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USS Leviathan started to bring American war veterans home. She made
nine round-trip voyages for this purpose, completing the
last in September 1919. Late in October, USS Leviathan
was decommissioned and turned over to the U.S. Shipping
Board.
The U.S. Shipping Board turned her over to the United
States Lines to operate for them. She later became the
U.S. Flag ocean liner S.S. Leviathan. The great ship was
scrapped in 1938. United States Lines employed her in
transatlantic passenger service until 10 December 1937
when she was sold for scrapping to a British firm. She was
broken up at Rosyth, Scotland, 6 June 1938.
“LEVIATHAN”
S.S. Vaterland was a 54,282 gross ton passenger liner, Adele M. Marshall
built at Hamburg, Germany, as the second of a trio of
very large ships for the Hamburg-America Line’s trans- Leviathan, thou noble ship,
Atlantic route. When completed in the spring of 1914, she Thou mighty monarch of the seas,
was the World’s largest ship. Vaterland held this honor May thy stalwart form and mighty force
until 1922. War’s desolating horrors ease.
We view the grandeur of thy bulk,
She was seized at Hoboken, N.J., by the U.S. Shipping And gaze with wonder and with awe
Board when the United States entered World War I, 6 At thy great magnitude and might
April 1917; turned over to the custody of the U.S. Navy Which surpass visions we foresaw.
As now in peaceful anchor held,
in June 1917, under the command of Captain J. W. Oman. The waves caress thy sturdy bow:
In early September, she was redesignated USS Leviathan The ocean flirts and beckons thee
SP-1326 by President Woodrow Wilson. The Leviathan To sail away, away—and now
was an appropriate name considering that she was then She lures thee with her shining crest,
the largest ship in the U.S. Navy and the World. The But couldst thou see beneath the wave
Navy would not operate a bigger ship until 1945 when The yawning jaws of cavern greed
the slightly longer and heavier aircraft carrier Midway From which a God alone can save.
entered service. She’ll lure thee out into her midst,
Then tantalize with storm and gale,
On Dec. 14, 1917, the 163rd Montana Infantry regiment But these mere trifles bring no fear
As ever on you sail.
sailed from Hoboken, N.J., onboard the “Leviathan.” But deep within her somber soul
There lie devices born of hate,
In traitorous hearts and crafty minds
Hell’s strategies they propagate.
And will these mechanisms harm?
Will bomb or shot e’er rend thy bark?
Will cries of horrors fill the air
As dangers peer from ocean dark?
There is but One who knows thy fate;
Within the hollow of His hand
Thy safety lies. You can but wait
And place thy trust in Beulah Land.
We trust thee, ship, we give our sons
The Leviathan reported for duty with the Cruiser and By thousands. Will they fill thy halls?
Transport Force. The Leviathan began regular passages Oh bring them safe across the wave
between the U.S. and Brest, France, delivering up to Despite the whirlpool, storms and squalls.
14,000 persons on each trip she was painted in the British- The prayers and sobs from broken hearts
type “dazzle” camouflage scheme that she carried for the Will follow as thy course is run.
rest of the war. This prayer eternal, to heaven will rise—
“Thy will, not mine, Oh, God, be done.”
Captain Oman successfully avoided submarine patrols, Leviathan, thou ship of state,
Sail on, sail on victorious.
despite the vessel’s huge size, and managed to deliver Crush thou the tools of hate,
nearly 120,000 servicemen to the combat zone before the Come back with honors glorious
November 1918 Armistice brought the fighting to an end. And bring with thee eternal peace.
For these efforts, Oman was awarded the Navy Cross and Peace with honor, without stain,
promoted to Rear Admiral in 1918. Shortly afterwards And wear the crown “LEVIATHAN,”
Leviathan was repainted grey overall by December 1918, Queen of the ocean’s vast domain
Montana Freemason Page 37 April/May 2020 Volume 96 No.3