USS SC-209

Last updated
USS SC-209.jpg
History
Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg  United States Navy
Name
  • Submarine Chaser No. 209 (1917–1918)
  • SC-209 (retrospectively, 1920)
Builder Mathis Yacht Building Company, Camden, New Jersey
Laid down1917
CommissionedMarch 1918
Identification
FateSunk 27 August 1918
StrickenLate 1919
ReclassifiedSC-209 on 17 July 1920 (retrospectively)
General characteristics
Class and type SC-1-class submarine chaser
Displacement
  • 77 tons normal
  • 85 tons full load
Length
Beam14 ft 9 in (4.50 m)
Draft
  • 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) normal
  • 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) full load
PropulsionThree 220  bhp (160  kW) Standard Motor Construction Company six-cylinder gasoline engines, three shafts, 2,400 US gal (9,100 L) of gasoline; one Standard Motor Construction Company two-cylinder gasoline-powered auxiliary engine
Speed18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Range1,000 nmi (1,900 km; 1,200 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement27 (2 officers, 25 enlisted men)
Sensors and
processing systems		One Submarine Signal Company S.C. C Tube, M.B. Tube, or K Tube hydrophone
Armament

USS SC-209, prior to July 1920, known as USS Submarine Chaser No. 209 or USS S.C. 209, was an SC-1-class submarine chaser in commission in the United States Navy during 1918. She was the victim of the deadliest friendly fire incident involving the U.S. Navy during World War I.

Contents

Construction and commissioning

SC-209 was a wooden-hulled 110-foot (34 m) submarine chaser laid down by the Mathis Yacht Building Company at Camden, New Jersey, in 1917. [1] She was commissioned in March 1918 as USS Submarine Chaser No. 209, abbreviated at the time as USS S.C. 209.

Service history

U.S. Navy submarine chasers at sea in August 1918 with USS S.C. 209 in the lead. Subchasers Aug 1918 USS SC-209 in lead.jpg
U.S. Navy submarine chasers at sea in August 1918 with USS S.C. 209 in the lead.

On 22 August 1918, the Patterson Group was created to perform patrol and antisubmarine warfare duties also the United States East Coast during World War I. It consisted of the destroyer USS Patterson, which served as its flagship, and 12 submarine chasers, including S.C. 209. [2]

During the predawn hours of 27 August 1918, S.C. 209 was part of a scouting line of 11 submarine chasers patrolling with Patterson in the Atlantic Ocean south of Long Island, New York, in search of Imperial German Navy submarines. The United States Army-chartered armed cargo ship SS Felix Taussig, with guns manned by U.S. Navy gunners, was passing through the area, nearing the end of a voyage from Bordeaux, France, to New York City. At 02:40, Felix Taussig sighted S.C. 209 on her port beam, headed in the same direction. S.C. 209 drew ahead of Felix Taussig and then crossed her bow. S.C. 209 was operating without running lights, and in the darkness, Felix Taussig's crew mistook her for a German submarine. Felix Taussig's 3-inch (76.2 mm) forward gun fired four rounds, and her 4-inch (102 mm) after gun fired one. After the third shot, S.C. 209 turned on her running lights to identify herself as friendly, but the last shots were fired before the gunners aboard Felix Taussig received the order to cease firing. The second and fourth 3-inch rounds struck S.C. 209, and she caught fire and sank in only three minutes at 40°08′N073°12′W / 40.133°N 73.200°W / 40.133; -73.200 (USS S.C. 209) with the loss of two officers and 16 men. The submarine chaser USS S.C. 188 rescued S.C. 209's five survivors, four of whom were wounded. Patterson and two other submarine chasers searched the area but found no more survivors. Felix Taussig stood by to render assistance until Patterson directed her to continue her voyage to New York City. Patterson carried the wounded survivors into New York Harbor for transfer to the U.S. Navy hospital ship USS Comfort. The sinking of SC-209 was the U.S. Navy's largest loss of life in a single friendly fire incident during World War I. [1] [3] [4]

S.C. 209 was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register in late 1919. [1]

When the U.S. Navy adopted its modern hull number system on 17 July 1920, Submarine Chaser No. 209 retrospectively was classified as SC-209, and her name was shortened to USS SC-209

Honors and awards

Related Research Articles

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USS <i>SC-2</i>

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USS <i>SC-3</i>

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USS SC-6, until July 1920 known as Submarine Chaser No. 6 or S.C. 6, was an SC-1-class submarine chaser built for the United States Navy during World War I.

USS <i>SC-20</i>

USS SC-20, until July 1920 known as USS Submarine Chaser No. 20 or USS S.C. 20, was an SC-1-class submarine chaser built for the United States Navy during World War I.

USS <i>SC-21</i>

USS SC-21, until July 1920 known as USS Submarine Chaser No. 21 or USS S.C. 21, was an SC-1-class submarine chaser built for the United States Navy during World War I.

USS <i>SC-23</i>

USS SC-23, until July 1920 known as USS Submarine Chaser No. 23 or USS S.C. 23, was an SC-1-class submarine chaser built for the United States Navy during World War I.

USS <i>SC-25</i>

USS SC-25, until July 1920 known as USS Submarine Chaser No. 25 or USS S.C. 25, was an SC-1-class submarine chaser built for the United States Navy during World War I.

USS <i>SC-35</i>

USS SC-35, until July 1920 known as USS Submarine Chaser No. 35 or USS S.C. 35, was an SC-1-class submarine chaser built for the United States Navy during World War I.

USS <i>SC-36</i>

USS SC-36, until July 1920 known as USS Submarine Chaser No. 36 or USS S.C. 36, was an SC-1-class submarine chaser built for the United States Navy during World War I.

USS <i>SC-39</i>

USS SC-39, until July 1920 known as USS Submarine Chaser No. 39 or USS S.C. 39, was an SC-1-class submarine chaser built for the United States Navy during World War I.

USS <i>SC-40</i>

USS SC-40, until July 1920 known as USS Submarine Chaser No. 40 or USS S.C. 40, was an SC-1-class submarine chaser built for the United States Navy during World War I.

USS <i>SC-42</i>

USS SC-42, until July 1920 known as USS Submarine Chaser No. 42 or USS S.C. 42, was an SC-1-class submarine chaser built for the United States Navy during World War I.

USS <i>SC-44</i>

USS SC-44, until July 1920 known as USS Submarine Chaser No. 44 or USS S.C. 44, was an SC-1-class submarine chaser built for the United States Navy during World War I.

<i>SC-1</i>-class submarine chaser

The SC-1 class was a large class of submarine chasers built during World War I for the United States Navy. They were ordered in very large numbers in order to combat attacks by German U-boats, with 442 boats built from 1917 to 1919.

USS <i>Felix Taussig</i> Cargo ship of the United States Navy

USS Felix Taussig (ID-2282) was a cargo ship in commission in the United States Navy from 1918 to 1919. She saw service during World War I. Prior to her U.S. Navy service, she operated as the American commercial cargo ship SS Felix Taussig under charter to the United States Army. During this service she mistakenly sank the U.S. Navy submarine chaser USS SC-209 in the deadliest friendly fire incident involving the U.S. Navy of World War I. Felix Taussig returned to commercial service after World War I, first as SS Felix Taussig from 1919 to 1948, then from 1948 until 1953 under the Italian flag as SS Ata.

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USS SC-94, prior to July 1920 known as USS Submarine Chaser No. 94 or USS S.C. 94, was an SC-1-class submarine chaser built for the United States Navy during World War I. She operated as part of the Otranto Barrage during the war.

USS SC-151, prior to July 1920 known as USS Submarine Chaser No. 151 or USS S.C. 151, was an SC-1-class submarine chaser built for the United States Navy during World War I. She operated as part of the Otranto Barrage during the war.

USS <i>SC-227</i> US naval vessel in WWI and WWII

USS SC-227, prior to July 1920 known as USS Submarine Chaser No. 227 or USS S.C. 227, was an SC-1-class submarine chaser built for the United States Navy during World War I. She operated as part of the Otranto Barrage during the war.

References

Footnotes

Bibliography

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