USS ''Procyon'' (AG–11) was an in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

after

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. 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 (MARCOM) 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, 195 ...

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

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. 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, Pennsylvania along the Delaware River, to the west of the mouth of the Schuylkill River. Philadelphia International Airport now sits on the land that was once Hog Island. ...

, 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 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 ...

, under executive order of 29 October 1921; and commissioned on 30 November 1921. ''Procyon'' served as flagship of Commander Fleet Base Force, U.S. Battle Fleet, until she was decommissioned on 1 April 1931. Inspected by the State Education Department of New York, 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), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

, 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 (MARCOM) 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, 195 ...

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

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

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington (Lenape: ''Paxahakink /'' ''Pakehakink)'' is the largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish settlement in North America. It lies at the confluence of the Christina ...

References

External links

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