USS Dorothea (1898)

USS "Dorothea", a civilian vessel that retained her original name when purchased by the Navy for use as a gunboat, was the only ship of the United States Navy to bear that name, though other ships have been named
"Dorothea L. Dix (AP-67)",
"Dorothy Cullen" (No. 2183), and
"Dorothy" (No. 1289).Her keel was laid down in 1897 by William Cramp and Sons in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was purchased by the Navy 21 May 1898 and commissioned on 1 June 1898 with Lieutenant Commander W. J. Bernette in command.

"Dorothea" put to sea from Philadelphia on 14 June 1898 and patrolled from Key West, Florida, to Havana, Cuba, until returning to Hampton Roads on 28 August. She was placed out of commission 20 September and remained at Norfolk Navy Yard until January 1900 when she was taken to League Island. There she was briefly in commission from 1 October to 24 October 1900. In May 1901 she was loaned to the Illinois Naval Militia and was taken through the St. Lawrence River to Chicago. In 1909 she was transferred to the Ohio Naval Militia and was based at Cleveland. She was placed in full commission there 20 April 1917 following American entry into World War I and sailed 2 July for duty on the East Coast. The Ship's Company of the USS Dorothea was the first Ohio National Guard unit activated for service in the First World War [ Cole, Ralph D and Howells, W.C. "The 37th Division in the World War". Columbus, OH 1926.]

Arriving at Key West, Florida, on 10 August 1917, "Dorothea" patrolled in Mexican waters and along the Gulf Coast of the United States until 1918. On 8 January she sailed from New Orleans for Havana, Cuba, where she served in the instruction of Cuban naval officers, returning to Key West for stores and repairs occasionally. From 13 November 1918, "Dorothea" served as a transport in Cuban, Puerto Rican, and Dominican waters, operating briefly under the command of Harry Shepard Knapp, the military governor of Santo Domingo. She arrived at New Orleans 30 May 1919, was decommissioned 23 June 1919, and was sold 20 November 1919.

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