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USS Farragut (TB-11) 

Please see below for item level images and donated collections containing photographs of USS Farragut (TB-11) 

USS Farragut (TB-11) was laid down on 23 July 1897 at San Francisco, Calif., by Union Iron Works; launched on 16 July 1898; sponsored by Elizabeth Ashe, Adm. Farragut's niece; and commissioned on 22 March 1899, Lt. Cmdr. Reginald F. Nicholson in command.

The ship incurred a four month delay in her construction in order to obtain suitable engineering equipment “due to high rate of speed required, but not to inherent defects.” USS Farragut (TB-11) carried out her final sea trials on 16 June 1898, and the Navy accepted her on 3 July. USS Farragut (TB-11) accomplished target and torpedo practice between Mare Island Navy Yard and Sausalito in San Francisco Bay, broken by occasional voyages southward to San Diego, Calif. She was decommissioned at Mare Island on 4 September 1902, and placed in commission in reserve on 8 October 1904.

The torpedo boat was restored to full commission at Mare Island for duty with the Pacific Torpedo Fleet on 23 March 1908. The ship trained off the west coast through the remainder of the year, and conducted target practice on 23 April 1909. USS Farragut (TB-11) was placed in reserve at Mare Island on 17 September 1909. Farragut was placed in ordinary with the Reserve Torpedo Division at Mare Island on 26 March 1914, and then served as a training ship in the San Pedro Division of the California Naval Militia (12 January 1915-14 April 1917).

Following America’s entry into World War I, USS Farragut (TB-11) returned to full commission on 14 April 1917. She sailed for the Panama Canal Zone on 11 July 1917, and during the war patrolled both the Atlantic and Pacific entrances to the canal, and carried troops and supplies in the Balboa area. Renamed Coast Torpedo Boat No. 5 in accordance with General Order No. 408 of 1 August 1918, she helped escort a convoy from Balboa on 30 December 1918, but incurred problems that necessitated submarine tender Beaver (Id. No. 2032) taking the warship in tow on 5 January 1919. On 15 January, they reached San Pedro. Another vessel then towed Coast Torpedo Boat No. 5 to Mare Island, where they arrived on 18 January. Coast Torpedo Boat No. 5 was decommissioned at Mare Island on 13 March 1919, and sold for $27,219 to Rodeo-Valleo Ferry Co., Rodeo, Calif., on 9 September 1919.

For a complete history of USS Farragut (TB-11) please see its DANFS page.