USS Pontiac (ID-2343)

USS Pontiac (ID 2343) was a commercial ferryboat twice chartered by the U.S. Navy during World War I. After acquiring the ferry from the Pawtucket Steamboat Co, the Navy was not able to find an adequate use for the vessel, such as a minesweeper, and returned it, finally, to its owner.

Pontiac photographed prior to her World War I Navy service.
History
United States
Name: USS Pontiac
Namesake: Chief Pontiac
Christened: as Pioneer
Completed: 1883
Acquired: chartered by the US Navy 4 March 1918
In service: March 1918
Out of service: July 1918
Refit: 1909
Stricken: est. July 1918
Fate: returned to owner 1918
General characteristics
Type: ferryboat
Tonnage: 112 gross tons
Length: 114 ft (35 m)
Beam: 22 ft 2 in (6.76 m)
Draft: 4 ft 6 in (1.37 m)
Speed: 8 kn (15 km/h; 9.2 mph)

Built in Rhode Island

Pontiac, a 112 gross ton steam ferryboat built at East Providence, Rhode Island, in 1883 and rebuilt there in 1909, was previously named Pioneer.

World War I service

She was chartered by the Navy in March 1918 and briefly was USS Pontiac (ID 2343). However, a planned conversion to a minesweeper was not carried out and she was returned to her owner in June 1918. Again taken over soon after that, she was given back to her owner for a final time in July 1918.

References

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.