USS ''Sultana'' (SP-134) was a

yacht A yacht is a sailing or power vessel used for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a , as opposed to a , such a pleasu ...

acquired under a free lease by the

U.S. 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 o ...

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 outfitted as a

patrol craft 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 ...

and was assigned to escort duty in the North

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

. She served honorably—rescuing survivors adrift in the water and protecting cargo ships from submarine attack—and was returned to her owner at the close of the war.

Built in Erie Basin, New York

''Sultana'' (SP-134) was built in 1889 by Handren and Robins at Erie Basin, New York. It was commissioned for Trenor Luther Park and his wife Julia Hunt Catlin, of New York City. They spent their honeymoon on it and crossed the Atlantic "about 75 times" as quoted from her memoires. "We cruised from the Windward Isles to South America. One time we cruised for a year and a half from the North Cape to the Suez, stopping wherever and for as long as we pleased." Trenor L. Park was a Harvard graduate, silk merchant and prominent yachtsman. Around 1895, Sultana was purchased by John R. Drexel who kept the yacht for ten years. In 1907, ownership shifted to Edward E. Harriman and after his death in 1909 to his widow Mrs Mary Harriman. On 4 May 1917, Mrs. Harriman loaned the steam yacht to the United States Navy under a free lease; the yacht was commissioned on 27 May 1917.

World War I service

Assigned to the North Atlantic Ocean

''Sultana'' was fitted out at the New York Navy Yard, and she joined a special patrol force at Tompkinsville, New York, on 6 June. The force sailed for

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 ...

on 9 June. On 4 July, she rescued 45 survivors of the American merchantman, ''Orleans'', which has been

torpedo A modern torpedo is an underwater ranged weapon launched above or below the water surface, self-propelled towards a target, and with an explosive warhead designed to detonate either on contact with or in proximity to the target. Historically, s ...

ed the day before; and she landed them at

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, that evening. From 4 July 1917 to 5 December 1918, ''Sultana'' was attached to the United States Patrol Squadron based at Brest and performed escort and patrol duty. On 5 December, after the war had ended, she headed for home via the

Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...

and

Bermuda ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = "Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , es ...

, and arrived at

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on 28 December 1918.

Post-war decommissioning and disposal

''Sultana'' was stripped of her military hardware, decommissioned, and returned to Mrs. Harriman on 17 February 1919 and struck 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 ...

. As once again a private steam yacht, the Sultana according to Lloyd's registry, had a series of owners after Mrs Harriman; Paul E. DeFere, F. B. Dunn, John P. Mills and J. Q. Tabor. The 1937 version of Lloyds register of Yacht just lists Sultana as "wrecked", with no further information.

References

*
USS Sultana (SP-134), 1917-1919. Previously the Civilian yacht Sultana
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sultana Steam yachts Patrol vessels of the United States Navy Ships built in New York (state) World War I patrol vessels of the United States 1889 ships

Built in Erie Basin, New York

World War I service

Assigned to the North Atlantic Ocean

Post-war decommissioning and disposal

See also

References