USS Artemis (ID-2187)

USS Artemis (ID-2187), also known as the USAT Artemis, was a German passenger liner seized by U.S. Customs at New York City at the start of American involvement in World War I. She served the U.S. Army as the transport USAT Artemis, and, at war’s end, she was transferred to the U.S. Navy as a transport for returning American troops and military equipment from Europe.

Constructed in Ireland

The second ship to be so named by the U.S. Navy, Artemis was originally built as the steel-hulled, twin-screw passenger steamship Iowa. Completed in 1902 at Belfast, Ireland, by Harland and Wolff, Ltd., Iowa was owned by the White Diamond Steamship Co., Ltd., and operated by George Warren and Co., of Liverpool, England, until acquired by the German Hamburg-America Line and renamed Bohemia in 1912.

Seized in New York by U.S. Customs

The outbreak of hostilities in Europe in the summer of 1914 stranded many German and Austrian ships -- Bohemia among them—in American ports. Because of her German registry, she was seized by American customs officials after the United States entered World War I in April 1917,

World War I service

Service with the U.S. Army

Bohemia was renamed Artemis, armed with a main battery of one 5-inch and one 3-inch gun, and placed in service as an Army transport. She served as USAT Artemis during World War I and for over three months after the war ended. Her battery was removed at Norfolk, Virginia, on 30 November 1918, and she completed her last voyage as an Army transport at New York City on 23 February 1919.

Bringing U.S. troops back home

Turned over to the Navy at Fletcher's Drydock in Hoboken, New Jersey, Artemis -- given the identification number (Id. No.) 2187 -- was commissioned there on 8 April 1919, Comdr. John P. Jackson in command. Assigned to the Cruiser and Transport Force, Artemis sailed for France on 25 April 1919, and reached St. Nazaire on 8 May. Sailing for Newport News, Virginia -- one of the four primary ports of debarkation for the Cruiser and Transport Force -- on the 11th, she arrived at her destination on 24 May. Shifting that same day to Norfolk, Virginia, she commenced her second transatlantic voyage cycle on 1 June. Besides her embarked returning doughboys, Artemis brought back a cargo of trucks to Newport News on her second voyage, arriving there on 26 June. Shifting to Norfolk the same day, the ship began her third round-trip voyage on 2 July, departing Norfolk for France. Arriving at St. Nazaire on 15 July, Artemis moved to Brest soon thereafter, and began the return trip from that port on 21 July.

Arriving at Norfolk on 3 August, via Newport News, the ship underwent voyage repairs at Norfolk from 6 to 9 August. She sailed thence for France on the latter day on her last voyage as a naval vessel, reaching St. Nazaire on 21 August. Sailing for the United States on 12 September, Artemis arrived at New York City on the morning of 23 September, mooring at pier 3, Army Base, Brooklyn, New York.

Decommissioning

Shifting to steamship pier 2, Army Base, on 8 October, Artemis was decommissioned on 18 October 1919. During her career as a Navy transport, she had brought home 11,760 troops. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 18 October 1919, and the ship was transferred to the United States Shipping Board (USSB) for disposition.

Subsequent maritime career

The USSB's fourth annual report, for the fiscal year ending 30 June 1920, lists Artemis as being transferred to the France and Canada Steamship Corp. to be operated by that company, but this may never have come to pass, since contemporary merchant vessel registers refer only to her USSB ownership. Likewise, lists of ships operated by the France and Canada Steamship Co. do not contain Artemis.

Laid up by 1923, Artemis remained inactive through the 1930's and into World War II, in the hands of the USSB and its successor, the United States Maritime Commission. Acquired by the British Ministry of War Transport in 1941, the ship was renamed Empire Bittern. She remained under the British flag until expended as a blockship off the Normandy beaches in June 1944.