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Naval History and Heritage Command

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Winchester (S. P. 156)


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Caption: The fast, destroyer like yacht Winchester (S. P. 156), armed for Navy service during World War I.

(Steam Yacht: t. 399 (gross); l. 225'; b. 21'; dr. 5'6" aft); s. 31.65 k.; a. 1 3", 1 6-pdr., 2 mg., 1 Y-gun)

Winchester (S. P. 156), a steel-hulled yacht built in 1916 by the Bath Iron Works, at Bath, Maine, was acquired on 30 May 1917 from Mr. Peter W. Rouss and commissioned on 4 September 1917, Lt. (jg.) R. C. Nickerson, USNRF, in command.

Winchester was initially assigned to section patrol duty in the 2d Naval District. From commissioning to January 1918, she patrolled the coasts of Massachusetts and Connecticut between Chatham and New London. In January 1918, she was reassigned to the 5th Naval District and operated in the Norfolk-Hampton Roads area of Virginia until a month after the end of World War I. Throughout the latter period, she was assigned to special duty with the Bureau of Construction and Repair to test minesweeping equipment. Late in December 1918, she moved once again, this time to City Island, N.Y., but her testing duties continued almost uninterrupted until decommissioning. On 13 April 1919, she returned to the 5th Naval District. Winchester operated out of Yorktown, Va., until placed out of commission at Norfolk on 19 December 1919. After several attempts, she was finally sold to Cox & Stevens, of New York City, on 24 March 1921.

Published: Wed Feb 17 16:15:02 EST 2016