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NAVY AIRCRAFT CARRIER
SS Esso Trenton (I).
THE first Esso Trenton, ninth of twelve National Defense Features tankers to be launched, was the second high speed vessel to be delivered to the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey for operation until such time as the U. S. Government might require her services in the national emergency. She followed the Esso New Orleans (first vessel so named) into temporary Company service.
The SS Esso Trenton was built by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company at Kearny, N. J. Her sisterships were the USS Neosho (lost in the Battle of the Coral Sea, May, 1942) and SS Markay, which later became the USS Suwanee.
A twin-screw vessel, the Esso Trenton, when built, had 18,300 deadweight tons capacity on an international summer draft of 31 feet, 8 3/8 inches. She has an overall length of 553 feet, a length between perpendiculars of 525 feet, a moulded breadth of 75 feet, and a depth moulded of 39 feet. Her original cargo carrying capacity was 146,024 barrels and her assigned pumping rate, 8,000 barrels an hour.
Her turbine engines, supplied with steam by four water-tube boilers, gave the Esso Trenton 13,500 shaft horsepower and an average speed, loaded, of 18 knots.
The Esso Trenton flew the Company's house flag from the date of her delivery, December 14, 1939, until she was taken over by the Government on October 22, 1940 and became the famous Navy aircraft carrier USS Sangamon.
The vessel left New York for her maiden voyage on December 15, 1939, under the command of Captain Harry Stremmel, with Chief Engineer Ernest G. Bornheimer in charge of her engineroom. She returned from Baytown, Texas, on December 26 and discharged her first cargo-amounting to 145,387 barrels and consisting of four different grades of petroleum products. This was her only voyage in 1939.
During nearly 10 months of 1940, before she was sold to the U. S. Maritime Commission, the Esso Trenton completed 21 voyages. She loaded at Gulf coast ports with one exception, when she went to Aruba, lifted a cargo of fuel and Diesel oils for St. Vincent in the Cape Verde Islands, came back to Aruba, and reloaded before returning to New York.
Of the 22 merchant cargoes which the Esso Trenton carried in all, 11 were split and 2 comprised six different products each.
The Esso Trenton's transportation record for slightly more than 10 months of operation by the Standard Oil Company
of New Jersey was in summary as follows:
During her Esso service the Esso Trenton was commanded by Captains Harry Stremmel and Patrick S. Mahony.
Her engine department was in charge of Chief Engineers Ernest G. Bornheimer, Robert E. Anderson, and Johan Larsson.
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