From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships

Hannibal was born in 249 B.C. to be brought up by his father in undying hatred of Rome. During the Second Punic War, he led an army from the Carthaginian colony in Spain across the Alps into Italy, defeating every army sent to oppose him. Hannibal maintained himself in the Italian peninsula for 15 years without support from home; but when Carthage was threatened with invasion in 203 B.C., he returned to Africa. He was defeated in the Battle of Zama 202 B.C., and soon was driven into exile. In 183 B.C. Hannibal took poison and died.

(AG - 1: dp. 4,000; l. 274'1"; b. 39'2"; dr. 17'7"; s. 9 k.; cpl. 244; a. 1 4", 2 3", 8 .50 cal. mg.)

Hannibal (AG-1), a converted steamer, was built as Joseph Holland by J. Blumer & Co., Sunderland, England in 1898; purchased by the Navy 16 April 1898; renamed Hannibal; and commissioned 7 June, Comdr. H. G. Colby in command.

From June 1898 to May 1908 Hannibal served in the Collier Service along the Atlantic coast. After an overhaul in 1908, she continued in the Collier Service with her base in New England for nearly 3 years. Hannibal decommissioned 15 August 1911.

She recommissioned 16 October 1911 and was assigned to the U.S. Survey Squadron to make depth soundings and surveys in preparation for the opening of the Panama Canal. Hydrographic surveys continued in the Caribbean until 1917, including operations in Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Cuba.

With the advent of World War I, Hannibal operated with the Patrol Force of the Atlantic Fleet. After an overhaul in early 1918, she became a tender to submarine chasers at Plymouth, England. Hannibal served in English waters until December, when she sailed for the Azores via Gibraltar as a sub-chaser escort. In early 1919 she resumed sub-tender duties, and visited England, France, and Portugal returning to the United States in August.

Hannibal remained in reserve at Philadelphia until 9 February 1921, when she sailed for Cuba to resume survey operations which lasted until 1930. During the next decade Hannibal surveyed waters near Trinidad, Venezuela, Costa Rica, and the Canal Zone. During World War II she operated out of Norfolk in the Chesapeake Bay degaussing range. Hannibal decommissioned 20 August 1944 and was sunk as a bombing target March 1945.

Transcribed by Yves HUBERT (hubertypc@aol.com)