The USS Newport News (AK-3) was originally launched in 1903 in Germany as the cargo liner St. Jan. She measured approximately 371 feet 5 inches in overall length with a beam of 45 feet and a draft of 23 feet 6 inches. Her tonnage was 3,343 GRT, with a displacement of about 10,000 tons. She was powered by a three-cylinder triple-expansion engine rated at 480 NHP (about 2,400 indicated horsepower), which allowed her to reach a top speed of approximately 13 knots. Initially operated by the Dansk Vestindiske Kompagni, she was later acquired by Hamburg America Line (HAPAG) in 1907 and renamed Odenwald. As part of HAPAG’s fleet, she was equipped to burn oil by 1908 and served a route linking Hamburg with the Caribbean, particularly the Danish West Indies. Her service was interrupted by the outbreak of World War I when she sought refuge in Puerto Rico, leading to a diplomatic incident when she attempted to leave port in 1915. U.S. authorities prevented her departure, firing warning shots from the El Morro fort, which resulted in a confrontation with conflicting accounts of the firing. Following the U.S. entry into World War I and Germany’s declaration of unrestricted submarine warfare, Odenwald was seized in 1917. She was armed with four 3-inch guns and commissioned into the U.S. Navy as USS Newport News (AK-3) in July 1917. During her naval service, she conducted transatlantic transport missions, including voyages to Europe and the Near East, carrying military supplies, food, and clothing. She was equipped with wireless telegraphy, with the call sign DQS. Her service included three transatlantic round trips before being detached in 1919. After decommissioning in 1924, she was transferred to the United States Shipping Board and registered in New York. She was sold for scrap in 1925 but was purchased by the Alaska Packers’ Association, renamed Arctic, and registered in San Francisco. Her wireless call sign was WQCM by 1934. The vessel was ultimately scrapped in Japan in 1937, marking the end of her maritime career. Her service history highlights her transition from a commercial cargo vessel to a naval auxiliary during wartime, reflecting her maritime significance in early 20th-century naval and commercial operations.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.