USS Simplicity

USS Simplicity (SP-96) was an armed motorboat that served in the United States Navy as a patrol vessel from 1917 to 1918.

History
United States
Name	USS Simplicity
Namesake	Previous name retained
Builder	Smith and Mabely, Astoria, New York
Completed	1906
Acquired	12 May 1917
Commissioned	7 June 1917
Stricken	19 October 1918
Fate	Crushed in collision 19 October 1918; hulk beached and stripped
Notes	Operated as private motorboat Simplicity 1906-1917
General characteristics
Type	Patrol vessel
Tonnage	21 tons
Length	58 ft 9 in (17.91 m)
Beam	10 ft 6 in (3.20 m)
Draft	3 ft 6 in (1.07 m)
Speed	14 knots
Complement	7
Armament	1 × 1-pounder gun 1 × machine gun

Simplicity was built as a civilian motorboat in 1906 by Smith and Mabely at Astoria, New York. On 12 May 1917, the U.S. Navy acquired her from her owner, A. S. Korter of New York City, for World War I service as a patrol boat. She was commissioned on 7 June 1917 as USS Simplicity (SP-96).

Simplicity was assigned to the Section Net Patrol at New York City, where she carried out harbor patrols during World War I

On 19 October 1918, the barge No. 78 struck and crushed Simplicity while she was alongside a United States Army pier at Fort Wadsworth, New York. Her hulk was beached and stripped by the Navy, and she was stricken from the Navy List as of 19 October 1918.

References

•  This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• NavSource Online: Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive: Simplicity (SP 96)