SS Haverford

History
Name	SS Haverford
Owner	1901–1914: International Navigation Co. 1914–1915: British Admiralty
Operator	American Line (1901–1921) White Star Line (1920–1925) Red Star Line Dominion Line
Port of registry	Southampton
Route	1901–1903: Southampton–New York City 1903–1914: Liverpool–Philadelphia
Builder	John Brown & Company, Clydebank
Yard number	345[1]
Launched	4 May 1901[1]
Completed	1901[1]
Maiden voyage	Southampton-New York, 4 May 1901
Fate	Scrapped 1925
Notes	one of the largest ships hit by U-boats in World War I
General characteristics
Type	Ocean liner
Tonnage	11,621 GRT[1]
Length	161.7 m (530 ft 6 in)[1]
Beam	18.0 m (59 ft 1 in)[1]
Propulsion	2 × triple-expansion steam engines[1] 2 × propellers
Speed	14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph)[1]
Passengers:	150 second-class 1,700 third-class
Armament	4 x 6 inches (15 cm) guns (as merchant ship, 1914)[2]
Notes	One funnel; Four masts; Twin screws Identical design to her sister ship: SS Merion

SS Haverford was an American transatlantic liner commissioned in 1901 for the American Line on the route from Southampton to New York, then quickly on the route from Liverpool to Boston and Philadelphia. During her early years, this ship, mainly designed to transport migrants and goods, was the victim of several incidents. Her company was integrated into the International Mercantile Marine Co. (IMM) in 1902 and she was used by other companies within the trust, the Dominion Line and the Red Star Line.

The start of World War I did not hinder her civilian service. It was not until January 1915 that she was requisitioned as a troop transport. During the conflict, she was attacked on several occasions by German submarines, one of them succeeding in torpedoing her on June 12, 1917. Although eight people died, the ship was beached and then repaired. After the war, she resumed, from 1919, her service to Philadelphia.

In 1921, another company within the IMM, White Star Line, took over the Philadelphia route previously operated by American Line, as well as the Haverford. Contrary to the usual practice of the company, the ship was not renamed, and continued to serve Philadelphia. From 1922, she returned to her original company for several crossings from Hamburg, then joined the White Star again. In 1924, worn out, the ship was sold to Italian wreckers, and scrapped the following year.