USS Pocahontas (ID-3044)

1919 as a U.S. troop transporter Pocahontas.

Pocahontas Bremen Karlsruhe

The Princess Irene was completed, the seventh ship of the Barbarossa class for the Reichspostdampfer service of the North German Lloyd ( NDL). She had ( like her sister ships) two smokestacks and two masts. As a combined passenger and cargo ship it was from 1923 as Bremen (III) and from 1928 as Karlsruhe ( II) in the service of the NDL.

Princess Irene

The construction of the 5.672 million gold marks expensive ship sailed from 1900 to 1917 under the name of Princess Irene of the North German Lloyd and made ​​her maiden voyage on September 9, 1900 in New York. On October 30, 1900, the Princess Irene began her first voyage of seven as Reichspostdampfer to East Asia as far as Yokohama. After the second series of comb- East Asia Barbarossa class to use: the 1899/1900 -down service in King Albert and Princess Irene of the NDL and the Hamburg and Jiaozhou Bay of Hapag, the 1899-1903 on Reichspostdampfer service participated in East Asia. In 1904 the Jiaozhou Bay as Princess Alice of the NDL in driving.

The Princess Irene was one of the twin-screw Salon mail steamer of the Norddeutscher Lloyd. These were for a luxurious, comfortable crossing that did not follow the speed of two to three days faster Atlantic liners of the NDL- "Four Schonstein Quartet ". The ships of the Barbarossa class drove almost all in the Mediterranean - USA - service and especially in the fall / winter as Reichspostdampfer to Australia or East Asia. As on all passenger ships of the Lloyd went on the Princess Irene with a licensed physician who provided all patients without remuneration. This regulation was prescribed in Reichspostdampfer Treaty. As of April 30, 1903 Princess Irene was first used in addition to the sister ship King Albert and the old Hohenzollern between Genoa and New York. The NDL was able to secure the largest share (24%) of the traffic with Italian Emigration with this new line immediately. The two original ships East Asia King Albert and Princess Irene were from 1903 to 1914, the main carrier of this line.

Three more of Barbarossa Steamer NDL were also occasionally used on this route, the Queen Louise for the first time on February 25, 1904 ( last on May 25, 1911), the Barbarossa first time on March 16, 1906 (18 trips to the 6th November 1913 ) and Frederick the Great the first time on March 22, 1907 (16 trips to 25 July 1912). To this was then on May 15, 1909 of the much larger Berlin.

On June 10, 1909, the Princess Irene hit the first ship to the UK, near the Azores stranded RMS Slavonia, which had fired the first SOS call of history, and saved 110 of the passengers. On 9 July 1914, the Princess Irene was last NDL- ship from Genoa to New York, where it remained.

Pocahontas

It was launched in New York 1914 1917 seized by U.S. Shipping Controller and drove until 1923 as USS Pocahontas under U.S. flag and transported American soldiers to France. The captain Edward C. Kalbfus was awarded the Navy Cross, because he kept the ship from sinking by the German submarine U 151 cruiser.

1920 chartered the United States Mail Steamship Company, the Pocahontas and she started her first voyage from New York to Italy on 26 February 1921. During the third voyage, the shipping company went into liquidation. The Pocahontas was at the time with a drive damage in Gibraltar. The NDL bought back the damaged ship in September 1922 and had her towed for repair to Germany.

Bremen ( III)

The repurchased ship was the only one of Barbarossa class after the World War in German service. It was renamed Bremen (III). The ship was substantially rebuilt. The cabins of the First and Second Class were transformed into a new middle class of 355 passengers and it was improved equipment of the 520 beds of the III. Class created. After the conversion, the Bremen had two quadruple - expansion steam engines with a power of 9000 hp and could reach a speed of 15 knots. The ship sailed from 7 April 1923 to 1928 the line Bremerhaven - New York.

Karlsruhe ( II)

The imminent deployment of the new Bremen ( IV), the ship was renamed Karlsruhe ( II) in January 1928, continues to be used in service to the United States. 1930 also Halifax and Boston were started. 1931 Made the Karlsruhe their first trip Bremerhaven Cuba Galveston (Texas ) and also travel to Mexico (most recently in August 1931). 1932 yet was followed by four Mediterranean cruises. On August 20, 1932 put the Karlsruhe (II ) from on her last trip in scheduled service in Galveston. 1933, the ship was scrapped in Bremerhaven.