USS ''Onyx'' (PYc-5), was a diesel coastal patrol yacht of the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
The ship was built in 1924 as ''Janey III'' by
Consolidated Shipbuilding Corp. of
Morris Heights, New York
Morris Heights is a residential neighborhood located in the West Bronx. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: West Burnside Avenue to the north, Jerome Avenue to the east, the Cross-Bronx Expressway to the south, and ...
, and was subsequently renamed ''Rene'' and ''Pegasus''.
Purchased by the Navy on 3 December 1940 from Clifford C. Hemphill, of
New York City
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, converted to Navy use and named ''Onyx'', she was classified as a coastal yacht on 13 December 1940, and commissioned on 27 February 1941.
Service history
After conversion she departed New York for Norfolk, arriving on 22 March. Sailing again, she reached
on 5 April to report for duty to Commandant
8th Naval District
The naval district was a U.S. Navy military and administrative command ashore. Apart from Naval District Washington, the Districts were disestablished and renamed Navy Regions about 1999, and are now under Commander, Naval Installations Command ...
. ''Onyx'' performed services for ComEight as a coastal patrol vessel around the Gulf area until January 1942. On 22 January she departed
Key West, Florida
Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Sigsbee Park, Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Isla ...
to return to New York and arrived there on 31 January.
''Onyx'' was again ordered to report to the 8th Naval District at New Orleans and was underway by 13 March, arriving on 27 March. She resumed services and continued in this capacity until February 1944 when she was extensively damaged in a collision. Beyond economic repair, her ordnance was removed and she was placed out of commission, in service, retaining her name and designation, on 15 May 1944. She was designated a target vessel on 31 May, the same year, and made available for disposition on 31 October.
Considered for conversion to a fuel barge in November, her conversion never materialized and ''Onyx'' was placed out of service on 1 February 1945 and returned to
War Shipping Administration
The War Shipping Administration (WSA) was a World War II emergency war agency of the US government, tasked to purchase and operate the civilian shipping tonnage the United States needed for fighting the war. Both shipbuilding under the Maritime Co ...
on 2 February. She was struck from the U.S.
Naval Vessel Register
The ''Naval Vessel Register'' (NVR) is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from t ...
on 5 February 1945.
References
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External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Onyx (PYc-5)
Patrol vessels of the United States Navy
World War II patrol vessels of the United States
1924 ships
Maritime incidents in February 1944
Ships built in Morris Heights, Bronx