USS ''Herreshoff No. 321'' (SP-2235), also written ''Herreshoff #321'', 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 the ...

in commission from 1918 to 1921.

Construction, acquisition, and commissioning

At the suggestion of

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (ASN) is the title given to certain civilian senior officials in the United States Department of the Navy. From 1861 to 1954, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy was the second-highest civilian office in the Depar ...

(and future President of the United States)

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

(1882–1945), businessman

Payne Whitney William Payne Whitney (March 20, 1876 – May 25, 1927) was an American businessman and member of the influential Whitney family. He inherited a fortune and enlarged it through business dealings, then devoted much of his money and efforts to ...

(1876–1927) of New York City, seeking a way to contribute to the U.S. war effort 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 ...

, contracted with the

Herreshoff Manufacturing Company Nathanael Greene Herreshoff (March 18, 1848 – June 2, 1938) was an American naval architect, mechanical engineer, and yacht design innovator. He produced a succession of undefeated America's Cup defenders between 1893 and 1920. Biography Her ...

Bristol Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...

, Rhode Island, for one of a small group of 60-ton 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 ...

steam-powered boats built to a naval

patrol boat 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 the ...

design for private owners with the intention that they would be made available to the U.S. Navy in time of war. Whitneys boat, with the builders name ''Herreshoff No. 321'', was completed in 1917. On 24 March 1918, the U.S. Navy acquired ''Herreshoff No. 321'' from Whitney for use as a

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 ...

boat during World War I. She was commissioned at Newport, Rhode Island, as USS ''Herreshoff No. 321'' (SP-2235) the same day.

Operational history

After spending a short time at

New London New London may refer to: Places United States *New London, Alabama *New London, Connecticut *New London, Indiana *New London, Iowa *New London, Maryland *New London, Minnesota *New London, Missouri *New London, New Hampshire, a New England town ** ...

, Connecticut,

fitting out Fitting out, or outfitting, is the process in shipbuilding that follows the float-out/launching of a vessel and precedes sea trials. It is the period when all the remaining construction of the ship is completed and readied for delivery to her o ...

with listening gear, ''Herreshoff No. 321'' departed New London on 5 May 1918 in company with the patrol boats and bound for the Panama Canal Zone, stopping at Charleston, South Carolina; Key West, Florida; and Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, en route. She arrived at Cristóbal in the Canal Zone on 1 June 1918. She was assigned duty as a patrol vessel in

Panama Bay The Panama Bay ( es, Bahia de Panamá) is a large body of water off the coast of southern Panama, at . It is a part of the greater Gulf of Panama. Pollution Problems The Panama Bay is considered to be in an eutrophic state by the World Resources ...

and was used in support of aerial patrols off Panama. Two years later, ''Herreshoff No. 321'' was offered for sale, but the offer was retracted and instead she was designated for duty with Torpedo Station Keyport at Keyport, Washington.

Loss

While the ammunition ship was towing ''Herreshoff No. 321'' to Keyport, the towing hawser connecting the ships parted off

Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most populous urban a ...

on 7 October 1921. Before ''Nitro'' could make her fast again, ''Herreshoff No. 321'' sank. ''Herreshoff No. 321'' was stricken from the

Navy List A Navy Directory, formerly the Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval autho ...

on 8 October 1921.

Notes

References

*
SP-2235: ''Herreshoff 321'' at Department of the Navy Naval History and Heritage Command Online Library of Selected Images: U.S. Navy Ships – Listed by Hull Number: "SP" #s and "ID" #s – World War I Era Patrol Vessels and other Acquired Ships and Craft numbered from ID # 2200 through ID # 2299
{{DEFAULTSORT:Herreshoff No. 321 (SP-2235) Patrol vessels of the United States Navy World War I patrol vessels of the United States Ships built in Bristol, Rhode Island 1917 ships Maritime incidents in 1921 Shipwrecks of the California coast