View source for SS Dr. Heinrich Wiegand (1938)

{{Short description|Steam ship}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin <!-- commercial vessels -->
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{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=330-PS-6135-2 (17232281942).jpg
|Ship image size= 
|Ship caption=''Else Basse'' burning, 25 August 1953.
|image alt=Photo of the burning Else Basse, 25 August 1953
}}
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Ship name=*''Dr. Heinrich Wiegand'' (1938–49)
*''Else Basse'' (1949–55)
*''Kaarina'' (1955–68)
|Ship namesake=*[[Heinrich Wiegand]] (1938–49)
*[[Kaarina]] (1954–68)
|Ship owner=*Argo Line (1938–39)
*Kriegsmarine (1939–44)
*United States Maritime Commission (1946–48)
*Seatrade Corporation (1948–49)
*AS Hetland (1949–54)
*Oy Suomi Shipping Ab – Finska Fiskeri Ab (1954–56)
*Suomen Kalastus Oy (1957–64)
|Ship operator=*Owner operated except-
*Ab R. Nordström & Co., Oy (1955–61)
|Ship registry=*{{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Bremen]], [[Nazi Germany|Germany]] (1938–39)
*{{Navy|Nazi Germany}} (1939–45)
*{{flag|United States|1912}} (1946–49)
*{{flagicon|Denmark}} [[Copenhagen]], Denmark (1949–54)
*{{flagicon|Finland}} [[Loviisa]], Finland (1954–63)
*{{flagicon|Finland}} [[Kokkola]], Finland (1963–68)
|Ship route=
|Ship ordered=
|Ship builder=Nylands Verksted
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number=340
|Ship way number=
|Ship laid down=
|Ship launched=1 September 1938
|Ship completed=25 October 1938
|Ship christened=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship maiden voyage=
|Ship in service=
|Ship commissioned=
|Ship out of service=4 May 1968
|Ship identification=
*Code Letters DOUR (1934–49)
*{{ICS|Delta}}{{ICS|Oscar}}{{ICS|Uniform}}{{ICS|Romeo}}
*Pennant Number TS(K)6 (1939–43)
*Pennant Number V 601 (1943–44)
*''Schiff 12'' (1939–44)
*Code Letters OUUC (1949–54)
*{{ICS|Oscar}}{{ICS|Uniform}}{{ICS|Uniform}}{{ICS|Bravo}}
*Denmark Official Number 13023 (1949–54)
*Code Letters OFUM (1954–68)
*{{ICS|Oscar}}{{ICS|Foxtrot}}{{ICS|Uniform}}{{ICS|Mike}}
*Finland Official Number Lovisa 482 (1955–63)
*Finland Official Number Kokkola 71 (1963–68)
|Ship fate=Scrapped
|Ship status=
|Ship notes=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship class=*[[Cargo ship]] (1930–39, 1945–68)
*[[Auxiliary cruiser]] / ''[[Vorpostenboot]]'' (1939–44)
|Ship type=
|Ship tonnage={{GRT|1,421}}, {{NRT|797}}, {{DWT|2,500}}
|Ship displacement=
|Ship length={{convert|255|ft|7|in|m|2|order=flip}}
|Ship beam={{convert|41|ft|1|in|m|2|order=flip}}
|Ship height=
|Ship draught={{convert|17|ft|7|in|m|2|order=flip}}
|Ship depth={{convert|14|ft|7|in|m|2|order=flip}}
|Ship decks=
|Ship deck clearance=
|Ship ramps=
|Ship ice class=
|Ship sail plan=
|Ship power=Compound steam engine, 54 nhp
|Ship propulsion=Screw propeller
|Ship speed={{convert|12|kn|km/h}}
|Ship capacity=
|Ship crew=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

'''''Dr. Heinrich Wiegand''''' was a [[cargo ship]] that was built in 1938 by Nysted Verksted, [[Oslo]] for the Argo Line, [[Bremen]]. She was requisitioned by the [[Kriegsmarine]] during [[World War II]] and was designated '''''Schiff 12'''''. She was sunk in September 1944 but was raised post-war and returned to service as '''''Else Basse'''''. She was sold to Finland in 1954 and renamed '''''Kaarina'''''. She was scrapped in 1968.

==Description==
The ship was {{convert|255|ft|7|in|m|2|order=flip}} long, with a beam of {{convert|41|ft|1|in|m|2|order=flip}}. She had a depth of {{convert|14|ft|7|in|m|2|order=flip}},<ref name=DHW39/> and a draught of {{convert|17|ft|7|in|m|2|order=flip}}.<ref name=EB/> She was assessed at {{GRT|1,421}}, {{NRT|797}},<ref name=DHW39>{{cite plimsoll |ship-name=Dr. Heinrich Wiegand |lr-number=23454 |subtitle=NVM |guide=DOS-DRA |filename=39b0257.pdf |accessdate=14 February 2024 }}</ref> {{DWT|2,500}}.<ref name=EB/>

She was powered by a four-cylinder [[compound steam engine]], which had two cylinders of {{convert|16+3/4|in|mm|order=flip}} diameter and two cylinders of {{convert|33+1/2|in|mm|order=flip}} diameter by {{convert|33+1/2|in|mm|order=flip}} stroke. The engine was built by Nylands Verkstged, [[Oslo]]. It was rated at 54 [[nominal horsepower|nhp]] and drove a screw propeller via a low-pressure turbine and a hydraulic coupling.<ref name=DHW39/> It could propel her at {{convert|12|kn|km/h}}.<ref name=EB/>

==History==
''Dr. Heinrich Wiegand'' was built as yard number 340 by Nylands Verksted, Oslo for Argo Line, [[Bremen]]. She was launched on 1 September 1939 and completed on 25 October.{{sfn|Gröner|1993|p=536}} Her port of registry was Bremen and the [[Code Letters]] DOUR were allocated.<ref name=DHW39/>

On 13 September 1938, ''Dr. Heinrich Wiegand'' was requisitioned by the [[Kriegsmarine]]. She was allocated the [[pennant number]] TS(K)2 and designated ''Schiff 12''. Conversion for military use took from 29 November to 23 December.{{sfn|Gröner|1993|p=536}} She was allocated to 6 ''Vorpostengruppe'', and from 1943 to 6 ''Vorpostenflotille'' as V 601 ''Dr. Heinrich Wiegand''.<ref name=VF1-20>{{cite web |url=http://www.wlb-stuttgart.de/seekrieg/km/vboote/vfl1-20.htm |title=Vorpostenflottillen 1939 – 1945 |publisher=Württembergische Landesbibliothek |language=German |access-date=14 February 2024 }}</ref> From 17 August 1940 to 17 September 1942, she was used as a [[transport ship]] in Norwegian waters. On 18 September 1944, she was sunk at [[Wesermünde]] during an Allied air attack.{{sfn|Gröner|1993|p=536}}

''Dr. Heinrich Wiegand'' was later refloated. On 20 July 1946, she was allocated to the United States as a [[prize of war]].{{sfn|Gröner|1993|p=536}} A notice appeared in ''[[The Times]]'' in August 1946 that her status as a prize was being decided in the British courts.<ref name=Times280846>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Prize Courts |date=28 August 1948 |page=1 |issue=50541 |column=A }}</ref> She was allocated to the [[United States Maritime Commission]].<ref name=EB/> She retained the Code Letters DOUR.<ref name=LR49>{{cite journal |url=https://archive.org/details/HECROS1949AL/page/n449/mode/1up |title=DOV-DRA  Lloyd's Register 1948–49 |journal=Lloyd's Register |publisher=Lloyd's of London |location=London |year=1949 }}</ref> In 1948, she was sold to Seatrade Corp., New York City.<ref name=Argo>{{cite web |url=http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/argo.shtml |title=Argo Line, Bremen / Dampfschifffahrtsgesellschaft Argo AG 1896–1923 / Dampfschifffahrtsgesellschaft Argo mbH 1923–1925 / Argo Reederei AG 1933–1936 / Argo Reederei Richard Adler & Co. 1936–1952 / Argo Reederei Richard Adler & Söhne 1952–present |publisher=The Ships List |accessdate=14 February 2024 }}</ref>

[[File:330-PS-6135-3 (17233455751).jpg|thumb|left|USNS ''LST-327'', which assisted in extinguishing the fire aboard ''Else Basse'' in August 1953.]] In November 1949,{{sfn|Gröner|1993|p=536}} she was sold to AS Hetland, [[Copenhagen]], Denmark and renamed ''Else Basse''.<ref name=Argo/> The Code Letters OUUC and Danish Official Number 13023 were allocated.<ref name=EB>{{cite web |url=http://www.jmarcussen.dk/maritim/skibsliste/side.php?id=13023 |title=Detaljerede oplysninger om skibet: Else Basse (II) |publisher=J. Marcussen |language=Danish |accessdate=14 February 2024}}</ref> On 19 August 1953, while on a voyage from Greenland to [[Philadelphia]], Pennsylvania, United States,<ref name=Court/> she caught fire off [[Cape Anguille]], [[Newfoundland]], Canada. Her 24 crew and a passenger were rescued by the British steamship {{SS|Corner Brook|1925|2}}.<ref name=Times200853>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Danish Freighter on Fire |date=20 August 1953 |page=5 |issue=52705 |column=B }}</ref> The fire was extinguished by the [[United States Army]] tug ''LT-1953'' and the [[United States Naval Service]] Landing Ship, Tank {{USNS|LST-287}}. ''Else Basse'' was towed to St. George Bay by ''LT-1953'' and ''LST-287''.<ref name=Court>{{cite web |url=https://m.openjurist.org/267/f2d/584/nolan-v-a-h-basse-rederiaktieselskab |title=267 F. 2d 584 – Nolan v. A H Basse Rederiaktieselskab |publisher=Openjurist |accessdate=14 February 2024}}</ref> She was later towed to Philadelphia. She was subsequently towed to Copenhagen, arriving on 28 October. ''Else Basse'' was laid up.<ref name=EB/>

On 1 April 1954,<ref name=EB/> she was sold to Oy Suomi Shipping Ab, [[Loviisa]],<ref name=Kaarina>{{cite web |url=https://kauppalaiva.nba.fi/card.php?id=938&lang=en |title=Ship Card#938 |publisher=Finnish Mercantile Marine Database |accessdate=14 February 2024}}</ref> Finland and renamed ''Kaarina''. She was rebuilt. The Code Letters OFUM were allocated.<ref name=EB/> She was operated under the management of AB R. Nordström & Co., Oy until 1962. ''Kaarina'' was sold in 1963 to M. Rauanheimo Oy, [[Kokkola]]. Her port of registry was changed to Kokkola in 1964.<ref name=Kaarina/> She arrived at Hamburg, [[West Germany]] on 4 May 1968 for scrapping by Eckhardt & Co.{{sfn|Gröner|1993|p=536}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

===Sources===
*{{cite book |last1=Gröner |first1=Erich |title=Die deutschen Kriegsschiffe 1815–1945 |volume=8/I: Flußfahrzeuge, Ujäger, Vorpostenboote, Hilfsminensucher, Küstenschutzverbände (Teil 1) |year=1993 |publisher=Bernard & Graefe |location=Koblenz |isbn=3-7637-4807-5 |language=de}}

{{Vorpostenboote Navbox}}
{{September 1944 shipwrecks}}
{{1953 shipwrecks}}

{{commons category-inline|Else Basse (ship, 1939)}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dr. Heinrich Wiegand}}
[[Category:1938 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built in Oslo]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of Germany]]
[[Category:Steamships of Germany]]
[[Category:World War II merchant ships of Germany]]
[[Category:Auxiliary ships of the Kriegsmarine]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in September 1944]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of the United States]]
[[Category:Steamships of the United States]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of Denmark]]
[[Category:Steamships of Denmark]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1953]]
[[Category:Merchant ships of Finland]]
[[Category:Steamships of Finland]]