USS Margaret (SP-524)

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

USS Margaret (SP-524) was a steam yacht that was built in 1913. She was a United States Navy armed yacht from 1917 until 1919, when she was transferred to the United States Department of War. She was later sold back into civilian ownership, and was still registered as a merchant vessel in 1933.

Margaret at Boston in 1917, being converted for US Navy use
History
United States
Name	1914: Margaret 1918: SP-524
Owner	1915: Charles A Stone 1933: JE Kolf
Operator	1917: US Navy
Port of registry	1915: Boston 1933: Chicago
Builder	Gas Engine & Power Co & Charles L. Seabury Co, Morris Heights
Completed	1913
Acquired	for the Navy, 28 April 1917
Commissioned	28 June 1917
Decommissioned	1919
Identification	US official number 212172 1917: pennant number SP-524
General characteristics
Type	steam yacht
Tonnage	161 GRT, 109 NRT
Length	145 ft (44 m) overall 113.5 ft (34.6 m) registered
Beam	18.2 ft (5.5 m)
Draft	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Depth	9.8 ft (3.0 m)
Installed power	950 ihp
Propulsion	2 × triple-expansion engines 2 × screws
Speed	14 knots (26 km/h)
Complement	in US Navy: 29
Crew	1933: 14
Armament	1 × 3-pounder gun

Building

The Gas Engine and Power Company and Charles L. Seabury Company of Morris Heights, Bronx, New York City built Margaret for Charles A Stone. She was completed in 1913. Her lengths were 145 ft (44 m) overall and 113.5 ft (34.6 m) registered. Her beam was 18.2 ft (5.5 m) and her depth was 9.8 ft (3.0 m). Her tonnages were 161 GRT and 109 NRT. She had twin screws, each driven by a three-cylinder triple-expansion engine. A single water-tube boiler supplied steam to both engines. Stone registered her in Boston. Her United States official number was 212172.^[1]

US Navy service

The Navy acquired Margaret on 28 April 1917, and commissioned her on 28 June as USS Margaret, with the pennant number SP-524. In 1918 she was renamed SP-524, because there was more than one USS Margaret in the First World War.^[2]

Post-war use

In the Spring of 1919 she was ordered to be sold, and on 4 December 1919 she was ordered to be inspected for sale. However, on 9 March 1920 she was transferred to the Department of War instead.^[2]

By 1933, a J.E. Kolf owned Margaret, and she was registered in Chicago.^[3]