SS Kroonland

SS Kroonland, painted in 1903 by Antonio Jacobsen (1850–1921)
History
Name:	SS Kroonland
Owner:	International Mercantile Marine
Operator:	1902–1914: Red Star Line 1914–1915: American Line 1915: Panama Pacific Line 1915–1917: American Line
Port of registry:	1902–1908: New York 1908–1911: Antwerp 1911–1918: New York
Route:	1902–1914: New York – Antwerp 1914–1915: New York – Liverpool 1915: New York – Panama – San Francisco 1915–1917: New York – Liverpool
Builder:	William Cramp & Sons Philadelphia
Launched:	20 February 1902
Sponsored by:	Mrs. Rodman Griscom
Fate:	Chartered to USA
History
United States
Name:	USS Kroonland (ID-1541)
Acquired:	22 April 1918
Commissioned:	22 April 1918
Decommissioned:	1 October 1919
Struck:	1 October 1919
Fate:	returned to International Mercantile Marine
Name:	SS Kroonland
Acquired:	returned by USSB, 1 October 1919
Owner:	International Mercantile Marine
Operator:	1920–1923: Red Star Line 1923: American Line 1923–1925: Panama Pacific Line 1925–1926: American Line
Port of registry:	New York
Route:	1920–1923: New York – Antwerp 1923: New York – Hamburg 1923–1925: New York – Panama – San Francisco 1925–1926: New York – Miami
Fate:	Scrapped
General characteristics (as built)
Tonnage:	12,760 GRT
Length:	560 ft (170.7 m) pp 580 ft (176.8 m) oa
Beam:	60 ft (18.3 m)
Depth:	42 ft (12.8 m) molded depth
Propulsion:	2 × triple-expansion steam engines 10,200 hp (7,600 kW) twin screw propellers
Speed:	17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph)
Capacity:	Passengers: 342 first-class 194 second-class 626 third-class Cargo:11,000 long tons (11,000 t)
Crew:	257
Notes:	Sister ship of Finland; Near sister ship of Vaderland, Zeeland
General characteristics (as USS Kroonland)
Displacement:	22,000 long tons (22,000 t)
Draft:	31 ft 1 in (9.47 m)
Speed:	16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph)
Troops:	3,300 3,800 after Armistice
Complement:	414
Armament:	4 × 4-inch (100 mm) guns 2 × 1-pounder gun 2 × Lewis machine guns
General characteristics (postwar civilian service)
Tonnage:	12,241 GRT
Capacity:	Passengers, 1919: 242 first-class 310 second-class 876 third-class Passengers, 1925: 500 first-class

SS Kroonland was an ocean liner for International Mercantile Marine (IMM) from her launch in 1902 until scrapped in 1927. Kroonland was the sister ship of Finland and a near sister ship of Vaderland and Zeeland of the same company. Kroonland sailed for IMM's Red Star Line for 15 years, and also sailed for IMM's American Line and Panama Pacific Line. During World War I, the ship served as United States Army transport USAT Kroonland through April 1918, and as the Navy auxiliary USS Kroonland (ID-1541) from April 1918 to October 1919.

Announced by the Red Star Line in 1899, Kroonland was completed in 1902 by William Cramp and Sons of Philadelphia. When launched, she was the largest U.S. steamship ever built. Kroonland sailed from New York City to Antwerp on her maiden voyage in June 1902, beginning service on the route she would sail for the next twelve years. According to The New York Times, Kroonland became the first ship to issue a wireless distress call at sea when she radioed for help during a storm in 1903. In another radio first, Kroonland heard the "first real broadcast of history" in December 1906.Kroonland was one of ten ships that came to the aid of the burning liner Volturno in the mid-Atlantic in October 1913. Despite stormy seas, Kroonland was able to take aboard 89 survivors, for which captain and crew received accolades that included U.S. Congressional Gold Medals.