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USS ''Comfort'' (AH-3) was a hospital ship for the United States Navy in World War I. She was the sister ship of but the two ships were not of a ship class. ''Comfort'' was known as SS ''Havana'' in passenger service for the Ward Line, and as USAT ''Havana'' in United States Army service before her Navy service. Her name was restored to ''Havana'' in 1927, and she was renamed SS ''Yucatán'' in 1935, and SS ''Agwileon'' in 1941. In World War II, she was known as USAT ''Agwileon'' and USAHS ''Shamrock'' in service for the United States Army. Launched in 1906, SS ''Havana'' was a passenger steamer for the Ward Line on the New York–Havana route from 1907-1917. Before being purchased by the Navy, the ship briefly served as United States Army transport ship USAT ''Havana'' and was in the first U.S. convoy of ships to sail for France during World War I. In her Navy career, ''Comfort'' made three transatlantic voyages, bringing home over 1,100 men from European ports. ''Comfort'' was placed in reserve in September 1919, decommissioned in 1921, and sold in April 1925. The former hospital ship was repurchased by the Ward Line in 1927, who refitted her and placed her back in service on the Havana route under her original name of ''Havana''. In January 1935, ''Havana'' grounded on a reef north of The Bahamas and remained there for three months. After being refloated and repaired, she was placed back in service as SS ''Yucatán'' in June. In 1940 the ship was removed from passenger service to be converted into a freighter. After capsizing in port in 1941, the ship was again refloated and renamed SS ''Agwileon''. Under a bareboat charter by the United States Maritime Commission, ''Agwileon'' carried civilian technicians and advisors to Sierra Leone for the U.S. Army. In November 1942, the ship was taken over by the Army as USAT ''Agwileon'' and converted to a troopship, making one trip in that capacity. In June 1943, the ship was selected for conversion to an Army hospital ship, and was renamed USAHS ''Shamrock''. Operating locally in the Mediterranean for most of her career, the ship had transported almost 18,000 patients by September 1944. The ship was converted for use in the Pacific Theatre, but not before the war ended. The ship was placed in reserve in February 1946, and was scrapped in February 1948. ==Ward Line, 1907–1917== ''Havana'' was launched in 1906 by William Cramp and Sons of Philadelphia for the New York & Cuba Mail Steam Ship Co. — commonly referred to as the Ward Line — as a passenger steamer on the New York to Havana route. In 1909, on the way to the Quarantine Station in New York, ''Havana'' rammed the anchored Munson Line freighter ''Cubana'' which was hidden from sight behind , also at anchor. ''Cubana'' had no damage below the waterline and ''Havana'', laden with inbound New York passengers, suffered only superficial damage. Striking firemen delayed ''Havana''s departure in July 1911. The firemen were looking for an additional $0.15 per day for meals while the ship was in port. A. G. Smith, General Manager of the Ward Line, agreed to that concession, allowing the ''Havana'' to get underway after a two-hour delay. Several times in 1912, amidst an outbreak of bubonic plague in the Caribbean, ''Havana'' operated in violation of Cuban and U.S. quarantine rules. In July 1912, the liner prepared to depart Cuba without an inspection and fumigation, but faced the prospect of seven days quarantine in Havana before the ship would be allowed to depart. However, a compromise was worked out by the United States Marine Hospital Service which allowed ''Havana'' to depart after a one-day delay. In September of the same year, another inspection gaffe resulted in government prosecution of the Ward Line. On 23 May 1917 ''Havana'' and sister ship , another Ward Line steamer, were requisitioned by the War Department for U.S. Army use during World War I.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「USS Comfort (AH-3)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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