I. J. Merritt (Id.No. 3780)
1919
The Navy retained the name carried by this vessel at the time of her acquisition.
(Id.No. 3780: length 174'0"(overall); beam 34'0"; draft 13'6" (mean); speed 11.0 knots)
Under construction as the Great War [World War I] was nearing its end in November 1918, I. J. Merritt, a single-screw, wooden-hulled wrecking steamer being built for the firm of Merritt & Chapman Co., was launched on 8 February 1919 at Tottenville, N.Y., by A.C. Brown & Sons.
Taken over by the Commandant of the Third Naval District on 27 August 1919, I. J. Merritt, given the identification number (Id.No.) 3780, carried out limited service after which she was sold to the Merritt, Chapman, & Derrick Wrecking Co. on 13 December 1919.
Robert J. Cressman
26 May 2022