usscharles

SS Harvard or Yale, San Diego

from SDASM Archives

• Greg Bishop said:

  I believe this is the Harvard: Chevrons on smokestack; I've seen light colored circles on both of Yale's smokestacks. These were the fastest along the California coastline; the Harvard sadly went aground at Point Arguello; despite attempts to salvage here, she was lost to the sea.

• Philip Carli said:

  The light colored circles Mr. Bishop mentions enclosed the insignia of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company, which brought the YALE and HARVARD into the Pacific Coast service in 1911; they were on both ships' funnels until 1918. When the ships went into service for the Los Angeles Steam Ship Company (LASSCO) in 1921 the chevrons were painted on both ships' funnels as part of their new livery to mark their tour of duty as troop ferries across the English Channel during WWI.