USS General Putnam (SP-2284) was ferry boat acquired by the U.S. Navy for local service for a short period of time during World War I. She was returned to her owner at the close of the war.

World War I service

General Putnam (SP-2284), a ferry boat, was built in 1902 by Pusey & Jones, Wilmington, Delaware

Wilmington, Delaware

Wilmington is the largest city in the state of Delaware, United States, and is located at the confluence of the Christina River and Brandywine Creek, near where the Christina flows into the Delaware River. It is the county seat of New Castle County and one of the major cities in the Delaware Valley...

; acquired under charter by the U.S. Navy 6 February 1918 from her owner, John E. Moore & Co., New York City; taken over 16 July 1918; and placed in service at New York City 29 July 1919.

Assigned to the 3d Naval District, General Putnam was manned by the owner's civilian crew and was used as a ferry boat between New York Navy Yard and Ellis Island

Ellis Island

Ellis Island in New York Harbor was the gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States. It was the nation's busiest immigrant inspection station from 1892 until 1954. The island was greatly expanded with landfill between 1892 and 1934. Before that, the much smaller original island was the...

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After the Armistice

Armistice

An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...

, she was returned to her owner 2 October 1919.