USS Mohican (SP-117)

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.

For other ships with the same name, see USS Mohican.

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.
History
United States
NameUSS Mohican
NamesakeNamed for the Mohican Native American tribe (previous name retained)
BuilderLaird Brothers, Birkenhead
Launched1890
Completed1890
Acquired19 April 1917
Commissioned7 June 1917
Decommissioned15 February 1919
RenamedUSS SP-117 April 1918
FateReturned to owner 17 February 1919
NotesOperated 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 and typeAux steam yacht
TypePatrol vessel
Tonnage231 tons
Length144 ft (44 m)
Beam23 ft (7.0 m)
Draft14 ft 6 in (4.42 m)
PropulsionSteam engine
Speed8.6 knots
Complement48
Armament
Aircraft carried1 × observation balloon (kite balloon) from August 1918

History
SS Mohican as a private yacht prior to her U.S. Navy service.

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]

U.S. Navy

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).

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. On 1 October 1917, she joined the patrol boat USS Sabalo (SP-225) in coming to the assistance of the sinking patrol vessel USS Mohawk, which had collided with the British tanker Vennacher off Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and she and Sabalo rescued all 77 members of Mohawk′s crew.[3] Mohican was renamed USS SP-117 in April 1918 to avoid confusion with another Navy ship of the same name, the sloop-of-war 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.

Decommissioned

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.

Norseman, later Mohican - first vessel to navigate the Manchester Ship Canal when opened in 1894

References
  1. "USS Mohican (SP-117)". Lloyds Yacht Register. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
  2. Bureau of Navigation, 1911 Report of the Commissioner of Navigation, at p. 173 (U.S. Department of Commerce and Labor 1911).
  3. njscuba.net R.C. Mohawk
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