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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

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  • Ship History
Wars & Conflicts
  • World War I 1917-1918
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Idealia (S.P. 125)

1917-1918

The Navy retained the name carried by this vessel at the time of her acquisition.

(S.P. 125: tonnage 52 (gross register); length 84'0" (overall); beam 13'8"; draft 3'10" (mean); speed 14.0 knots (maximum), 12.0 knots (cruising); complement 13; armament 1 1-pounder, 2 machine guns)

Idealia, a single-screw, wooden-hulled motor yacht built in 1911 at Bayonne, N.J., by the Elco Co., was acquired by the Navy under a free lease from Ira D. Bertolet, Jr., of Philadelphia, Pa., and, earmarked for service on section patrol duty, was simultaneously commissioned on 25 May 1917, Ens. Charles Clegg, USNRF, in command.

Idealia, given the identification number S.P. 125, was assigned to the Fourth Naval District, based at Cape May, N.J., and operated as a harbor entrance patrol craft at Philadelphia and in Delaware Bay. She was returned to her owner on 22 November 1918, eleven days after the Armistice that ended the Great War [World War I].

Updated, Robert J. Cressman

25 May 2022

Published: Wed May 25 12:05:32 EDT 2022