Wikipedia

USS Corona

USS Corona (SP-813) was a steel-hulled steam yacht that was launched in Scotland in 1905 as Corona. In 1917 the United States Navy had her converted into an armed yacht. She was based in France until 1918, and then in reserve in Connecticut. In 1921 she was sold back into civilian use. In 1928 she was re-registered in Peru, where she became a merchant ship. She sank off the Peruvian coast in 1941.

USS Corona in 1917,
probably leaving New York for France
History
NameCorona
Owner
  • 1905: HA Laughlin
  • 1921: Clarence H Dodge
  • 1921: Oscar T Ledberg
  • 1927: Philip A Curran
  • 1928: Ferraro Hnos & P Valle
Operator1917: United States Navy
Port of registry
BuilderHawthorns & Co, Leith
Yard number105
Launched22 February 1905
CompletedMay 1905
Acquiredfor US Navy, 10 June 1917
Commissioned20 July 1917
Decommissioned17 May 1919
Stricken4 April 1919
Identification
FateCapsized and sank 1941
General characteristics
Typesteam yacht
Tonnage304 GRT, 134 NRT
Length
  • 172 ft (52 m) overall
  • 150.5 ft (45.9 m) registered
Beam23.15 ft (7.06 m)
Depth12.45 ft (3.79 m)
Installed power74 NHP, 650 ihp
Propulsion
Complementin US Navy: 63
Armament2 × 3-inch/50-caliber guns

Building and registration

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Hawthorns & Co of Leith, Scotland built the yacht as yard number 105. She was launched on 22 February 1905 as Corona for HA Laughlin of Pittsburgh.[1] Her lengths were 172 ft (52 m) overall[2] and 150.5 ft (45.9 m) registered. Her beam was 23.15 ft (7.06 m) and her depth was 12.45 ft (3.79 m). Her tonnages were 304 GRT and 134 NRT. She had a single screw, driven by a three-cylinder triple-expansion engine that was rated at 74 NHP[3] or 650 ihp.[2]

Laughlin at first registered her at Philadelphia,[3] but by 1906 had re-registered her at New York.[4] By 1910 her code letters were LBCW.[5]

Armed yacht

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The US Navy bought Corona at New York on 10 June 1917. She was converted for naval use, which included arming her with two 3-inch/50-caliber guns. On 20 July she was commissioned at New York as USS Corona, with the pennant number SP-813 and code letters GSVL. Lieutenant Lemuel M Stevens was her first commanding officer.[2]

Corona left New York on 30 July; sailed via St. John's, Newfoundland and the Azores; and on 30 August arrived in Brest, France. From there she escorted convoys and patrolled the English Channel. By the end of August 1918, Lieutenant Commander Howard H. J. Benson had succeeded Lieutenant Stevens as her commanding officer.[2]

The Armistice of 11 November 1918 ended the war. On 5 December 1918 Corona left Brest, and on 28 December she arrived in New London, Connecticut, where she was held in reserve.[2] On 4 April 1919 she was struck from the Navy Directory.[6] She left New London on 5 May 1919; arrived in New York the next day; and was decommissioned on 17 May.[2]

Later years

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Lloyd's Register listed the US Navy as Corona's owner until 1922.[7] However, early in 1921 Clarence H Dodge of New York bought Corona.[2] On 1 October 1921 Corona Oscar T Ledberg of Providence, Rhode Island bought her.[8] He already owned the former USS Satilla, which he had renamed Edith. By 1927 Philp A Curran owned Corona.[9] By 1928 Ferraro Hermanos ("Ferraro Brothers") and P Valle owned her, and had registered her in Callao in Peru.[10] By 1930 Lloyd's Register described her as an "ex yacht", as by then she was in commercial merchant trade.[11]

On 25 April 1941, Corona capsized and sank in the Pacific off the Peruvian coast, about 20 nautical miles (37 km) northwest of the Guañape Islands.[12]

References

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  1. ^ "Corona". Scottish Built Ships. Caledonian Maritime Research Trust. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Radigan, Joseph M. "Corona (SP 813)". Section Patrol Craft Vessel Photo Archive. NavSource Naval History. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  3. ^ a b Register of Yachts 1905, COR.
  4. ^ Register of Yachts 1906, COR.
  5. ^ Register of Yachts 1910, COR.
  6. ^ "Corona". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History and Heritage Command. Archived from the original on 13 October 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
  7. ^ Lloyd's Register of Yachts 1922, COQ.
  8. ^ Lloyd's Register of Yachts 1923, COR.
  9. ^ Lloyd's Register of Yachts 1927, COR.
  10. ^ Lloyd's Register of Yachts 1928, COR.
  11. ^ Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1930, COR.
  12. ^ Avec43; Allen, Tony (11 March 2020). "SS Corona (+1941)". Wrecksite. Retrieved 12 September 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

Bibliography

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