USS Hannibal

USS Hannibal (AG-1), a converted steamer, was built as Joseph Holland by J. Blumer & Co., Sunderland, England, in 1898. She was purchased by the Navy 16 April 1898 and renamed Hannibal. She was commissioned on 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 was decommissioned on 15 August 1911.

She was 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 was decommissioned on 20 August 1944 and was sunk as a bombing target in March 1945.

 This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.