USS ''Elsie III'' (SP-708) was a

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 ...

patrol vessel A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship, or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defence, border security, or law enforcement. There are many designs for patrol boats, and they ...

in commission from 1917 to 1919 that saw service during

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 ...

. After the completion of her U.S. Navy career, she was in commission in the

United States Coast and Geodetic Survey The United States Coast and Geodetic Survey (abbreviated USC&GS), known from 1807 to 1836 as the Survey of the Coast and from 1836 until 1878 as the United States Coast Survey, was the first scientific agency of the United States Government. It ...

as the

survey Survey may refer to: Statistics and human research * Statistical survey, a method for collecting quantitative information about items in a population * Survey (human research), including opinion polls Spatial measurement * Surveying, the techniq ...

launch USC&GS ''Elsie III'' from 1919 to 1944.

Construction and commissioning

''Elsie III'' was built as a

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, b ...

motorboat A motorboat, speedboat or powerboat is a boat that is exclusively powered by an engine. Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the internal combustion engine, the gea ...

of the same name in 1912 at Morris Heights in the

Bronx, New York The Bronx () is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state, state of New York (state), New York. It is south of Westchester County, New York, Westchester County; north and east of the ...

. The U.S. Navy purchased her from her owner in 1917 for

service as a patrol vessel. She was commissioned on 30 June 1917 as USS ''Elsie III'' (SP-708).

United States Navy service

Assigned to the

1st 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 ...

for

section patrol A Section Patrol Craft was a civilian vessel registered by the United States Navy for potential wartime service before, during, and shortly after World War I. Historical overview The SP/ID registration system In 1916, with World War I raging a ...

duties and based at

Boston Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...

, Massachusetts, ''Elsie III'' operated in the vicinity of Boston for the rest of World War I on patrol, despatch,

guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison ...

, towing, and transport duties.

United States Coast and Geodetic Survey service

The U.S. Navy transferred ''Elsie III'' to the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey on 21 April 1919. Commissioned into the Survey as the survey launch USC&GS ''Elsie III'', she served along the

United States East Coast The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Coast, and the Atlantic Seaboard, is the coastline along which the Eastern United States meets the North Atlantic Ocean. The eastern seaboard contains the coa ...

during her career with the Survey. Between 4 September and 12 September 1935, ''Elsie III'' joined the Coast and Geodetic Survey launch USC&GS ''Marindin'' in helping with relief efforts in the

Florida Keys The Florida Keys are a coral cay archipelago located off the southern coast of Florida, forming the southernmost part of the continental United States. They begin at the southeastern coast of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and e ...

following the passage of the violent

1935 Labor Day hurricane The Great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 was the most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall on record by pressure, with winds of up to 185 mph (297 km/h). The fourth tropical cyclone, third tropical storm, second hurricane, and se ...

. The Coast and Geodetic Survey retired ''Elsie III'' from service in 1944.

References

*
Department of the Navy: Navy History and Heritage Command: Online Library of Selected Images: Civilian Ships: USS ''Elsie III'' (SP-708), 1917-1919. Used to be the civilian motor boat ''Elsie III'' (Built 1912)
* ttp://www.history.noaa.gov/ships/elsie.html NOAA History: Tools of the Trade: Coast and Geodetic Survey Ships: Elsie IIIbr>NOAA History, A Science Odyssey: Hall of Honor: Lifesaving and the Protection of Property by the Coast and Geodetic Survey 1845-1907
{{DEFAULTSORT:Elsie III (SP-708) Patrol vessels of the United States Navy World War I patrol vessels of the United States Ships of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey Ships built in Morris Heights, Bronx 1912 ships Ships transferred from the United States Navy to the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey