USS ''Caspian'' (ID-1380) was the proposed name and

hull classification The United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, and United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) use a hull classification symbol (sometimes called hull code or hull number) to identify their ships by type and by ind ...

for a tug that never actually served in 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 ...

. SS ''Caspian'' was a steel-

hulled Husk (or hull) in botany is the outer shell or coating of a seed. In the United States, the term husk often refers to the leafy outer covering of an ear of maize (corn) as it grows on the plant. Literally, a husk or hull includes the protective ...

commercial tug built in 1912 by John Dialogue and Son at Camden, New Jersey. In early March 1918, the

Commandant Commandant ( or ) is a title often given to the officer in charge of a military (or other uniformed service) training establishment or academy. This usage is common in English-speaking nations. In some countries it may be a military or police ran ...

of the US Navy's 4th Naval District ordered that she be taken over for

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

service. The Navy assigned her the hull classification ID-1380 in anticipation of commissioning her as USS ''Caspian''. However, the Navy never took possession of her, and she remained in

civilian Civilians under international humanitarian law are "persons who are not members of the armed forces" and they are not " combatants if they carry arms openly and respect the laws and customs of war". It is slightly different from a non-combatant ...

service with her owner, P. F. Martin of

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...

, Pennsylvania.

References

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Caspian (ID-1329) Cancelled ships of the United States Navy Ships built by Dialogue & Company 1912 ships World War I merchant ships of the United States Tugboats of the United States