Standard Arrow - (1916-1917 & 1919-1944)

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"Standard Arrow", underway, probably prior to her World War I Navy service.

"Standard Arrow", in San Francisco Bay, probably prior to her World War I Navy service.

"Standard Arrow", in a French port, circa 1918, with crated flying boats as deck cargo. A U.S. Navy "airboat" is

passing by in the foreground. At left, beyond the breakwater, are the French submarines Daphne and Nereide.

"Standard Arrow" was built in 1916 by New York Shipbuilding, Camden, NJ., yard no. 167.

Keel laid on Sep 16, 1915, launched May 15, 1916.

Oil tanker (Standard Oil) 7794 grt.

Served with US Navy as USS Standard Arrow, 1917-1919.

Collided with Norman Bridge in Feb 1918.

Was USS Signal (IX-142) in 1944-46.

Laid up in reserve 1946, sold for scrapping Apr 1947.

( U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. )

Tanker: Built in 1916 by the New York Shipbuilding Co., Camden, NJ; Acquired by the Navy and commissioned

Standard Arrow (ID 1532), 22 August 1917; Decommissioned, 29 January 1919; Returned to her owner, the Standard

Transportation Co. of New York on 13 February 1919; Reacquired by the Navy, 4 April 1944 and commissioned on the

same day as Signal (IX 142); Decommissioned, 20 February 1946 and returned to her owner; Struck from the Naval

Standard Arrow Specifications: Displacement 18,275 t.; Length 485' 3"; Beam 62' 7"; Draft 27'; Speed

12 kts.; Complement 86; Armament two 5".

Signal Specifications: Displacement unknown; Length 485' 3"; Beam 62' 7"; Draft 27'; Speed 10.4 kts.;

Complement 111; Armament two 5" and one 3"/50 gun mount.

"Signal", ex. "Standard Arrow" on the right.

A rare photo of a station tanker in action: USS Signal (IX-142) at Ulithi [atoll, Caroline Islands] in 1945. The ship is probably preparing

to receive USS Oneida (APA-221) alongside for refueling.

( Photo thanks to Mike Green )

Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships:

Standard Arrow (ID-1532) was built in 1916 by the New York Shipbuilding Co., Camden, N.J.; and was operated by the

Standard Transportation Co., N.Y., as the tanker SS Standard Arrow. She was acquired by the Navy on a bareboat

charter and commissioned on 22 August 1917.

At the beginning of the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (NOTS) on 9 January 1918, the tanker was assigned to that

service for duty. At the time, she was en route from Devonport, England, to New York. She arrived there on 19 January

and was refitted for Navy duty. She loaded a cargo of fuel oil and sailed for Devonport on 4 February. On the same day,

she collided with the tanker, SS Norman Bridge, damaged her steering gear, and sprang a leak in her forward hold. She

returned to port, discharged her cargo to Maumee, and was drydocked until the 25th.

Standard Arrow then replenished her cargo and sailed with a convoy for England, arriving at Portsmouth on 16 March

1918. Between that day and 17 December 1918, the tanker made five additional trips to Europe. Upon her arrival at

New York in December, she was scheduled for demobilization.

Standard Arrow was decommissioned on 29 January 1919, returned to the Shipping Board, and subsequently re-

turned to her original owner on 13 February 1919.

Standard Arrow was reacquired by the Navy on 4 April 1944 and commissioned on the same date as USS Signal (IX 142).

Signal supported the war effort in the Pacific by carrying and storing oil for Service Squadron 10, based at Majuro and

Ulithi atolls. She remained with the Navy until 20 February 1946, at which time she was returned to her owner. Her name

was struck from the Navy list on 12 March 1946, and Signal returned to merchant service for about a year before being

scrapped in 1947.

Additional information Starke & Schell registers :

STANDARD ARROW - 1916 USA 1Q (aft) (11)

7,794 GRT for Standard Transportation Co., New York 467.6 x 62.7

Tanker build by New York SB. Co., Camden, N.J., (8), #167, 214196

(1/18 - 1/19 U. S. Navy requisition - Naval Overseas Transportation Service #1532)

1921 - Standard-Vacuum Transportation Co., Inc., New York

1935 - Socony-Vacuum Oil Co., Inc., New York

1944 - U. S. Maritime Commission, New York

1944 - SIGNAL (IX-142) U. S. Navy - depot tanker

1946 - STANDARD ARROW U. S. Maritime Commission, New York

Sold to H. H. Buncher Co., Pittsburgh, for scrapping.

Broken up at Mobile April 1947 by Liberty Industrial Salvage, Inc.