Naval Registry Identification Number

Last updated February 16, 2024

A Naval Registry Identification Number is a unique identifier that the U.S. Navy used for privately owned and naval vessels in the first half of the 20th century.

Overview

During World War I, in 1916, the U.S. Navy began a registry of privately owned pleasure craft and yachts that were available for patrol service in the event the United States was drawn into the conflict. "Section Patrol" ("SP") numbers were assigned in a series beginning with SP-1 and ultimately extending to well over 4,000. As the registration process continued, other types of ships and craft were included for which the "Section Patrol" designation was clearly inappropriate, and these were generally given "Identification" ("ID") numbers in the same series as the "SP"s. In addition, some vessels that were numbered with an "SP" prefix before 1918 later had that prefix changed to "ID". The registry, and the SP/ID number series, was continued at least into the early 1920s, with new numbers being assigned to ships completed or examined after the end of World War I. The latter category included some ships that served in the Navy, without numbers, during 1917–1919.

Strictly speaking, these SP/ID registry numbers were not U.S. Navy "hull numbers", which would not be formally adopted until mid-1920. Many of the ships and craft so numbered had no Navy service, while others that were acquired and employed by the Navy received no numbers. However, like hull numbers, the SP/ID numbers were used for record-keeping purposes and were often painted on the exterior of vessels (especially patrol types) to facilitate identification.^[1]

List of craft with Naval Registry Identification Numbers

Related Research Articles

The United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) use a hull classification symbol to identify their ships by type and by individual ship within a type. The system is analogous to the pennant number system that the Royal Navy and other European and Commonwealth navies use.

USS Fli-Hawk (SP-550) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1919.

The first USS Magnet (SP-563) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1919.<ref>SP-563Magnet at Department of the Navy Naval History and Heritage Command Online Library of Selected Images: U.S. Navy Ships -- Listed by Hull Number "SP" #s and "ID" #s -- World War I Era Patrol Vessels and other Acquired Ships and Craft numbered from SP-500 through SP-599.

USS John Sealy (SP-568), also spelled John Sealey, was a United States Navy minesweeper in commission during 1917.

The first USS Hampton (ID-3049), also listed as SP-3049, was a United States Navy tug in commission from 1918 to 1919.

USS George F. Pierce (ID-648), sometimes reported as SP-648, was a cargo ship that served in the United States Navy from 1918 to 1922.

USS Katie (SP-660) is a civilian motor vessel which was commissioned into the United States Navy as a patrol vessel from 1917 to 1918.

USS Lexington II (SP-705), later USS SP-705, was an American patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1918.

USS Fashion (ID-755), later USS Freight Lighter No. 116, later USS YF-116, was a United States Navy freight lighter in commission from 1918 to 1922.

USS Itasca II (SP-803) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1918.

USS Marguerite II (SP-892) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 and 1919.

USS Tech Jr. (SP-1761), sometimes written as ID-1761, was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission during the latter half of 1917.

USS Peggy (SP-1058) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1918.

USS Wego (SP-1196), also spelled We-go and We Go, was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1918.

USS Hunch (SP-1197) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to possibly 1918.

USS Margaret Anderson (SP-1203) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from August to December 1917.

USS Herreshoff No. 321 (SP-2235), also written Herreshoff #321, was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1918 to 1921.

USS Estelle (SP-747), later USS SP-747, was a United States Navy patrol vessel commissioned in 1917 and stricken in 1933.

USS Captain Dud (ID-3507), later USS YD-43, was a United States Navy floating derrick in service from 1918 to 1956.

USS Western Comet (ID-3569) was a United States Navy cargo ship in commission from 1918 to 1919.

References

This article incorporates public domain material from USN Ships -- by Hull Number: SP/ID -- World War I Era Patrol Vessels and other Acquired Ships and Craft. United States Navy.^{[ dead link ]}

↑ "USN Ships -- by Hull Number: SP/ID -- World War I Era Patrol Vessels and other Acquired Ships and Craft". Archived from the original on 2010-03-29. Retrieved 2009-10-16.

External links

Department of the Navy, Naval Historical Center -

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[1] "USN Ships -- by Hull Number: SP/ID -- World War I Era Patrol Vessels and other Acquired Ships and Craft". Archived from the original on 2010-03-29. Retrieved 2009-10-16.

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