USS Winchester (SP-156) was an armed yacht that served in the United States Navy as a patrol vessel from 1917 to 1919. Prior to and following World War I, Winchester was a private yacht, later renamed Renard. In World War II, Renard was requisitioned for use in the Royal Canadian Navy as a patrol vessel, keeping her name. She was returned to her owners in 1944.
An armed yacht was a yacht that was armed with weapons and was typically in the service of a navy. The word "yacht" was originally applied to small, fast and agile naval vessels suited to piracy and to employment by navies and coast guards against smugglers and pirates. Vessels of this type were adapted to racing by wealthy owners. The origin of civilian yachts as naval vessels, with their speed and maneuverability, made them useful for adaptation to their original function as patrol vessels. In the United States Navy armed yachts were typically private yachts expropriated for government use in times of war. Armed yachts served as patrol vessels during the Spanish–American War and the World Wars. In the latter conflicts, armed yachts were used as patrol vessels, convoy escorts, and in anti-submarine duties. In the United States, yachts were purchased from their owners with the owners given an option to repurchase their yacht at the close of hostilities.
USS Artemis (SP-593), launched as the steam yacht Cristina then upon sale the yacht was renamed Artemis. The yacht was purchased by the United States Navy during World War I and the name was retained. Artemis was armed with guns and depth charges and sent to Europe as a patrol craft to protect Allied ships from German submarines and other dangers. The patrol yacht was renamed Arcturus in 1918. Post-war she was returned to the United States and turned over to the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey. Later, again Artemis, the vessel was in civilian operation until burning and sinking in 1927.
USS Margaret (SP-527) was a yacht acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War I and in commission as a patrol vessel from 1917 to 1918. She was assigned to escort and patrol duty in the North Atlantic Ocean. Unfortunately, she had numerous mechanical problems and her commanding officer -- Lieutenant Commander Frank Jack Fletcher (1885–1973), a future admiral and aircraft carrier task force commander of World War II – did not consider her an effective fighting ship. Fletcher would finally ask the Navy to condemn her as unfit for naval service—something the Navy promptly did.
USS Anderton (SP-530), originally to have been USS Raymond J. Anderton (SP-530), was a patrol vessel and minesweeper that served in the United States Navy from 1917 to 1919.
USS Wachusetts (SP-548) was an armed motorboat that served in the United States Navy as a patrol vessel from 1917 to 1919. She was renamed SP-548 during her period of service. In 1919 she was transferred to the United States Bureau of Fisheries and renamed USFS Fulmar, and operated as a fisheries science research vessel on the Great Lakes until 1933 or 1934, when she was transferred to the Ohio Division of Conservation.
USS Arawan II (SP-1) was a motor yacht that served in the United States Navy as a patrol vessel from 1917 to 1918.
USS Patrol No. 7 (SP-31), often rendered as USS Patrol #7, was an armed motorboat that served in the United States Navy as a patrol vessel from 1917 to 1919.
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.
USS Elsie III (SP-708) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1919 that saw service during World War I. After the completion of her U.S. Navy career, she was in commission in the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey as the survey launch USC&GS Elsie III from 1919 to 1944.
USS Aloha (SP-317) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1919.
USS J. A. Palmer (SP-319), later USS SP-319, was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission between 1917 and 1919. The vessel was later USCGC Pequot in U.S. Coast Guard service.
USS Vergana (SP-519), later OYP-519, was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1919.
USS Aramis (SP-418/PY-7) was a yacht acquired by the United States Navy during World War I which served as a patrol boat off New York City, was then fitted with an experimental "underwater detection system" and depth charges as an anti-submarine vessel, and was briefly the flagship of a battleship squadron. She ended her career as a tender and houseboat to a survey vessel off the coast of Cuba, until disposed of in 1933.
USS Cobra (SP-626) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1919 that operated during World War I. She originally was constructed as a private motorboat. After the conclusion of her U.S. Navy career, she served as the fishery patrol vessel USFS Petrel for the United States Bureau of Fisheries from 1919 to 1934, operating in the waters of the Territory of Alaska.
The second USS Calypso (SP-632) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1919. She originally operated as the private motorboat Calypso from 1909 to 1917. After the conclusion of her U.S. Navy career, she served as the fishery patrol vessel in the United States Bureau of Fisheries fleet from 1919 to 1940 as USFS Merganser and in the Fish and Wildlife Service fleet as US FWS Merganser from 1940 to 1942.
USS Vitesse (SP-1192) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1918.
The third USS Pilgrim (SP-1204) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1919.
USS Arctic (SP-1158) was a wooden-hulled steam tug acquired by the US Navy during World War I. Arctic was briefly employed as a convoy escort during the war and later used to tow targets and transport ammunition. She was returned to commercial service in 1919.
USS Audwin (SP-451) was a patrol vessel that served in the United States Navy from 1917 to 1919. She then was a survey vessel in the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey from 1919 to 1927.
United States