USS Mohican (SP-117)
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USS SP-117, formerly USS Mohican (SP-117), refitting at Tebo's Yacht Works in Brooklyn, New York in the spring of 1919 after decommissioning there in February 1919.
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| History | |
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 United States |
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| Name: | USS Mohican |
| Namesake: | Named for the Mohican Native American tribe (previous name retained) |
| Builder: | Laird Brothers, Birkenhead |
| Launched: | 1890 |
| Completed: | 1890 |
| Acquired: | 19 April 1917 |
| Commissioned: | 7 June 1917 |
| Decommissioned: | 15 February 1919 |
| Renamed: | USS SP-117 April 1918 |
| Fate: | Returned to owner 17 February 1919 |
| Notes: | Operated as private yacht Norseman,Lady Godiva and Mohican 1890-1917 and as Mohican from 1919. Then Waluchia II, Apache. WW2 service with Royal Navy as Inquisitor and in 1947 registered as Ourania |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Aux steam yacht |
| Type: | Patrol vessel |
| Tonnage: | 231 tons |
| Length: | 144 ft (44 m) |
| Beam: | 23 ft (7.0 m) |
| Draft: | 14 ft 6 in (4.42 m) |
| Propulsion: | Steam engine |
| Speed: | 8.6 knots |
| Complement: | 48 |
| Armament: |
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| Aircraft carried: | 1 × observation balloon (kite balloon) from August 1918 |
The third USS Mohican (SP-117), later USS SP-117, was an armed yacht that served in the United States Navy as a patrol vessel from 1917 to 1919.
Mohican was designed by St Clare John Byrne, built as the civilian steam yacht SS Norseman and launched in 1890 by Laird Brothers in Birkenhead, Wirral, for Engineer Samuel Radcliffe Platt. When sold by Platt, she was renamed SS Lady Godiva and later when purchased by New Yorker Tracy Dows he named her Mohican.[1] Oliver and J. Borden Harriman purchased her from Tracy Dows in October 1905.[2] The U.S. Navy acquired Mohican on a free lease from her next owner, Robert Perkins of New York City, on 19 April 1917 for use as a patrol boat during World War I. She was commissioned at New York City on 7 June 1917 as USS Mohican (SP-117) with Lieutenant Peter P. Netland, USNRF, in command.
Mohican was assigned to the 3rd Naval District as guard boat on 1 July 1917. She engaged in patrol and escort duty in New York Harbor and off New York City until 21 August 1918, at times directing the heavy maritime traffic in Lower New York Bay and at others aiding vessels in distress due to fire or collision. She was renamed USS SP-117 in April 1918 to avoid confusion with another Navy ship of the same name, the sloop USS Mohican.
On 23 August 1918, SP-117 took on board an air observation balloon and aviators and began observation kite balloon duty at the entrance to New York Harbor and Ambrose Channel. She remained on this duty through 25 November 1918 and then, following repairs, departed on 14 December 1918 to assume guard boat and kite balloon duty at Gravesend Bay, Long Island, New York.
SP-117 ceased operations on 17 January 1919 and on 15 February 1919 was decommissioned at Tebo's Yacht Basin at Brooklyn, New York. The Navy returned her to her owner on 17 February 1919.
References
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
- Department of the Navy Naval Historical Center Online Library of Selected Images: Civilian Ships: Mohican (Steam Yacht, 1890). Previously named Lady Godiva and Norseman. Served as USS Mohican (SP-117) and USS SP-117 in 1917-1919
- NavSource Online: Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive: SP-117 ex-Mohican (SP 117)
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