USS ''Nourmahal'' (PG-72) was a

gunboat A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies. History Pre-ste ...

used by the

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...

and

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 the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

Construction

The ''Nourmahal'' was originally built as a yacht for multi-millionaire

Vincent Astor William Vincent Astor (November 15, 1891 – February 3, 1959) was an American businessman, philanthropist, and member of the prominent Astor family. Early life Called Vincent, he was born in New York City on November 15, 1891. Astor was the el ...

in 1928 at Krupp Iron Works in

Kiel, Germany Kiel () is the capital and most populous city in the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, with a population of 246,243 (2021). Kiel lies approximately north of Hamburg. Due to its geographic location in the southeast of the Jutland pe ...

. This was the third Astor family yacht to bear the name, replacing a smaller ''Nourmahal'' designed by Cox & Stevens, Inc. and built by Robert Jacob Shipyard, City Island NY., launched March, 1921. Astor was the heir to a large New York real estate fortune after his father,

John Jacob Astor IV John Jacob Astor IV (July 13, 1864 – April 15, 1912) was an American business magnate, real estate developer, investor, writer, lieutenant colonel in the Spanish–American War, and a prominent member of the Astor family. He died in the sink ...

, died aboard the RMS ''Titanic'' in 1912.

Second World War

With the outbreak of the Second World War, ''Nourmahal'' was acquired by the Coast Guard on 21 March 1940 and was commissioned USCGC ''Nourmahal'' (WPG-72) on 21 August 1940. ''Nourmahal'' was acquired 3 March 1942 by the Navy from Astor under a bareboat charter agreement under which the vessel was to be operated by the Coast Guard under Navy ownership. ''Nourmahal'' was designated (PG-72) 9 April 1943 and purchased by the Navy for $1,000,000 under an option of the charter on 25 June 1943 (29 June in DANFS). She was returned to the Coast Guard on 29 December 1943 and reclassified as WPG-122 and was struck from the Naval Register on 12 January 1944.

Post war

''Nourmahal'' was decommissioned on 30 May 1946 and returned to Navy custody in May 1947. ''Nourmahal'' was transferred to the

Maritime Administration Maritime administrations, or flag state administrations, are the executive arms/state bodies of each government responsible for carrying out the shipping responsibilities of the state, and are tasked to administer national shipping and boating issue ...

for disposal on 18 July 1948 and, after several advertisements with no bids accepted the ship remained in the James River Fleet until sold for scrap on 11 September 1964 to Hughes Brothers, Inc. of Hampden, Maine for $27,502. The ship was withdrawn from the fleet on 24 September 1964 for scrapping.

Awards

American Defense Service Medal The American Defense Service Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces, established by , by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, on June 28, 1941. The medal was intended to recognize those military service members who had served ...

American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was first created on November 6, 1942, by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was intended to recognize those military members who had perfo ...

World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal is a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. The Wo ...

References

Sources

* http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/09072.htm Retrieved: 12 April 2015 *U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office http://www.uscg.mil/history/webcutters/Nourmahal_PG72.pdf Retrieved 12 April 2015 {{DEFAULTSORT:Nourmahal 1928 ships Ships built in Kiel Motor yachts Gunboats of the United States Navy World War II patrol vessels of the United States Ships transferred from the United States Navy to the United States Coast Guard Ships of the United States Coast Guard