- USS Thornton (TB-33)
The first "Thornton" (Torpedo Boat No. 33) was laid down on
16 March 1899 atRichmond, Va. , by the William R. Trigg Co.; lanched on15 May 1900 ; sponsored by Miss Mary Thornton Davis; and commissioned on 9 June 1902, Ens. Samuel Brown Thomas in command."Thornton" participated in the summer maneuvers of the North
Atlantic Fleet off the eastern coast of theUnited States . In November and December, thetorpedo boat moved south to theWest Indies for combined winter maneuvers. On 28 January 1903, she returned toNorfolk , and she was assigned to the Reserve Torpedo Flotilla on 16 February.On
19 June 1905 , "Thornton" was placed back in full commission; and, the following month, she made a brief visit toAnnapolis, Md. On 21 July, she was again decommissioned and entered theNorfolk Navy Yard . Three months later, the torpedo boat rejoined the Reserve Torpedo Flotilla at Norfolk. Recommissioned on 19 June 1907, she was assigned to the 3d Torpedo Flotilla; and, over the next several years, she operated along the eastern seaboard and cruised theGulf of Mexico . In the fall of 1909, she joined several other torpedo boats in ascending theMississippi River as far asSt. Louis . The following December, she enteredCharleston, S.C. , and, on the 22d, was decommissioned and assigned to the Reserve Torpedo Flotilla at Charleston.Though the Reserve Torpedo Flotilla was abolished in 1914, "Thornton" remained inactive at Charleston until 1917,She was in reserve until 14 March 1914 when the Reserve Torpedo Flotilla was disbanded. After that, she was placed in commission, in ordinary, at the
Charleston Navy Yard until 1917.With America's entry into
World War I , "Thornton" was placed back in full commission on 7 April 1917. She was converted to a minesweeper and, on 22 May, departed Charleston for Norfolk. Attached to the 5th Naval District, she performed minesweeping operations inHampton Roads and offCape Henry . On 8 April she collided withUSS Joseph F. Bellows (SP-323) in Hampton Roads. Because of extensive damage, Thornton was towed to theNorfolk Navy Yard where she was decommissioned on 11 May 1918. On 1 August 1918, she was redesignated Coastal Torpedo Vessel No. 16 A board of inspection and survey examined her in March 1919 and recommended that she be sold. On 12 May her name was struck from theNavy list . Fifteen months later, near the end of August 1920, she was sold to the Southern Oil & Transport Corp., ofNew York City .External links
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