USS Fox (TB-13)

For other ships with the same name, see USS Fox.

The third USS Fox (Torpedo Boat No. 13/TB-13), was launched 4 July 1898 by Wolff and Zwicker, Portland, Oregon.; sponsored by Miss V. Patterson; and commissioned 8 July 1899.

USS Fox (TB-13) in a West Coast harbor, circa the early 1910s.
History
United States
Name	Fox
Namesake	Lieutenant Gustavus Vasa Fox later Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Ordered	10 June 1896 (authorised)
Builder	Wolff & Zwicker, Portland, OR
Laid down	4 March 1897
Launched	4 July 1898
Sponsored by	Miss V. Patterson
Commissioned	8 July 1899
Decommissioned	1916
Identification	TB-13
Fate	Sold, 27 October 1916
General characteristics [1]
Class and type	Davis-class torpedo boat
Displacement	154 long tons (156 t)[2]
Length	148 ft (45 m)
Beam	15 ft 4 in (4.67 m)
Draft	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) (mean)[2]
Installed power	2 × Thornycroft boilers 1,750 ihp (1,300 kW)
Propulsion	vertical triple expansion engines 2 × screw propellers
Speed	23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph) 23.13 kn (26.62 mph; 42.84 km/h) (Speed on Trial)[2]
Complement	24 officers and enlisted
Armament	3 × 1-pounder (37 mm (1.46 in)) guns 3 × 18 inch (450 mm) torpedo tubes (3x1)

Based at Mare Island Navy Yard, the pioneer group of torpedo boats, which included Fox, cruised during 1900 only in the immediate area, conducting trials of engines and equipment, and in general, developing their type both in terms of construction and equipment, and tactics. Between 1901 and 1906, Fox was in the yard for installation of torpedo-firing circuits and other work designed to enhance her capabilities. After 2 years in reserve, she was recommissioned 23 March 1908, and based at San Diego for intensive training operations with the Pacific Fleet.

Out of commission between 7 January 1909 and 17 October 1910, when she was commissioned in reserve, Fox returned to full commission between 1 November 1910 and 5 July 1913, although for much of 1911 and 1912 she lay in reserve. While active, she continued her training and experimental operations out of San Diego. From 1913 to 1916, Fox was on loan to the Washington State Naval Militia, based at Aberdeen, Washington. She was sold 27 October 1916. In 1919 her owners planned on converting her into a trawler.^[3]

References

1. "USS Fox (TB-13)". Navsource.org. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
2. "Table 10 - Ships on Navy List June 30, 1919". Congressional Serial Set. U.S. Government Printing Office: 714. 1921.
3. "American Marine Engineer August, 1919". National Marine Engineers Beneficial Association of the United States. Retrieved 27 August 2020 – via Haithi Trust.

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• Technical data from Gardiner, Robert (1979). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1860–1905. Conway Maritime Press. p. 160. ISBN 0-85177-133-5.

External links

• Photo gallery of Fox at NavSource Naval History