U.S.S. Wilmette to be convoy gunboat

The U.S.S. Wilmette, now a Great Lakes training ship, formerly the ill-fated lake steamer Eastland, will leave for the Atlantic ocean in the near future to become a convoy for American transport ships. The Eastland tipped over in the Chicago River at the Clark Street Docks on July 24, 1915 with a loss of more than 800 lives. After being towed further up the river her hull was stripped and she was placed at auction and pruchased by the Illinois Naval Militia unde the direction of Captain Edward Evers of 1020 Sheridan Road.

Manned by North Shore Men
The vessel was fitted out for training purposes, manned by a crew of north shore volunteers and later dispatched to the Great Lakes naval training station and placed in commission as a regular training ship for the Jackie recruits. The conversion of the former lake steamer into a gunboat is being accomplished at the Chicago Shipbuilding Docks in the Calumet river under the supervision of Lieutenant T. Richards, assistant U.S. naval constructor. An interesting career is expected for the Wilmette from the start. Being too long to pass through the Welland Canal locks at Buffalo, she will be tied up at port while 15 feet of her bow is sawed off. The detached bow will be replaced after the locks are passed.

Will be Well Armed
She is being fitted out specially for convoy service, with a formidable armament of four-inch and three-inch anti-aircraft guns to protect troops en route to France. He rbunker displa cement has been enlarged to 300 tons, giving her a steaming capacity of 4,000 miles at a 12 knot speed. As the Eastland her steaming capacity was 1,200 miles with a 106 ton coal displacement. Powerful search lights and a radio plant will be installed and she will have a crew of 180 men. The government, discovering the value of the Eastland as a sea-going vessel, purchased her last fall at cost price of $270,000. She was sent to the Great Lakes station. Among other changes, previously made in the vessel, was the lopping off of the upper decks, thus laying her low in the water.