USS L. A. Dempsey

USS L. A. Dempsey (SP-1231) was a United States Navy armed tug that was in commission as a patrol vessel from 1917 to 1919.

History
United States
Name	USS L. A. Dempsey
Namesake	Previous name retained
Completed	1890
Acquired	13 September 1917
Commissioned	1917
Decommissioned	11 July 1919
Fate	Returned to owner 11 July 1919
Notes	Operated as commercial tug Mascot and L. A. Dempsey 1890-1917 and from 1919
General characteristics
Type	Patrol vessel and tug
Tonnage	41 Gross register tons
Length	62 ft 6 in (19.05 m)
Beam	15 ft 10 in (4.83 m)
Draft	6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Speed	7.8 knots
Complement	8
Armament	1 × 3-pounder

L. A. Dempsey was built as the commercial tug Mascot in 1890 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She later was renamed L. A. Dempsey. On 13 September 1917, the U.S. Navy acquired her from her owner, Dempsey & Son of Norfolk, Virginia, for use as a section patrol boat during World War I. She was commissioned as USS L. A. Dempsey (SP-1231).

Assigned to the 5th Naval District and based at Norfolk, L. A. Dempsey served as a section patrol boat for the rest of World War I and into 1919.

The Navy decommissioned L. A. Dempsey on 11 July 1919 and returned her to Dempsey & Son the same day.

References

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• SP-1231 L. A. Dempsey at Department of the Navy Naval History and Heritage Command Online Library of Selected Images: U.S. Navy Ships -- Listed by Hull Number "SP" #s and "ID" #s -- World War I Era Patrol Vessels and other Acquired Ships and Craft numbered from SP-1200 through SP-1299
• Photo gallery of USS L. A. Dempsey at NavSource Naval History