On her way back to the U.S. , '' Von Steuben '' diverted to Halifax , Nova Scotia for coal . At about 09:14 on the morning of 6 December , she was about from Halifax when the ship was rocked by a concussion so severe that many thought she had struck a mine or been torpedoed . Lookouts spied a great flame and a high column of smoke in the direction of the port where the French ammunition ship had exploded in Halifax Harbour . '' Von Steuben '' learned the facts when she entered the harbor at about 14:30 that afternoon . A portion of the city had been devastated by the explosion and the tsunami which followed causing the death of 2,000 in the Halifax Explosion ( the largest man-made accidental explosion up to that time ) . The ship responded to the emergency by landing officers and men to patrol the city and assist in rescue efforts . The transport remained at Halifax until 10 December , and then continued her voyage back to Philadelphia where she arrived on 13 December
Halifax Explosion
Halifax Explosion
SS Kronprinz Wilhelm