USS SIBONEY

During the First World War, USS Siboney began her career as a passenger ship. The Navy acquired her and she became a part of the Cruiser and Transport Force. Her name originally was Oriente and became Siboney in February 1918. She made six transatlantic, roundtrip voyages from the U.S. to France carrying “Doughboys” to the European War Zone.

She rescued British sailors when their ship was torpedoed on her second trip. On her fourth voyage, an accidental explosion on board killed four crewmembers and injured many others. In October of 1918, 38 men died from the great flu epidemic while on her sixth trip.

Siboney was preparing to sail her seventh voyage to France when her plans changed. She carried a pretty small amount of Naval passengers and arrived in France just as the Armistice brought and end to the “Great War”. She carried many wounded back to the U.S. Between December 1918 and September 1919 she was able to carry approximately 3,000 passengers home.

She was decommissioned in September 1919 and given to the U.S. Army. She became the S.S. Siboney and carried mail for the New York and Cuba Mail Steamship Company between the Wars. She was again chartered by the Army in 1941. Her name was Army Transport Siboney and the Army Ship Charles. She was decommissioned in 1948 and scrapped in 1957.