USS Ocoee

USS Ocoee (SP-1208) in port during World War I.
History
United States
Name	USS Ocoee
Namesake	Previous name retained
Builder	Matthews Boat Company, Port Clinton, Ohio
Completed	1911
Acquired	24 August 1917
Commissioned	17 September 1917
Fate	Returned to owner 17 January 1919 [1]
Notes	Operated as private motorboat Ocoee 1911-1917 and from 1919
General characteristics
Type	Patrol vessel
Tonnage	29 gross register tons
Length	67 ft 6 in (20.57 m)
Beam	13 ft (4.0 m)
Draft	4 ft 6 in (1.37 m)
Speed	10 knots
Armament	1 × 3-pounder gun 1 machine gun

Ocoee as a private motorboat at a yachting facility sometime between 1911 and 1917.

USS Ocoee (SP-1208) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1918.

Ocoee was built in 1911 as a private motorboat of the same name by the Matthews Boat Building Company at Port Clinton, Ohio. On 24 August 1917, the U.S. Navy chartered her from her owner, H. Walter Blumenthal of New York City, for use as a section patrol vessel during World War I. She was commissioned as USS Ocoee (SP-1208) on 17 September 1917.

Assigned to the 3rd Naval District, Ocoee was tasked with patrol duties in the New York City area. However, on either 5 or 6 July 1918 ^[2] she was reported to be unfit for naval service, and the Commandant, 3rd Naval District ordered her returned to Blumenthal. After a delay of over six months, she finally was returned to Blumenthal on 17 January 1919. ^[3]

Notes

1. The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS) (at http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/o1/ocoee.htm) states that Ocoee was returned to her owner on 5 July 1919, but the Naval History and Heritage Command Online Library of Selected Images (at http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-o/sp1208.htm) updates that with the clarification that she was deemed unfit for naval service on 5 or 6 July 1918 - both dates are cited, and NavSource Online (at http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/171208.htm) repeats the 5 July 1918 date - and returned to her owner on 17 January 1919. DANFS appears to have confused the determination of her lack of fitness with her return date and to have mistaken the year of the event as well.
2. The Naval History and Heritage Command Online Library of Selected Images (at http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-o/sp1208.htm) cites both dates and NavSource Online (at http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/171208.htm) repeats the 5 July 1918 date.
3. The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS) (at http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/o1/ocoee.htm) states that Ocoee was returned to her owner on 5 July 1919, but the Naval History and Heritage Command Online Library of Selected Images (at http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-o/sp1208.htm) updates that with the clarification that she was deemed unfit for naval service on 5 or 6 July 1918 - both dates are cited, and NavSource Online (at http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/171208.htm) repeats the 5 July 1918 date - and returned to her owner on 17 January 1919. DANFS appears to have confused the determination of her lack of fitness with her return date and to have mistaken the year of the event as well.

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 History and Heritage Command Online Library of Selected Images: U.S. Navy Ships: USS Ocoee (SP-1208), 1917-1919. Originally the civilian motor boat Ocoee.
• NavSource Online: Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive: Ocoee (SP 1208)