USS ''De Grasse'' (ID-1217) was the projected name for an armed yacht that the United States Navy acquired for service as a patrol vessel in 1918 but, according to some sources, never commissioned, although other sources claim she saw brief naval service in 1918. In World War II, she was reacquired and served as YP-506. The yacht's official number was registered under the name ''Fleet'' as of 1959, fate unknown.

History

''De Grasse'' was under construction as a wooden- hulled,

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-powered private yacht by

George Lawley and Sons George Lawley & Son was a shipbuilding firm operating in Massachusetts from 1866 to 1945. It began in Scituate, Massachusetts, Scituate, then moved to Boston. After founder George Lawley (1823–1915) retired in 1890, his son, grandson and great-g ...

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, for J. L. Redmond of New York City on 7 June 1917 when the U.S. Navy ordered her taken over for World War I service upon completion and assigned her the

Naval Registry Identification Number A Naval Registry Identification Number is a unique identifier that the U.S. Navy used for privately owned and naval vessels in the first half of the 20th century. Overview During World War I, in 1916, the U.S. Navy began a registry of privately own ...

(Id. No.) 1217. She was completed in 1918, and Commandant,

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 ...

, took control of her on 18 July 1918 in anticipation of commissioning her as USS ''De Grasse''. On 27 July 1918, the Commandant received orders to have ''De Grasse'' inspected for naval service. Tests and sea trials quickly took place at the Boston Navy Yard in Boston, Massachusetts, and revealed, as stated in a report dated 31 July 1918, that ''De Grasse'' was "unseaworthy" and of "no value for naval operations." Sources differ on whether ''De Grasse'' saw any naval service at all. Some say that she was commissioned in July 1918 and briefly served in coastal waters along the central portion of the United States East Coast,Alt URL
/ref> while others claim that the negative 31 July 1918 inspection report led to her never being commissioned or seeing naval service. Directed on 17 August 1918 to return ''De Grasse'' to her owner, Commandant, 1st Naval District, returned her to Redmond on 7 November 1918 and provided him with $500 ($ today) "for restoration of heship oits former condition." ''De Grasse'' was reacquired in 1942 for service as a district patrol craft, YP-506. The former yacht was released from service in 1946 and was sold.NavSource Online: Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive De Grasse (ID 1217)
/ref> The yacht's official number was registered with the US Coast Guard under the name ''Fleet'' as of 1959. After 1959, the yacht's fate is not known.

Notes

References

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* ttp://www.navsource.org/archives/12/171217.htm NavSource Online: Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive De Grasse (ID 1217)* {{DEFAULTSORT:De Grasse(ID-1217) Patrol vessels of the United States Navy World War I patrol vessels of the United States World War II patrol vessels of the United States Ships built in Boston Steam yachts 1918 ships