USS Neville was originally a cargo vessel ordered by the British for WW I under the name War Harbour and requisitioned by the United States Shipping Board (USSB) before completion. The ship was renamed Independence, completed, delivered to the Navy and commissioned on 16 November 1918 to see brief service with the Naval Overseas Transportation Service (NOTS).
After decommissioning 20 March 1919 the ship with four sisters was converted to turbine electric drive in 1920 to operate as one of the first U.S. cargo vessels with electric drive. The ship operated commercially under the USSB until sold in 1931to the Baltimore Mail Steamship Company. After being rebuilt and renamed City of Norfolk the ship served commercially until again acquired and commissioned in 1940 by the Navy as Nevile, first designated as the transport AP-16 and then converted into an attack transport and designated APA-9 in service until 1946. She was returned to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) on 16 July 1946 and scrapped in 1957.
History
The ship was ordered in 1918 as War Harbour for the British Shipping Controller, London, and under construction at Bethlehem Steel Company's Alameda, California yard as hull #162 when requisitioned and completed by the USSB as Independence assigned official number 217172.
U.S. Navy service (1918-1919)
She was acquired by the Navy and commissioned on 16 November 1918, assigned to the NOTS Army account, making one Atlantic crossing from New York to England with foodstuffs in 1919. After World War I service, she decommissioned on 20 March 1919 and was returned to the USSB for US Merchant Marine service.
Commercial service (1920-1940)
In 1920 Independence was one of five sister ships, the others being Archer, Invincible (See Empire Porpoise), Eclipse (first converted and the first U.S. electric drive cargo ship) and Victorious, converted to electric drive before commercial operation for the USSB. The 3,000 horsepower electric motor was directly connected to the propeller shaft. The ship was sold to the Baltimore Mail Steamship Company, rebuilt and renamed City of Norfolk in 1931 operating to Europe. After the Maritime Commission ruled the Baltimore Mail routes were a non-essential service in 1937 the ships were sold in 1938 to the Panama Pacific Line for operation between the U.S. East and West coasts. The ship was reacquired by the Navy on 14 December 1940. Converted by the Willamette Iron and Steel Works, Portland, Oregon, she recommissioned as Neville (AP-16), on 14 May 1941.
U.S. Navy service (1940-1957)
On 18 June 1941, Neville reported for duty with the Atlantic Fleet and for the remaining days of quasi-peace in 1941 transported military and naval personnel to various points along the East Coast and in the Caribbean.