USS Nokomis (SP-609)

USS "Nokomis" (SP-609) was a yacht purchased by the U.S. Navy during World War I. She was outfitted as a patrol craft with 3-inch guns, and assigned to protect commercial shipping in the North Atlantic Ocean from German submarines and Q-ships. Post-war she was returned to the U.S. and decommissioned. Subsequently, she was placed back into service as a survey vessel, a role she maintained for nearly two decades before again being decommissioned and struck from the Navy List.

Built in Delaware

The first ship to be so named by the U.S. Navy, "Nokomis" was a yacht built as "Nokomis II" by Pusey & Jones, Wilmington, Delaware, in 1914. The Navy purchased the yacht from Horace E. Dodge of Detroit, Michigan 1 June 1917. The ship was re-named "Nokomis" 19 November 1917 and was commissioned at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on 3 December 1917.

World War I service

North Atlantic Ocean duty

Fitted out at Philadelphia, "Nokomis" sailed for Bermuda 19 December with a French submarine chaser in tow. She departed Bermuda for Brest, France, 8 January 1918, stopping en route at the Azores and Leixões, Portugal. Operating with the U.S. Patrol Squadron for the remainder of the war, she helped protect American troop transports approaching the coast of France.

"Nokomis" spent the rest of the conflict on patrol and escort duty off western France, and remained in European waters for several months after the November 1918 Armistice brought an end to the fighting.

Reclassified as a survey ship

Terminating this duty in 1919, "Nokomis" returned to the United States in August. Reclassified PY–6 in 1920, the yacht decommissioned at New York City 25 February 1921.

Outfitted as a ship's tender for the Naval Governor of Santo Domingo in July 1921, she did not assume this duty, but conducted surveys in Mexican and Caribbean waters under direction of the Hydrographic Office.

Final decommissioning

Returning to Norfolk, Virginia, 24 September 1934, "Nokomis" decommissioned 15 February 1938 and was struck from the Navy Register 25 May 1938.

See also

* United States Navy
* World War I

Reference

*
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-usn/usnsh-n/py6.htm USS Nokomis (SP-609, later PY-6), 1917-1938. Originally Steam Yacht Nokomis II (1914)]