SS Aconcagua
From Our Contribution
 | |
 Troopships of WWII (Ronald W Charles) p. 4 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | SS Aconcagua |
| Owner | Campania Sud Americana de Vapores, Valparaiso, Chile. |
| Builder | Nakskov Skibs A/S, Nakskov, Denmark |
| Completed | 1938 |
| In service | 1938 |
| Fate | laid up April 1946 not to be confused with earlier namesake renamed Khedive Ismail |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Passenger Liner |
| Tonnage | 7,279 tons |
| Length | 440.6 ft (134.11m) |
| Beam | 58 ft (17.7m) |
| Depth | draught = 24 ftn (7.20m) |
| Speed | 16 knots (29.6 kmh) |
| Capacity | 1,609 |
Remarks
Built for a Chilean company, the South American Steamship Company, and used on the New York to Chile route via the Panama Canal. Along with her sister ships the Copiapo and Imperial, Aconcagua was offered by Chile in 1943 as part of her contribution to the war effort. Taken over by the US government in 1943 and converted during August 1943 and Febraury 1944 to be used as a troopship. On completion she moved to the US west coast.
On 11 Jul 1944 she left the US for service in the Southwest Pacific, making at least one journey transferring the 2/2 Australian Forestry Company from Lae in New Guinea to Torokina on Bougainville. Following the completion of hostilities she made several trips between the west coast and Hawaii before being sent to Virginia where she was laid up in April 1946.