USS Onward II (SP-728)

USS Onward II (SP-728), later USS SP-728, was an armed motorboat that served in the United States Navy as a patrol vessel from 1917 to 1918.

Onward II as a private motorboat prior to her U.S. Navy service.
History
United States
Name:	USS Onward II (1917-1918) USS SP-728 (1918)
Namesake:	Onward II was her previous name retained; SP-728 was her section patrol number
Builder:	Defoe Boat and Motor Works, Bay City, Michigan
Acquired:	23 June 1917
Commissioned:	25 June 1917
Fate:	Returned to owner 2 December 1918
Notes:	Served as civilian motorboat Onward II until 1917 and from December 1918
General characteristics
Type:	Patrol vessel
Tonnage:	14 tons
Length:	60 ft (18 m)
Beam:	11 ft 6 in (3.51 m)
Draft:	3 ft (0.91 m) mean
Speed:	9 knots
Complement:	11
Armament:	1 × 1-pounder guns 1 × machine gun

Onward II was built as a civilian motorboat of the same name by Defoe Boat and Motor Works at Bay City, Michigan. The U.S. Navy acquired her from her owner, W. S. Forsythe, on 23 June 1917 for World War I service as a patrol vessel and commissioned her on 25 June 1917 as USS Onward II (SP-728).

For the rest of World War I, Onward II performed routine harbor patrol duties at Newport, Rhode Island. In 1918 she was renamed USS SP-728.

SP-728 was returned to her owner on 2 December 1918.

Onward II should not be confused with the patrol vessel USS Onward (SP-311), in commission from 1917 to 1919.

References

• This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
• Department of the Navy: Naval Historical Center: Online Library of Selected Images: Civilian Ships: Onward II (American Motor Boat, in service in 1917). Served as USS Onward II (SP-728) and USS SP-728 in 1917-1918
• NavSource Online: Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive SP-728 ex-Onward II (SP 728)