Sialia (S. P. 543)
1917-1920
The Navy retained the name carried by this vessel at the time of her acquisition.
(S. P. 543: tonnage 558; length 207'; beam 27'; draft 11'3"; speed 14.5 knots; complement 61; armament 2 3-inch, 2 machine guns)
Sialia -- a steam yacht built in 1914 at Wilmington, Del., by Pusey & Jones -- was acquired by the Navy on 10 June 1917 from her owner, Henry Ford, and, given the identification number S. P. 543, was commissioned on 30 June 1917.
For her first nine months of naval service, she was assigned to the section patrol force in the Fourth Naval District but spent most of her time pierside at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
From 15 April 1918 to 5 May 1919, she served as flagship in Hampton Roads for Commander Division Four, Cruiser Force, and the Newport News Division of the Transport Force.
Transferred to the Coast and Geodetic Survey on 6 October 1919, Sialia was returned to the Navy on 6 February 1920, and sold on 13 April to her former owner.
