SS ''Capillo'' was a Design 1022 cargo ship built for the

United States Shipping Board The United States Shipping Board (USSB) was established as an emergency agency by the 1916 Shipping Act (39 Stat. 729), on September 7, 1916. The United States Shipping Board's task was to increase the number of US ships supporting the World War ...

immediately after

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

History

She was laid down at yard number 1523 at the

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

shipyard of the

American International Shipbuilding Corporation American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the " United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, ...

, one of 110 Design 1022 cargo ships built for the

. She was completed in 1920 and named the SS ''Capillo''. In 1921, she was purchased by the Pioneer Steamship Company, Philadelphia. In 1922, she was returned to the United States Shipping Board. The Japanese commenced near simultaneous attacks against U.S. forces in the Philippines,

Guam Guam (; ch, Guåhan ) is an organized, unincorporated territory of the United States in the Micronesia subregion of the western Pacific Ocean. It is the westernmost point and territory of the United States (reckoned from the geographic ce ...

Wake Island Wake Island ( mh, Ānen Kio, translation=island of the Sida fallax, kio flower; also known as Wake Atoll) is a coral atoll in the western Pacific Ocean in the northeastern area of the Micronesia subregion, east of Guam, west of Honolulu, sou ...

, and Pearl Harbor; and against British and allied forces in Singapore and Hong Kong. On 8 December 1941, Japanese planes tasked with attacking shipping in

Manila Bay Manila Bay ( fil, Look ng Maynila) is a natural harbor that serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. Strategically located around the capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay facilitated commerce and trade between the Phi ...

, bombed and set her ablaze; she was then abandoned. On 11 December 1941, she was partially scuttled by a U.S. Army demolition party off

Corregidor Corregidor ( tl, Pulo ng Corregidor, ) is an island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in the southwestern part of Luzon in the Philippines, and is considered part of the Province of Cavite. Due to this location, Corregidor has historicall ...

. On 29 December 1941, Japanese planes from the Takao

Kokutai is a concept in the Japanese language translatable as "system of government", "sovereignty", "national identity, essence and character", "national polity; body politic; national entity; basis for the Emperor's sovereignty; Japanese constituti ...

and the 1st Kokutai bombed Corregidor for the first time, setting her hulk ablaze. The Philippine freighter ''Don Jose'' is also set on fire; the presidential yacht BRP ''

Banahaw Mount Banahaw (; also spelled as Banahao and Banájao) is an active complex volcano on Luzon in the Philippines. The three-peaked volcano is located at the boundary of Laguna and Quezon provinces. It is the highest mountain in both provinces an ...

'' (ex-''Casania'') is sunk; and the steamship ''Bicol'' and motor vessel ''Aloha'' are both scuttled. Six members of her crew were sent to Japanese POW camps.

References

Bibliography

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External links

EFC Design 1022: Illustrations
{{DEFAULTSORT:Capillo 1920 ships Ships built in Philadelphia Merchant ships of the United States Maritime incidents in December 1941 Design 1022 ships