USS Nahant (SP-1250)

Summary

USS Nahant (SP-1250) was a civilian tugboat that the United States Navy acquired in World War I. She was a tugboat in New York harbor. After the war she was loaned to the City of New York until 1928, when she was disposed of by the Navy.

Luckenbach No. 4 about 1917
History
United States
Name
  • 1913: Thomas J. Scully
  • Luckenbach No. 4
  • 1917: USS Nahant
  • 1920: Service No. 3
  • John F. Harlan
  • Gotham
  • W. E. Hunt
  • Good Fortune
Namesake1917: Nahant, Massachusetts
Owner
  • 1913: Scully Towing & Transportation Line
  • EF Luckenbach
  • 1913: United States Navy
  • 1928: Joseph O'Boyle
Port of registry1913: Philadelphia
BuilderJohn H Dialogue, Camden, NJ
Completed1913
Acquiredby the Navy, 1 December 1917
Commissioned12 December 1917 as USS Nahant (SP 1250)
Decommissioned1920
In service1920 (loaned to the City of New York)
Out of service1928 (returned to the Navy)
Stricken27 September 1928
Identification
FateSold 1928. Scrapped 1962.
General characteristics
TypeTugboat
Tonnage405 GRT, 275 NRT
Length134.7 ft (41.1 m)
Beam26.0 ft (7.9 m)
Depth15.5 ft (4.7 m)
Propulsiontriple expansion engine
Speed13 knots (24 km/h)
Armament
  • One 3-inch gun
  • Two machine guns

Building edit

John H. Dialogue in Camden, New Jersey built the tug as John H. Scully for the Scully Towing and Transportation Line. Her registered length was 134.7 ft (41.1 m), her beam was 26.0 ft (7.9 m) and her depth was 15.5 ft (4.7 m). Her tonnages were 405 GRT and 275 NRT. Scully Towing & Transportation registered her in Philadelphia. Her US official number was 210901 and her code letters were LCSR.[1]

The Luckenbach Steamship Company of New York City acquired the tug and renamed her Luckenbach No. 4.

World War I edit

On 1 December 1917 the US Navy acquired, renamed her Nahant and gave her the registry number SP-1250. She was commissioned at the beginning of December 1917.

Operating in the 3rd Naval District, Nahant performed towing tasks in New York Harbor for the rest of World War I and into the early post-war era.

Loan to the City of New York edit

Decommissioning early in 1920, Nahant was transferred to the City of New York and served the Police Department as Service No. 3 and as John F. Harlan.

Disposal edit

Returned to the Navy in 1928, Nahant was struck from the Naval Register 27 September 1928 and sold to Joseph O’Boyle of New York City 24 December 1928. Subsequently, she enjoyed a lengthy maritime history, changing her name a few times as: Gotham, W. E. Hunt, and Good Fortune. She was scrapped in 1962.

References edit

Bibliography edit

  • Lloyd's Register of Shipping. Vol. I. London: Lloyd's Register of Shipping. 1914. THO.

External links edit

  • This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
  • "Luckenbach Number 4 (Tug, 1913) Served as USS Nahant (SP-1250) in 1917-1920". Naval History and Heritage Command. Archived from the original on 2008-03-04. Retrieved 2008-07-13.
  • "Nahant (SP 1250)". NavSource Online.