USS Surveyor
(Str: dp.1,143; l. 186'; b. 34'; dr. 12'; s. 13.3 k.; cpl. 85; a. 2 3', 2mg.)
Surveyor, a steamer, was built in 1917 by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Co., Manitowoc, Wisc., for the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey.
Surveyor was transferred to the Navy on 24 September 1917 and commissioned on 22 October 1917. On 9 November, she was ordered to report to Squadron Two, Patrol Force, based at Gibraltar. She served overseas from 5 February through the end of World War I. After the Armistice, she returned to the Univer States; and her armament was removed in January 1919. Surveyor was struck from the Navy list and returned to the Department of Commerce on 31 March 1919 to resume operations for the Coast and Geodetic Survey.
Diary of Casimir Herman Schulz
USS Surveyor
November 1917 through December 1918
November 1917
2 - Sworn in at Okla City
3 - Left for Norfolk, Va.
4 - 9 a.m. till 12 n. in St. Louis
5 - Arrived in Norfolk. Reported in at 11 p.m.
7 - Took first prophylactic shot
14 - Took second shot
16 - Transfered to Surveyor
17 - Made a list of stores needed.
18 - Went ashore in Norfolk.
20 - Went into dry dock.
24 - Left dry dock.
January 1918
8 - Left Norfolk for Bermuda ( 9 a.m.) accompanied by tug Montank towing French sub-chaser #173.
9 - Tug broke down and sub-chaser broke loose from tug at 1 a.m.
We picked up S.C. [sub-chaser] at daybreak and took her in tow. Rough weather.
10 - Rough weather
11 - Rough weather
12 - Rough weather
13 - Calmed down a little. Signted Bermuda at 3 p.m.. Sub-chaser anchored off shore and we went back after tug.
14 - Dropped anchor in Bermuda. Went ashore 5:30 to 11 p.m.
24 - Left Bermuda at 12:30 p.m. accompanied by tug and sub-chaser
26 - Sub-chaser broke loose from tug but was soon picked up.
February 1918
4 - Arrived at Ponta Delgado, Azores, Is. 4:20 p.m.
5 - Went ashore on liberty.
6 - Went ashore on patrol
7 - Left Azores convoying Portugese ship toward Lisbon.
9 - Left Portugese ship and put back toward Azores at 3:30 a.m.
11 - Arrived at Ponta Delgado at 2:30 p.m.
14 - Took exam for chief
15 - Left Ponta Delgado at 11:30 a.m. accompanied by L3 and L9.
April 1918
1 - Fired on by passing man-of-war. 12:10 a.m.
5 - Arrived at Gibralter 9:15 p.m.
15 - Left Gibralter with 14 merchant ships and other man-of-war. 12:00 noon
21 - Arrived in Genoa. Ashore on patrol. Disturbance aboard ship on account of Liberty 6 men jumped ship.
22 - Left Genoa convoying 14 ships and 6 m-o-war.
Captain held mast 3 G.C.M's. [general court marshalls] 3 summaries? [hard to read].
27 - Arrived in Gibraltar
May 1918
5 - Left Gibralter with 18 merchant ships.
9 - Arrived at Bizerta. Went ashore.
10 - Left Bizerta with 7 merchant and 6 man-of-war. Trawler sighted sub. at about 6:30 p.m. got away.
Norwegian merchant man showed lights at 3 times during night.
One ship was torpedoed at 3:42 a.m. sunk in 24 minutes. No signs of sub. 7:30 a.m. General Quarters.
Wheeling fired at something. 7:40 Dirigible came out from African coast.
15 - Arrived in Gibralter 8:00 a.m.
16 - Left Gibralter. 12 M.S. [Merchant Ships?], Wheeling, Venetia
17 - Large M.S. torpedoed at 7:10 p.m. but did not sink. Venetia and two trawlers stood by her.
While waiting for sub to put in apperance convoy went on ahead.
When we came up towards convoy another ship torpedoed sinking almost immediately
passed over several survivors but left them for sub-chasers to pick up.
11:15 another ship torpedoed but did not sink.
........ dropped two depth charges one crippled submarine and she had to put into Spanish port.
Convoy scattered. S.O.S. received from ship belonging to convoy but not near us. Is believed she sank.
Not able to pick up another ship by radio (1 sunk, two crippled, 2 missing) one crippled sank while going in Oran.
18 - Four ships with us at 4 a.m. Another came up shortly after.
Two ships bound for Oran had left convoy during night.
Two aeroplanes (French) came out about 7 a.m. and flew around convoy a couple times and went back in.
Wheeling and trawler came up this a.m.
Two more aeroplanes came out about noon for a short while.
20 - 1:10 a.m. General quarters. False alarm. Ran into stanchion and hurt my knee.
21 - Arrived in Bizerta. Went ashore at 4:30 and went to Tunis left B. at 8 p.m. and arrived in Tunis at 9:50 p.m.
Left T at 5:30 p.m. and arrived at B at 7: a.m.
22 - Left Bizerta at 10:30 a.m. 9 merchant ships, Wheeling, Venetia - French trawler, French chaser and us.
25 - Struck Spanish coast at Cartagena. Followed it on in to Gib. [Gibralter].
26 - Arrived at Gibralter 5:30 p.m.
June 1918
2 - Left Gibralter with 11 ships also Machias & Lydonia + 3 trawlers
3 - 2 m.s's put into Oran.
6 - Arrived at Bizerta
7 - Left Bizerta 8 (M) ships, Machias, Lydonia and us.
8 - Passed convoy of 5 transports and eight destroyers at 4:15 a.m.
11 - Arrived at Gibralter. Dropped 4 ships at diffent ports on the way
18 - Left Gibraltar with 16 m.s. 9:45 a.m.
19 - One ship dropped out at Oran
24 - Arrived at Genoa.
25 - Left Genoa with 18 m.s.
July 1918
1 - Arrived at Gib.
8 - Left Gib. 11 M.S.
12 - Arrived at Bizerta
13 - Left Bizerta 5 m's.
17 - Arrived at Gib.
24 - Left Gib. with 19 m's.
27 - Very Rough weather convoy scattered
28 - Ditto. Calmed down late in afternoon.
29 - Seaplane coming out of Genoa to meet us had engine trouble and broke off one pontoon
alighting we towed him part way in. Arrived at 2:30 G.M.T.
31 - Left Genoa at 9:30 a.m. G.M.T. 15 m's.
August 1918
5 - Arrived at Gib.
13 - Left Gib., 21 m's.
19 - Arrived at Genoa
20 - Left Genoa 20 m.s.
25 - Arrived at Gib.
29 - Left Gib. alone
31 - Arrived Lisbon
September 1918
In Lisbon undergoing repairs and having new watertight doors.
October 1918
15 - Left Lisbon at 7:30 a.m.
16 - Arrived at Gib.
20 - Left Gibraltar with 21 m.s. [Merchant Ships]
24 - Arrived Bizerta
25 - Left Bizerta - 7 ships
November 1918
1 - Arrived at Gib.
4 - Left Gib. alone
5 - Arrived at Casa Blanca. Left Casa Blanca. 1 transport
6 - Arrived Tangiers. Left Tangiers arrived Gib.
17 - Left Gib. Cytheria, Yamacrald?
19 - Arrived Algiers
23 - Left Algiers
25 - Arrived Gibraltar
December 1918
7 - Left Gibraltar with Wheeling, Yamacrald?, Winona, Druid and Arcturus
all flying homeward bound pennants.
12 - Arrived Ponta Delgado
17 - Left Azores
25 - Took Arcturus in tow.
27 - Cast off Arcturus.
28 - Arrived at Bermuda 10 a.m. Left 2 p.m.
31 Arrived Norfolk and anchored in stream
End of Diary
Return to the first page
Return to Johnson County page
Copyright © 1999 Mary Floy Katzman