USS Wanderer (SP-132)
Encyclopedia
The third USS Wanderer (SP-132), was an armed yacht
that served in the United States Navy
from 1917 to 1919.
Wanderer was built in 1897 as the "gentleman's private steam
yacht
" Kethailes at Leith
, Scotland
, by Ramage and Ferguson for William Johnston, a wealthy shipowner. Kethailes was sold to Mr. H. A. C. Taylor of New York City
in 1903 and renamed Wanderer.
The U.S. Navy acquired Wanderer from Taylor on 10 June 1917 for service in World War I
. Designated SP-132, she was commissioned
as USS Wanderer New York on 14 July 1917 with Lieutenant
Pierre L. Wilson in command.
On 28 July 1917, Wanderer departed New York for a brief shakedown before she joined the rest of her division at St. John's, Newfoundland
, where she arrived on 9 August 1917. Wanderer and six other yachts cleared St. John's on 12 August 1917 bound for Ponta Delgada
in the Azores
, where they made a four-day stop between 19 August 1917 and 24 August 1917. Late in the evening of 29 August 1917, the yachts anchored off the breakwater at their destination, Brest
, France
. The following morning, she and her division mates entered the port itself and tied up to mooring buoys.
Wanderer was assigned to antisubmarine patrol and coastal convoy
escort duties along the north Bay of Biscay
coast. Her duty there was enlivened by the weather
, which was known for its severity. Wanderer -- designed as a pleasure craft, not as sturdy as a warship —- had less to fear from German
submarine
s than from naval mine
s, weather, and the rocky, fog
gy shore. She operated initially on the Brest-to-Quiberon Bay
leg of the coastal convoy route.
To add to the danger, the Americans initially adopted the French
-British
system of running their coastal and channel convoys at night.
The darkness, however, did not hide Wanderers convoy on the night of 28–29 November 1917, when a submarine successfully sank one of the ships in the convoy and made good her escape. The darkness that was supposed to conceal the convoy actually covered the U-boat
's retirement and foiled attempts to hunt the submerged enemy.
Nevertheless, the French and British insisted on night rather than daylight convoys. It was not until the evening of 7 January 1918, when another Wanderer-escorted convoy lost four ships to a U-boat, that the French and British acquiesced to American
demands for daylight convoys supported by patrolling aircraft
.
The theory behind sending convoys through dangerous waters during daylight was that it as better to find and attack the enemy than try to conceal shipping from him. The very next week, Wanderers first daylight convoy -— also one of the first so conducted —- helped to prove the validity of the concept of daylight convoys escorted by ships and aircraft, making the voyage unmolested. On 12 January 1918, while escorting that convoy from Brest to Quiberon Bay in daylight, Wanderer rescued 10 survivors from the French ship SS Chateau Faite, which had attempted a night transit. "Penmarch Pete", as the Allies
nicknamed the U-boat usually stationed off Point Penmarc'h
-— had exacted his toll.
On 8 February 1918, Wanderers portion of the coastal convoy route was extended. From then on, instead of simply making the single-day passage from Brest to Quiberon Bay, she laid over for the night at Quiberon Bay and continued south with the convoy to the mouth of the Gironde River and thence into Bordeaux
. On the night of 22–23 April 1918, during the layover at Quiberon Bay on the return trip from Bordeaux to Brest, she witnessed the explosion of the ammunition-laden SS Florence H. Though. In reasonably close proximity to the ill-fated ship, Wanderer was prevented from approaching the floating conflagration by the large quantity of high explosives she carried to use against U-boats. Instead, she was forced to leave the rescue operations to the destroyer
s and smaller craft in the bay.
Wanderer continued her escort and patrol service on the French coast through the end of the war. It appears that she had no further noteworthy encounters with the enemy before the armistice
of 11 November 1918.
Wanderer departed Brest on 5 December 1918, sailed via the Azores and Bermuda
, and reached New London
, Connecticut
, on 30 December 1918. In April 1919, she moved to New York City and was decommissioned
. Her name was struck from the Navy List
on 24 April 1919, and she was sold on 22 July 1920 to Mr. J. S. Webster of Baltimore, Maryland
.
Wanderer was one of two U.S. Navy warships named USS Wanderer in service simultaneously during World War I, the other being USS Wanderer (SP-2440)
.
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
that served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
from 1917 to 1919.
Wanderer was built in 1897 as the "gentleman's private steam
Steam
Steam is the technical term for water vapor, the gaseous phase of water, which is formed when water boils. In common language it is often used to refer to the visible mist of water droplets formed as this water vapor condenses in the presence of cooler air...
yacht
Yacht
A yacht is a recreational boat or ship. The term originated from the Dutch Jacht meaning "hunt". It was originally defined as a light fast sailing vessel used by the Dutch navy to pursue pirates and other transgressors around and into the shallow waters of the Low Countries...
" Kethailes at Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, by Ramage and Ferguson for William Johnston, a wealthy shipowner. Kethailes was sold to Mr. H. A. C. Taylor of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1903 and renamed Wanderer.
The U.S. Navy acquired Wanderer from Taylor on 10 June 1917 for service in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Designated SP-132, she was commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
as USS Wanderer New York on 14 July 1917 with Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
Pierre L. Wilson in command.
On 28 July 1917, Wanderer departed New York for a brief shakedown before she joined the rest of her division at St. John's, Newfoundland
Dominion of Newfoundland
The Dominion of Newfoundland was a British Dominion from 1907 to 1949 . The Dominion of Newfoundland was situated in northeastern North America along the Atlantic coast and comprised the island of Newfoundland and Labrador on the continental mainland...
, where she arrived on 9 August 1917. Wanderer and six other yachts cleared St. John's on 12 August 1917 bound for Ponta Delgada
Ponta Delgada
Ponta Delgada is a city and municipality on the island of São Miguel in the archipelago of the Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal. It includes 44,403 residents in the urban area, and approximately 20,113 inhabitants in the three central parishes that comprise the historical city: São Pedro,...
in the Azores
Azores
The Archipelago of the Azores is composed of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is located about west from Lisbon and about east from the east coast of North America. The islands, and their economic exclusion zone, form the Autonomous Region of the...
, where they made a four-day stop between 19 August 1917 and 24 August 1917. Late in the evening of 29 August 1917, the yachts anchored off the breakwater at their destination, Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The following morning, she and her division mates entered the port itself and tied up to mooring buoys.
Wanderer was assigned to antisubmarine patrol and coastal convoy
Convoy
A convoy is a group of vehicles, typically motor vehicles or ships, traveling together for mutual support and protection. Often, a convoy is organized with armed defensive support, though it may also be used in a non-military sense, for example when driving through remote areas.-Age of Sail:Naval...
escort duties along the north Bay of Biscay
Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Brest south to the Spanish border, and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal, and is named in English after the province of Biscay, in the Spanish...
coast. Her duty there was enlivened by the weather
Weather
Weather is the state of the atmosphere, to the degree that it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. Most weather phenomena occur in the troposphere, just below the stratosphere. Weather refers, generally, to day-to-day temperature and precipitation activity, whereas climate...
, which was known for its severity. Wanderer -- designed as a pleasure craft, not as sturdy as a warship —- had less to fear from German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
submarine
Submarine
A submarine is a watercraft capable of independent operation below the surface of the water. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability...
s than from naval mine
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
s, weather, and the rocky, fog
Fog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
gy shore. She operated initially on the Brest-to-Quiberon Bay
Quiberon Bay
The Baie de Quiberon is an area of sheltered water on the south coast of Brittany. The bay is in the Morbihan département.-Geography:The bay is roughly triangular in shape, open to the south with the Gulf of Morbihan to the north-east and the narrow peninsular of Presqu'île de Quiberon providing...
leg of the coastal convoy route.
To add to the danger, the Americans initially adopted the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
system of running their coastal and channel convoys at night.
The darkness, however, did not hide Wanderers convoy on the night of 28–29 November 1917, when a submarine successfully sank one of the ships in the convoy and made good her escape. The darkness that was supposed to conceal the convoy actually covered the U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
's retirement and foiled attempts to hunt the submerged enemy.
Nevertheless, the French and British insisted on night rather than daylight convoys. It was not until the evening of 7 January 1918, when another Wanderer-escorted convoy lost four ships to a U-boat, that the French and British acquiesced to American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
demands for daylight convoys supported by patrolling aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
.
The theory behind sending convoys through dangerous waters during daylight was that it as better to find and attack the enemy than try to conceal shipping from him. The very next week, Wanderers first daylight convoy -— also one of the first so conducted —- helped to prove the validity of the concept of daylight convoys escorted by ships and aircraft, making the voyage unmolested. On 12 January 1918, while escorting that convoy from Brest to Quiberon Bay in daylight, Wanderer rescued 10 survivors from the French ship SS Chateau Faite, which had attempted a night transit. "Penmarch Pete", as the Allies
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
nicknamed the U-boat usually stationed off Point Penmarc'h
Point Penmarc'h
Point Penmarc'h, often spelled Point Penmarch, or in French Pointe de Penmarc'h, is the extremity of a small peninsula in Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France, and the northern limit of the Bay of Biscay....
-— had exacted his toll.
On 8 February 1918, Wanderers portion of the coastal convoy route was extended. From then on, instead of simply making the single-day passage from Brest to Quiberon Bay, she laid over for the night at Quiberon Bay and continued south with the convoy to the mouth of the Gironde River and thence into Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
. On the night of 22–23 April 1918, during the layover at Quiberon Bay on the return trip from Bordeaux to Brest, she witnessed the explosion of the ammunition-laden SS Florence H. Though. In reasonably close proximity to the ill-fated ship, Wanderer was prevented from approaching the floating conflagration by the large quantity of high explosives she carried to use against U-boats. Instead, she was forced to leave the rescue operations to the destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s and smaller craft in the bay.
Wanderer continued her escort and patrol service on the French coast through the end of the war. It appears that she had no further noteworthy encounters with the enemy before the armistice
Armistice with Germany (Compiègne)
The armistice between the Allies and Germany was an agreement that ended the fighting in the First World War. It was signed in a railway carriage in Compiègne Forest on 11 November 1918 and marked a victory for the Allies and a complete defeat for Germany, although not technically a surrender...
of 11 November 1918.
Wanderer departed Brest on 5 December 1918, sailed via the Azores and Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
, and reached New London
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, on 30 December 1918. In April 1919, she moved to New York City and was decommissioned
Ship decommissioning
To decommission a ship is to terminate her career in service in the armed forces of her nation. A somber occasion, it has little of the elaborate ceremony of ship commissioning, but carries significant tradition....
. Her name was struck from the Navy List
Navy List
A 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 authorities of a country....
on 24 April 1919, and she was sold on 22 July 1920 to Mr. J. S. Webster of Baltimore, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
.
Wanderer was one of two U.S. Navy warships named USS Wanderer in service simultaneously during World War I, the other being USS Wanderer (SP-2440)
USS Wanderer (SP-2440)
The second USS Wanderer was a patrol vessel that served in the United States Navy from 1917 to 1918.Wanderer was a motorboat built in 1913 at Norfolk, Virginia, by Craig Brothers, and owned by R. F. Barret of Norfolk. She was acquired by the U.S. Navy for service as a section patrol boat during...
.