had been "dipped" for cooties at St. Nazaire where they were loaded aboard the Rijndam, the Aeolus, Kroonland, De Kalb, and the Arcadia for what, except for seasickness, proved to be an uneventful voyage to America. At least one coal-burner, the Aeolus, which carried some 1,400 men of Colonel Birkhead’s 131st Artillery Regiment, stopped by the Azores for coal and water.

The 114th MG BN embarked for the States on the Rijndam at 9:00 a.m. on March 9 and after squally weather, rough seas and seasickness, landed at Newport News, VA at 8 O'clock in the morning on March 20, 1919. On 13 April 1919 the Rijndam was reported as being in St. Nazaire, France. In March 1919, Rijndam and Princess Matoika raced each other from Saint-Nazaire to Newport News in a friendly competition that received national press coverage in the United States. Rijndam, the slower ship, was just able to edge out the Matoika, and cut two days from her previous fastest crossing time, by appealing to the honor of the soldiers of the 133rd Field Artillery returning home aboard her and employing them as extra stokers for her boilers.

On 15 May 1919 the 88th Division (less Artillery) with the Engineers moved to the port at St. Nazaire, France, where on Monday, 19 May 1919, the entire Second Battalion together with other elements of the 88th Division embarks on the Rijndam bound for Newport News, Virginia.

Rijndam carried over 3,000 passengers on many of her 26 trips across the Atlantic and completed her service upon arrival in New York from Brest on August 4, 1919. She was transferred from the Cruiser and Transport Force on August 11, 1919 to the 3rd Naval District. Rijndam was decommissioned and returned to her former owner on October 22, 1919 at New York. Rijndam returned to her mercantile career under the Dutch flag, remaining active back on the Rotterdam to New York service until she was scrapped in Holland in 1929.

The above post card shows the Dutch liner Rijndam after she collided with a cargo ship Cuneo off the east coast of the U.S. on May 25, 1915. The USS Texas (BB-35) assisted the Rijndam to a safe return to port.

Seaman 2c, Mc Henry Wood, USNRF

Mc Henry Wood was a Seaman Second Class and was stationed on the USS Rijndam during WWI. Mc Henry's daughter, Maxine Cox shared this story and photo of her father. Mc Henry's Discharge from the USS Rijndam dated 2 May 1919, Norfolk, Virginia, reads as follows. From: Commanding Officer To: McH. Wood, S2c, USNRF Subject: Release from Active Duty in the U.S. Naval Reserve Force. Reference: (a) Bureau of Navigation Circular Letter No. 3-19 of 5 January 1919. (b) ALNAV 85. 1. You are hereby relieved from all duty you may be performing on board the USS Rijndam and will proceed immediately to your home and reguard yourself relieved from active duty in accordance with reference (a) subject to recall in case of future national emergency. 2. Your latest address on record to date is Oakville, KY. Keep the Commandant of the 9th, 10th and 11th Naval District informed of any change therein. 3. A statement of your account and transportation is handed you herewith. It was signed by Howell the commander of the Rijndam and Pay Clerk G. H. Upton and stamped by Lt. jg F. M. Conrad, Pay Corps, USN. Seaman 2c, Mc Henry Wood was paid $60 gratuity and sent home.

Electricians Mate Charles W. Burton

Charles W. Burton served aboard the Rijndam as an electrician from June 17, 1917 to February 13, 1919. According to John Burton who is the grandson of Charles W. Burton, he recounted that his grandfather had a rich and adventurist life. When Charles Burton was 12-years old he lived with the Indians in Ontario, Canada as his father studied their music. Charles was given an Indian name for being able to row a boat so well. Charles and his father along with 40 Indians toured Europe putting on exhibits and went to school in London during that time. Charles joined the navy during WWI and after returning to civilian life worked in Boston for the WEEI radio station in the 1920's as station manager. The photo at the left was provided by John Burton, the grandson of Charles W Burton. John relates of the picture, "...the picture is of a group of sailors from the Rijndam and "Charlie" is wearing the white cap."