USS ''Gypsum Queen'' (SP-430) was a

tugboat A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, su ...

acquired by 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 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 ...

. She was assigned to the French coast as a minesweeper, as well as a tugboat to provide assistance to disabled Allied ships. Performing this dangerous work, ''Gypsum Queen'' struck a rock near

Brest, France Brest (; ) is a port city in the Finistère department, Brittany. Located in a sheltered bay not far from the western tip of the peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French m ...

, and sunk, sending 15 crew members to their deaths.

Constructed in Camden, New Jersey

''Gypsum Queen'' — a sea-going tug — was built by Dialogue & Company, Camden, New Jersey in 1890, acquired from her owners, J. B. King Transportation Co. of

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...

in September 1917; and commissioned on 4 December 1917 at

World War I service

Turned over to the

3d 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 Comman ...

, ''Gypsum Queen'' was fitted out for overseas service at New York Navy Yard and subsequently served in French ports as a towing vessel and a minesweeper.

Sinking

While returning from rendering assistance to minesweepers foundering off the coast of

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

, ''Gypsum Queen'' struck a rock near Armen Light House off

Brest Brest may refer to: Places *Brest, Belarus **Brest Region **Brest Airport **Brest Fortress * Brest, Kyustendil Province, Bulgaria * Břest, Czech Republic *Brest, France ** Arrondissement of Brest **Brest Bretagne Airport ** Château de Brest *Br ...

on 28 April 1919 and sank with a loss of two officers and 13 men.

References

*
John H. Dialogue - Dialogue Shipyard
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gypsum Queen World War I auxiliary ships of the United States Tugs of the United States Navy Ships built by Dialogue & Company Shipwrecks in the Bay of Biscay 1890 ships Minesweepers of the United States Navy World War I minesweepers of the United States Maritime incidents in 1919