SS Papoose

SS Papoose was an oil tanker built in 1921 by the Southwestern Shipbuilding & Drydock Company[2] in San Pedro, California as SS Silvanus[3] for the Nederlandsch-Indische Tankstoomboot Maatschappij ("Dutch-Indies Steam Tanker Company").[4] In 1926 Silvanus collided with the tanker Thomas H. Wheeler in the Mississippi River, resulting in the death of 26 seamen. The Silvanus was declared a total loss and rebuilt in Beaumont, Texas.[3]

History
Dutch East Indies
Name	SS Silvanus
Owner	Nederlandsch-Indische Tankstoomboot Maatschappij
Builder	Southwestern Shipbuilding & Drydock Company, San Pedro, California
Launched	20 June 1921
Acquired	September 1921
In service	1921
Out of service	1926
Identification	IMO number: 2226583 Call sign: PSDC
Fate	Damaged by fire, 1926 Sold, 1927
United States
Name	SS Papoose
Owner	Petroleum Navigation Company
Acquired	1927
In service	March 1927
Out of service	March 1942
Fate	Torpedoed and sunk, 19 March 1942
General characteristics [1]
Type	Oil tanker
Tonnage	5,939 GRT
Length	412 ft (126 m)
Beam	53 ft 4 in (16.26 m)
Draft	25 ft 8 in (7.82 m)
Propulsion	Reciprocating steam engine, single screw
Speed	10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)

It started operating as the Papoose for the Petroleum Navigation Company in Houston, Texas in March 1927.[3] In March 1942, it was attacked by German U-boat U-124 off the coast of Cape Lookout, North Carolina. It drifted for several days and eventually sank in 200 feet (61 m) of water off Oregon Inlet, North Carolina.[3]