Country Village celebrates ships named for Madawaska

taff and veteran residents of Country Village Estates in Madawaska add pictures of two ships named after the town to their veterans wall. From left are, back row: Louis Dugal, owner and administrator; Hudo Russell, Army; Edward Fortier, Army; and Robyn Nadeau, assistant administrator. Front row: Joel Levesque, Army; Roger Vaillancourt, Navy; and Richard Deschenes, Army. (Courtesy of Paula Gendreau)

On Oct. 13, the U.S. Navy’s 250th birthday, Country Village Estates celebrated by adding pictures of ships named after Madawaska to the facility’s veterans wall.

The Madawaska1, 1865-1869, was a screw frigate built of wood at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and was launched July 8, 1865, Activity Director Paula Gendreau said.

Powered by 2 Ericsson vibrating engines, the ship departed New York City for sea trials on Jan. 14,1867. She was renamed Tennessee on May 15, 1869.

The USS Madawaska, 1917-1922, was a World War I ship that was acquired by the U.S. as it entered WWI on April 6, 1917, as were all other German vessels in American ports. The ship was renamed USS Madawaska on Sept. 1, 1917.

The Madawaska was assigned to the Cruiser and Transport Force of the Atlantic Fleet, Gendreau said. 

During WWI, she conducted 10 transatlantic voyages in which she carried 1,200 men to Europe. She had an average complement of 39 officers, 550 men and a carrying capacity of 2,400 troops. 

The ship was later named the USS US Grant in 1922.