Outboard Profiles of Maritime Commission  Vessels

The Passenger Ships & Troop Transports

All Drawings by Karsten-Kunibert Krueger-Kopiske 2007 

Design: P1-S2-L2	Consolidated Steel Corp., Wilmington, California
(Amphibious Attack Transport)	MC-181 and 182 (2 built / Turbine) USS DOYEN AP-2/APA-1, USS FELAND AP-18/APA-11
The two ships of the US Navy's DOYEN class were small fast transports built by the Consolidated Steel Corporation at Los Angeles under Maritime Commission contracts. Given the names of Marine Corps Generals, the DOYEN and the FELAND formed part of the Navy's 1 940 Fiscal Year programme. They were laid down as transports with the intended designations of AP 2 and AP 18, respectively, each being designed to carry a battalion of the Marine Expeditionary Force which was maintained on both coasts of the USA in peacetime. Subsequently the ships were reclassed as Attack Transports and given the customary APA designation. The outline of these two vessels was somewhat unusual, for they had two funnels of differing heights and two masts set close together — both on the midship structure, one forward and one aft — the latter being of the tripod type. The main deck was cut away at quarterdeck level and they were fitted aft with a ramp for the launching of small landing craft or for the unloading of tanks and heavy equipment. A number of landing craft were carried, these being nested amidships in special davits. Propulsion machinery was twin geared turbines of 8,800 shp, driving twin screws and giving a speed of 19 knots.

Design: P2-S1-DN3	New York Shipbuilding Corp., Camden, New Jersey
(Troop Transport)	MC-2914 to 2916 (3 built) / Barrett T-AP-196, Geiger T-AP-197, Upshur T-AP-198
Planned for APL's round-the-world service, the originally designation was P2-S1-DN1. Laiddown and launched as PRESIDENT JACKSON (III), PRESIDENT ADAMS (III) and PRESIDENT HAYES (III). All vessels were requisitioned by the U.S.Navy after outbreak of the Korean War and completed as Troop Transports for service by the newly foundered Military Sea Transportation Service. Transferred to Marad between 1971 and 1973 and laid up. All three vessels were removed from Reserve Fleet, reconverted and modified for service as Training ships for the Maine (STATE OF MAINE), Massachussetts (BAY STATE) and New York Maritime Academy (EMPIRE STATE V).

Design: P2-S2-R2	Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Kearny, New Jersey
(Troop Transport)	MC-668 to 677 and 2080 (11 built) / General John Pope AP-110, General A.E.Anderson AP-111, General William A.Mann AP-112, General Henry W.Butner AP-113, General William Mitchell AP-114, General George M.Randall AP-115, General M.C.Meigs AP-116, General W.H.Gordon AP-117, General W.P.Richardson AP-118, General General William Weigel AP-119, General J.C.Breckinridge AP-176

Design: P2-SE2-R1	Bethlehem-Alameda SY's Inc., Alameda, California
(Troop Transport)	MC-678 to 685 (8 Built)
The P2-SE2-R1 was a turbo-electric, twin-screw vessel built as transport for about 5,000 troops and were originally named after Admirals. After WWII transferred to the Army Transportation Corps and renamed. With the introduction of the Military Sea Transportation Service (M.S.T.S.) in 1950 transferred to this new service, and operate as troop transport between East Coast and Europe and West Coast to East Asia (drawing shows USNS General NELSON M.WALKER T-AP-125, ex- USS Admiral H.T.Mayo AP-125).

A different look after modifications was the P2-SE2-R1 USNS GENERAL MAURICE M.ROSE T-AP-126 (ex- Admiral Hugh Rodman AP-125). Operate also for the Military Sea Transportation Service, after the vessel was taken over from the Army Transport Corps in March 1950.

Design: P2-SE2-R3	Bethlehem-Alameda SY's Inc., Alameda, California
(Passenger)	MC-686 to 687 (2 Built) / President Cleveland, President Wilson
Originally intended as P2-SE2-R1 troop transport, work on these ships ceased and vessel modified to R3 standard for civil use. Completed between December 1947 and April 1948 both ships operates by American President Lines as PRESIDENT CLEVELAND and PRESIDENT WILSON between West Coast and East Asia. Sold by American President Lines in 1954, they served through April 1973 when they sold and tramsferred to Panamanian Flag and Registry.

Design: P3-S2-DL2	Bethlehem Steel Co., Shipbuilding Division, Quincy, Massachussetts
(Passenger)	MC-2912 and 2913 (2 Built) / Independence , Constitution

Design: P4-S2	Newport News SB & DD Co., Newport News, Virginia
(Passenger)	MC-1 America
SS AMERICA symbolized the resurrection of the American Merchant Marine. As No.1 of the vessels ordered by the Maritime Commission in 1938, the twin-screw passenger liner was up to 1952 when SS UNITED STATES entered service the largest U.S.Merchant Vessel. Unlike her european competitors the AMERICA was not fixed to win the Blue Ribbon. Gibbs and Cox who developed her together with the Commission and United States Lines had a total different philosophy for this ship: an luxury, american-style ship, with the best America had to offer. Planned for the run between U.S.and Europe, the outbreak of WWII stopped all this plans. Served for several months as cruiseship between East Coast and the Caribbean, also had one trip to the West Coast (trough Panama Canal). Aquired and bought by Navy in 1941, she served during WWII as Troop Transport USS WEST POINT AP-23. After WWII bought back by Commission and reconditioned as Passenger Vessel, she started in November 1946 regular service between U.S.and Europe by United States Lines.

Design: P6-S4-DS1	Newport News SB & DD Co., Newport News, Virginia
(Passenger)	MC-2917 United States
The crown of the Maritime Commission Shipbuilding, the SS UNITED STATES represents the most advanced passenger vessel of this time. On her maiden voyage, she won the Blue Ribbon, with an average speed of over 36 knots for the eastbound run, and still over 35 knot for the westbound run. Equipped with the machinery from the cancelled Battleship ILLINOIS BB-65, she was capable to run +40 knots (info from an old Coastie who served at this time at a Radar Installation, when UNITED STATES made her trials).