From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships, Vol. III, 1968, Navy Department, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Naval History Division, Washington, D.C. HUGH L. SCOTT (AP-43) See GENERAL H. L. SCOTT for biography. dp. 12,579; l. 532'; b. 72'; dr. 30' 6"; s. 16 k.; cl 119 HUGH L. SCOTT (AP-43) was built as HAWKEYE STATE for USSB by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Co., Sparrows Point Md., in 1921. Renamed PRESIDENT PIERCE, she sailed for the Dollar Steamship Co., and later for the American President Lines as a passenger liner. Taken over by the Army 31 July 1941, she was renamed HUGH L. SCOTT and made four voyages to the Far East before sailing to the East Coast in July 1942. The ship was taken over by the Navy 14 August 1942, and converted to an attack transport at Tietjen and Lang (later Todd Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. ), Hoboken, N.J. She commissioned 7 September 1942, Captain Harold J. Wright commanding. The transport was slated for participation in the North Africa landings, the giant amphibious assault mounted across the entire width of the Atlantic. HUGH L. SCOTT joined Transport Division 3 for this, our first offensive move in the European-African theater. and sailed 24 October after intensive amphibious training. She approached the beaches at Fedhala, French Morocco, early on the morning of 8 November and after bombardment by surface ships, landed her troops. HUGH L. SCOTT then cleared the immediate invasion area, and did not return until 11 November, when she entered the refueling area and then anchored in the exposed Fedhala roadstead to unload her supplies. During the evening of 11 November, German submarine U-173 slipped inside the protective screen to torpedo transport JOSEPH HEWES, tanker WINOOSKI, and destroyer HAMBERTON. HUGH L. SCOTT and the other transports went to battle stations the entire night, and resumed unloading the next day. That afternoon, 12 November, another submarine, U-130, stalked the transports and torpedoed HUGH L. SCOTT, EDWARD RUTLEDGE, and TASKER H. BLISS. HUGH L. SCOTT, hit on the starboard side, burst into flame and foundered, but owing to the availability of landing craft for rescue, casualties were held to a minimum-8 officers and 51 men. U-173 was later sunk by destroyers, but U-130 escaped. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ President Pierce (First) Built 1921 by Bethlehem Shipbuilding Co., Sparrows Point, Baltimore, Maryland. Hull No. 4180, O/N 220,987 LOA=535'0", LBP=518'0", B=72'0", D=50'0", Draft=30'7" Displacement=21,350 LT, Deadweight=11,210 LT, Gross tonnage=12,124 Cargo capacity: 479,105 CuFt., Passengers: 874, Speed: 18 knots Machinery: Twin screw, geared steam turbine, 12,000 HP. Eight B&W WT boilers, 265#WP. Originally HAWKEYE STATE. Operated for the U.S. Shipping Board by the Matson Line from February 1921 to May 1922, making four voyages between the East Coast and Hawaii. Transferred to Pacific Mail Steamship Co. June 26, 1922 and renamed President Pierce. Sold to Dollar Steamship Co.1926. Transferred to APL 1938. Taken over by the Army July 10, 1941 and renamed HUGH L. SCOTT. Transferred to the Navy August 14, 1942, converted to an attack transport by Tietjen & Lang, Hoboken, New Jersey, and commissionedU.S.S. HUGH L. SCOTT, AP-43. Sunk by torpedo from German submarine U-130 at Fedhala Roads, North Africa, November 12, 1942. Eight officers and 51 men were lost. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Image (85-k)