USS ''Procyon'' (AG–11) was an in the

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after

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. She later served as a training vessel for the Merchant Marine Academy as ''Empire State''. In 1940 the ship was returned to the

United States Maritime Commission The United States Maritime Commission was an independent executive agency of the U.S. federal government that was created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which was passed by Congress on June 29, 1936, and was abolished on May 24, 1950. The co ...

, was renamed ''American Pilot'', and sailed under the American flag during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. She was scrapped in 1948.

Service history

''Procyon'' was built in 1919 by the American International Shipbuilding Corp.,

Hog Island, Pennsylvania Hog Island is the historic name of an area southeast of Tinicum Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Tinicum Township, Pennsylvania, United States, along the Delaware River, to the west of the mouth of the Schuylkill River. Part of Philadelp ...

, and launched as the SS ''Shaume''; taken over by the Navy on 8 November 1921 from the

U.S. Shipping Board The United States Shipping Board (USSB) was a corporation established as an emergency agency by the Merchant Marine Act of 1916 (Alexander Act), 1916 Shipping Act (39 Stat. 729), on September 7, 1916. The United States Shipping Board's task was to ...

, under executive order of 29 October 1921; and commissioned on 30 November 1921. ''Procyon'' served as

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...

of Commander Fleet Base Force, U.S. Battle Fleet, until she was decommissioned on 1 April 1931. Inspected by the State Education Department of

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, she was found suitable for use as a Merchant Marine Academy training vessel; and, by request of Governor

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), also known as FDR, was the 32nd president of the United States, serving from 1933 until his death in 1945. He is the longest-serving U.S. president, and the only one to have served ...

, she was renamed ''Empire State'' (IX-38) and turned over to the state of New York on 15 July 1931. She served as a school ship for the Academy until 11 April 1940, when she was transferred to the

Maritime Commission The United States Maritime Commission was an independent executive agency of the U.S. federal government that was created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which was passed by Congress on June 29, 1936, and was abolished on May 24, 1950. The c ...

. The ship was renamed ''American Pilot'' and sailed under the American flag during

. In the third quarter of 1948, ''American Pilot'' was

scrapped Scrap consists of recyclable Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. This concept often includes the recovery of energy from waste materials. The recyclability of a material depends on i ...

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington is the List of municipalities in Delaware, most populous city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish colonization of the Americas, Swedish settlement in North America. It lie ...

References

External links

*
Photo: S.S. ''American Pilot'' (ex USS ''Procyon'' (AG-11))
Naval History & Heritage Command - Online Library of Selected Images {{DEFAULTSORT:Procyon (AG-11 Design 1022 ships Hog Islanders 1919 ships Antares-class cargo ships World War II merchant ships of the United States