Blue Dolphin, an auxiliary schooner built in 1926 at Shelburn, Nova Scotia, by the Shelburn Shipbuilding Corp., was acquired by the Navy on 17 March 1942 from Mr. Amory Coolidge of Boston, Mass., for the nominal fee of $1.00; designated a miscellaneous auxiliary, IX-65; and placed in service at the Section Base, Boston, Mass., on 6 April 1942. Blue Dolphin spent the next 38 months serving as station vessel at Casco Bay, Maine. Shortly after Germany surrendered, she was placed out of service at Boston on 28 June 1945. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 11 July 1945, and she was delivered to the Maritime Commission's War Shipping Administration for disposal on 14 September 1945.
Blue Dolphin was apparently sold to a Mr. David C. Nutt who was involved in oceanographic research in conjunction with various universities, civilian research organizations, and the Office of Naval Research. Mr. Nutt was also a naval reserve commander. On 3 April 1949, she was designated as “suitable for use as a naval auxiliary in time of war” by the Chief of Naval Operations. She was also authorized to fly the Naval Reserve Yacht pennant. The last information available on her indicates that she continued to conduct oceanographic and hydrobiological research out of Boothbay Harbor, Maine, into the summer of 1954.
Raymond A. Mann
27 January 2006
