From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships

Shipping Board name retained.

(AK: dp. 12,105; l. 397'; b. 51'; dr.27'1"; s. 10 k.; cpl. 70)

Eastern Queen (No. 3406), a cargo ship, was built in February 1918 as Tefuku Maru by Kawasaki Dockyard Co., Kobe, Japan; converted for naval use at Baltimore Drydock and Shipbuilding Co., Baltimore, Md.; transferred from the Shipping Board, 19 October 1918; and commissioned 26 October 1918, Lieutenant Commander W. M. Gifford, USNRF, in command.

Eastern Queen was refitted as an animal transport during her conversion and, when she sailed from Norfolk 25 November 1918, carried 550 Horses plus other cargo. She arrived at St. Nazaire 14 December for a 15-day. Ballasted with steel, she embarked 30 Army passengers for Baltimore and reached there 15 January 1919.

Her second French voyage was to La Pallice and Bordeaux, to transfer food, motor oil, and other cargo for the Army between 2 February and 10 April 1919. She was decommissioned 19 April 1919 and returned to the Shipping Board the same day.

Transcribed by Yves HUBERT (hubertypc@aol.fr)