USS Sovereign (SP-170)

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

Sovereign as a civilian yacht sometime between 1911 and 1918, prior to her U.S. Navy service.
History
United States
Name	USS Sovereign
Namesake	Previous name retained
Builder	Charles L. Seabury and Company, Morris Heights, the Bronx, New York
Completed	1911
Acquired	14 June 1918
Commissioned	1918
Stricken	23 April 1919
Fate	Returned to owner 1919
Notes	Operated as civilian yacht Sovereign 1911-1918 and from 1919
General characteristics
Type	Patrol vessel
Tonnage	173 Gross register tons
Length	166 ft (51 m)
Beam	16 ft 3 in (4.95 m)
Draft	4 ft 6 in (1.37 m) aft
Depth	9 ft 4 in (2.84 m)
Propulsion	Steam turbine, one shaft
Speed	29 miles per hour [1]
Armament	2 × 3-inch (76.2-millimeter) guns

The second USS Sovereign (SP-170) was an armed yacht that served in the United States Navy as a patrol vessel from 1918 to 1919.

Sovereign was built as a civilian yacht of the same name in 1911 by Charles L. Seabury and Company at Morris Heights in the Bronx, New York, for private use as a pleasure and commuting vessel. Prior to the entry of the United States into World War I in April 1917, Sovereign was registered with the U.S. Navy for potential service in time of war, and the Navy acquired her from the estate of M. C. D. Borden on 14 June 1918 for World War I service as a patrol vessel. She was commissioned as USS Sovereign (SP-170).

Sovereign served the 3rd Naval District as a patrol craft in the New York City area for ten months.

On 23 April 1919, Sovereign was stricken from the Navy List, and soon thereafter she was returned to her owner's estate.

Notes

1. Sources (see the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships at http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s15/sovereign-ii.htm, the Naval Historical Center Online Library of Selected Images at http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-civil/civsh-s/sovergn.htm, and NavSource Online at http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/170170.htm) cite a speed of 29 "miles per hour", implying a speed in statute miles per hour, which is very unusual for a watercraft. It is possible that her speed was 29 knots; if her speed actually was 29 statute miles per hour, the equivalent in knots is 25.

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: U.S. Navy Ships: Sovereign (American Steam Yacht, 1911). Served in 1918-1919 as USS Sovereign (SP-170)
• NavSource Online: Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive USS Sovereign (SP-170)