SS Californian underway in San Francisco Bay on builder's trials in 1900.
History
United States
Name	USS Californian
Namesake	A resident of California (previous name retained)
Builder	Union Iron Works, San Francisco, California
Launched	12 May 1900
Completed	1900
Acquired	13 May 1918
Commissioned	14 May 1918
Fate	Sunk by naval mine 22 June 1918
Notes	In commercial service as SS Californian 1900-1918
General characteristics
Type	Cargo ship
Tonnage	5,658 Gross register tons
Length	413 ft (126 m)
Beam	51 ft (16 m)
Draft	26 ft 2 in (7.98 m) (mean)
Propulsion	Steam engine
Speed	10 knots
Complement	78

USS Californian was a United States Navy cargo ship in commission in 1918.

SS Californian was launched on 12 May 1900 at San Francisco, California, by Union Iron Works and delivered later that year to the American-Hawaiian Steamship Company of New York City. After the United States entered World War I, the United States Shipping Board acquired Californian for war service and transferred her to the U.S. Navy on 13 May 1918. The Navy commissioned her as USS Californian on 14 May 1918.

USS Californian sinking in the Bay of Biscay on 22 June 1918 after striking a naval mine.

Californian immediately loaded a cargo of coal, fuel oil, and general supplies for the American Expeditionary Force in France and departed on 31 May 1918 to join a convoy off New York City.

On 22 June 1918, while proceeding through the Bay of Biscay, Californian struck a naval mine. Although a gallant attempt was made to tow her to port, she sank later that day. Her crew abandoned ship in good order and was picked up by the patrol vessel USS Corsair (SP-159) without suffering any casualties.

Unlike most commercial ships commissioned into U.S. Navy service during World War I, Californian never received a naval registry identification number.

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• Department of the Navy: Naval Historical Center Online Library of Selected Images: U.S. Navy Ships: USS Californian (1918-1918). Originally the Civilian Freighter Californian (1900).
• NavSource Online: Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive: Arizonan (ID 4245-A)