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USS Winchester (SP-156)
Encyclopedia
USS Winchester (SP-156) was an armed yacht
that served in the United States Navy
as a patrol vessel from 1917 to 1919.
-hulled
, steam
-powered, destroyer
-like civilian
yacht in 1916 by Bath Iron Works
at Bath
, Maine
. The U.S. Navy acquired her from her owner, Mr. Peter W. Rouss, on 30 May 1917 for use as a patrol vessel during World War I
. She was commissioned
on 4 September 1917 as USS Winchester (SP-156) with Lieutenant, junior grade
, R. C. Nickerson, USNRF, in command.
duty in the 2d Naval District in southern New England
, patrolling the coast between Chatham
, Massachusetts
, and New London
, Connecticut
.
In January 1918, she was reassigned to the 5th Naval District and operated in the Norfolk
-Hampton Roads
area of Virginia
, where she was assigned to special duty with the U.S. Navy Bureau of Construction and Repair
to test minesweeping equipment. Late in December 1918, she moved once again, this time to City Island
in the Bronx, New York
, where she continued her minesweeping testing duties. On 13 April 1919, she returned to the 5th Naval District, operating out of Yorktown
, Virginia, continuing to test minesweeping gear.
Winchester was decommissioned
at Norfolk on 19 December 1919. After several attempts, she was finally sold to Cox and Stevens of New York City
on 24 March 1921.
, then to Russell A. Alger, Jr., and then to Cornelius Vanderbilt III
. She later was sold to B. P. McCurdy, this time being renamed SS Renard.
in 1940 and commissioned as HMCS Renard (S13)
for use in inshore patrol duty during World War II
. Later reclassified Z13, she was decommissioned in 1944 and returned to her owners.
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...
as a patrol vessel from 1917 to 1919.
Construction, acquisition, and commissioning
SS Winchester was built as a fast, steelSteel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
-hulled
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
, steam
Steam engine
A steam engine is a heat engine that performs mechanical work using steam as its working fluid.Steam engines are external combustion engines, where the working fluid is separate from the combustion products. Non-combustion heat sources such as solar power, nuclear power or geothermal energy may be...
-powered, 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...
-like civilian
Civilian
A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...
yacht in 1916 by Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works is a major American shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, United States. Since its founding in 1884 , BIW has built private, commercial and military vessels, most of which have been ordered by the United States Navy...
at Bath
Bath, Maine
Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,266. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County. Located on the Kennebec River, Bath is a port of entry with a good harbor. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. The U.S. Navy acquired her from her owner, Mr. Peter W. Rouss, on 30 May 1917 for use as a patrol vessel during 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...
. 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...
on 4 September 1917 as USS Winchester (SP-156) with Lieutenant, junior grade
Lieutenant, Junior Grade
Lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, United States Merchant Marine USMM, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, with the pay grade...
, R. C. Nickerson, USNRF, in command.
United States Navy service, 1917-1919
Winchester initially was assigned to section patrolSection patrol
A Section Patrol craft was a civilian vessel registered by the United States Navy for potential service during and shortly after World War I....
duty in the 2d Naval District in southern New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, patrolling the coast between Chatham
Chatham, Massachusetts
Chatham is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, Barnstable County being coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 6,625 at the 2000 census...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, and 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...
.
In January 1918, she was reassigned to the 5th Naval District and operated in the Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
-Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
area of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, where she was assigned to special duty with the U.S. Navy Bureau of Construction and Repair
Bureau of Construction and Repair
The Bureau of Construction and Repair was the part of the United States Navy which from 1862 to 1940 was responsible for supervising the design, construction, conversion, procurement, maintenance, and repair of ships and other craft for the Navy...
to test minesweeping equipment. Late in December 1918, she moved once again, this time to City Island
City Island, Bronx
City Island is a small island approximately 1.5 mi long by .5 mi wide. At one time attached to the town of Pelham, Westchester County, it is now part of the New York City borough of the Bronx. As of the 2000 census the island had a population of 4,520. Its land area is 1.023 km²...
in the Bronx, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, where she continued her minesweeping testing duties. On 13 April 1919, she returned to the 5th Naval District, operating out of Yorktown
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....
, Virginia, continuing to test minesweeping gear.
Winchester 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....
at Norfolk on 19 December 1919. After several attempts, she was finally sold to Cox and Stevens 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...
on 24 March 1921.
Civilian career, 1921-1940
Once again SS Winchester, the yacht resumed her civilian service with Cox and Stevens. She was sold several times, first to Vincent AstorVincent Astor
William Vincent Astor was a businessman and philanthropist and a member of the prominent Astor family.-Early life:...
, then to Russell A. Alger, Jr., and then to Cornelius Vanderbilt III
Cornelius Vanderbilt III
Cornelius Vanderbilt III was a distinguished American military officer, inventor, engineer, and yachtsman, and a member of the prominent American Vanderbilt family.-Biography:...
. She later was sold to B. P. McCurdy, this time being renamed SS Renard.
Royal Canadian Navy Service, 1940-1944
Renard was sold to the Royal Canadian NavyRoyal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
in 1940 and commissioned as HMCS Renard (S13)
HMCS Renard (S13)
HMCS Renard was an armed yacht that served in the Royal Canadian Navy as a patrol vessel from 1940 to 1944.-Construction and United States Navy service:...
for use in inshore patrol duty during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Later reclassified Z13, she was decommissioned in 1944 and returned to her owners.