USS Wimbee (IX-88) was an auxiliary yawl of the United States Navy during World War II. Built in 1938 at Bremen, Germany as Condor, the yacht was acquired by the US Navy from Mr. W. L. MacFarland of Greenwich, Connecticut, in August 1942.

History
United States
NameUSS Wimbee
Launched1938, as Condor
AcquiredAugust 1942
In service11 September 1942
Out of service17 March 1943
RenamedWimbee, 11 September 1942
Stricken28 June 1944
FateSold, 7 February 1945
General characteristics
TypeYawl
Displacement22 long tons (22 t)
Length59 ft 9 in (18.21 m)
Beam13 ft 3 in (4.04 m)
Draft8 ft 2 in (2.49 m)
PropulsionSail with auxiliary engine
Speed7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph)

Wimbee served in what Samuel Eliot Morison has called the "Hooligan Navy," a motley assortment of sailing ships and pleasure craft assembled by the Navy to combat the U-boat menace before America's huge antisubmarine warship production program hit full gear. She was renamed Wimbee and was placed in service at Port Everglades, Florida, on 11 September 1942.

Service history

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Assigned to the 7th Naval District, Wimbee served only five months in the Navy, for the most part conducting anti-submarine patrols in the Gulf of Mexico. On 17 March 1943, she was placed out of service. Struck from the Navy List on 28 June 1944, she was transferred to the Maritime Commission and sold on 7 February 1945 to Mr. Paul Liskey of Harrisonburg, Virginia.

References

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  • Wright, C. C. (2006). "Question 33/03: Sailing Yacht Roland von Bremen". Warship International. XLIII (4): 347–354. ISSN 0043-0374.
  •   This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
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