USS Zenith (SP-61)

USS "Zenith" (SP-61) was an armed motorboat that served in the United States Navy as a patrol vessel from 1917 to 1918. "Zenith" was a motorboat or yacht designed with the possibility of naval service in mind when she was constructed in 1917 at Camden, New Jersey, by the Mathis Yacht Building Company. She was acquired by the U.S. Navy on 21 April 1917 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from Charles Longstreet of Philadelphia for service as a patrol vessel in World War I. She was designated SP-61 and commissioned as USS "Zenith" at Philadelphia on 23 April 1917.

Assigned to section-patrol duty, "Zenith" conducted surveillance patrols to protect the harbors and estuaries of the 4th Naval District coastline -- Pennsylvania, Delaware, and southern New Jersey -- from enemy incursion, primarily against submarine and minelaying operations. She served until hostilities ended on 11 November 1918.

"Zenith" was decommissioned on 21 November 1918, just 10 days after the armistice. That same day, her name was struck from the Navy list and "Zenith" was returned to her owner.

References

*DANFS