AG Vulcan
Stettin, Germany

N/A

1901

1901

March 30, 1901

Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse

September 17, 1901

Scrapped in 1923 by Boston Iron & Metals Co.

663' 2"

2 four cylinder quadruple expansion by AG Vulcan

66' 1"

16 cylindrical type (coal fired)

28' 8"

2

14,908

33,000

21,300

22.5 knots

528 (see notes)

4

1,761

2

2

3.5"/30 (88mm)

single mounts

12,900 yards @ 45° (7.3 miles)
22 lb. HE shell

2 (a)

120mm

single mounts

N/A

1

machine gun

N/A

(a) Guns captured with no ammunition. They were used as warning guns by modifying
an 88mm shell.

8

5"/40 (127mm)

single mounts

16,000 yards @ 30° (9 miles)
50 lb. shell

2

3"/50 (76mm)

single mounts

14,600 yards @ 43° (8.2 miles)
AA ceiling 30,400'
13 lb. HE shell

4

1.5" (37mm)

single mounts

3,500 yards @ 11.4° (1.9 miles)
1 lb. HE shell

8

machine guns

Maiden voyage, Bremerhaven-Southampton-Cherbourg-New York.

Passenger service from Bremerhaven-Southampton-Cherbourg-New York.

Won Blue Riband (westbound) 5 days, 11 hrs. 57 min. 23.09 knots.
Taken from Deutschland and held until Sept. 8, 1903 when Deutschland
reclaimed the record.

Collided with HMS Wizard [torpedo boat] Wizard was pulled into the Kronprinz Wilhelm
by the hydrodynamic forces of the screws, Wizard was severely damaged while the
Kronprinz Wilhelm received only minor damage.

Hit iceberg at position 42.50N - 50.-31W 292 miles SSE of Cape Race, Newfoundland,
only 75 miles north of where the Titanic would sink 5 years later. KPW received only
minor damage and continued to port under her own power.

Tied up at the NDL pier in Hoboken, New Jersey when Germany declared war on Russia.

Departed New Jersey.

Commissioned as an auxiliary cruiser in Imperial German Navy.

Rendezvoused with the supply ship SS Walhalla off St. Miguel Island, Azores.

Rendezvoused with SS Asuncion near Cape San Roque, Brazil.

Operated off South America capturing and sinking 13 ships, capturing and releasing
one, and ramming one. (see record above)

Arrived at Newport News, Virginia ship and crew interned.

Moved to Philadelphia Naval Shipyard under escort of USS Minnesota BB-22
and USS Vermont BB-20.

Interned crew transferred from custody of Navy to the War dept. and sent
to Ft. McPherson, Georgia.

USA declares war on Germany and KPW is seized by USA.

President Woodrow Wilson signs executive order #2624 giving the ship to the Navy.
Converted into an auxiliary cruiser at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard.
(see armament details above)

Commissioned into US Navy at Philadelphia and renamed USS Von Steuben
Lt. Charles H. Bullock in command.

Under orders from the Office of the Chief of Navy Operations converted for
trooping duty. Conversion took place at Philadelphia Navy yard reclassified as ID# 3017.

Conversion completed and put to sea for trials.

First trooping voyage, New York to Brest, France.
1,223 troops and passengers were carried.

Collided with USS Agamemnon ID# 3004 (former Kaiser Wilhelm II) both ships lost men
overboard. Two of the 5" and one of the 3" guns were damaged, the ships bow was
damaged but she remained with convoy.

Arrived at Brest, France. Temporary repairs were made to the bow.

Departed Brest, France bound for Philadelphia.

40 miles off Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada when the Mount Blanc exploded in Halifax Harbor.
Von Steuben arrived in port about 14:30 landed officers and men to patrol the city and
aid in rescue efforts. She departed Dec. 10 for Philadelphia.

Arrived at Philadelphia.

Departed Newport News for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba with a contingent of US Marines .

Departed Guantanamo Bay for Canal Zone.

Entered drydock at Balboa, Panama and had damage to bow repaired.

Departed Balboa.

At Newport News, Virginia for replacement of guns damaged in the Nov. 9 collision.

Departed in convoy for Brest, France.

Arrived at Brest, France.

Departed Brest, France.

Believing they were being shadowed by U-Boat they opened fire. One shell exploded
upon leaving gun, 3 men struck by fragments, 1 died instantly 2 died later object was
not U-boat.

Arrived at Norfolk, Virginia.

Made 2 round trips to France.

On return leg of third voyage to France came upon 7 lifeboats from British
ship Dwinsk that had been sunk by U-151 earlier in the day. U-151 fired a torpedo at
Von Steuben but she avoided it successfully and depth charged the U-boat.
Did not pick up survivors because of threat of further attack and because the boats
appeared to be empty. This was because the Capt. of the Dwinsk had ordered everyone
to lay low in the boats to keep allied ships from being attacked by U-151 which was
using them as a decoy to lure ships to the area. Survivors were eventually rescued.

Arrived in New York.

Departed New York on 6th convoy bound for Brest, France.

En route to Brest a fire broke out on USS Henderson [transport #1] Von Steuben
embarked all of her over 2,000 troops Henderson returned safely to USA.

Arrived Brest, France.

Departed Brest, France.

Arrived New York.

Under repair.

3 round trips New York-France
Return leg of 1st voyage, lost 3 men overboard in hurricane.
First leg 2nd voyage influenza outbreak killed 34 dead and laid up 400.

Arrived at New York from 9th and last wartime voyage.

Entered drydock at Morse Drydock and Repair Co. Brooklyn, New York for repairs.
Repairs completed on Mar. 2, 1919.

Used to return troops from Europe.

Decommissioned from US Navy and turned over to the US Shipping Board.

Stricken from the Naval Vessel Register.

Renamed Baron Von Steuben by USSB.

Renamed Von Steuben.

Scrapped.

528 as built, 420 as aux. cruiser, 975 as troopship.

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