USS SC-131

USS SC-131, sometimes styled as either Submarine Chaser No. 131 or S.C.-131, was an SC-1-class submarine chaser built for the United States Navy during World War I. Was the first U.S. Vessel to enter the Austro-German base at Cattaro after the signing of the armistice.[1] On December 22, 1918 the ship left in a convoy from Corfu to Malta.[2]

Photo from the 24 August 1919 edition of the New York Times
History
France
Name:	SC-131
Builder:	Rocky River Dry Dock Co. Rocky River, Ohio
Launched:	1917
Fate:	Unknown
General characteristics
Class and type:	SC-1-class submarine chaser
Displacement:	75 t
Length:	110 ft (34 m)
Beam:	13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
Draft:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Propulsion:	3 × 660 hp (490 kW) Standard gasoline engines 3 shafts
Speed:	18 kn (33 km/h)
Endurance:	1,000 nmi (1,900 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h)
Complement:	26
Armament:	1 × 3"/23 caliber gun mount 3 × .30 caliber machine guns 1 × Y gun depth charge projector

Bermuda to New York race

Captained by Lieutenant commander Joseph L. Day won the Bermuda to New York race in 56 hours and 56 minutes beating the former record by 8 hours and 43 minutes.[3] [4] [5] The race was between six submarine Chasers 90, 129, 131, 217, 224, 351.[6] During the race one ship had mechanical difficulties when USS SC 129 broke a crankshaft and with only two engines was disqualified under the race rules.[7]

Bibliography

Notes

1. Naval History and Heritage Command 2019.
2. Blazich 2019.
3. Motor Boating 1919, p. 7.
4. South Bend News-Times 2019, p. 1.
5. Nutting 1920, pp. 128-138.
6. Nutting 1920, p. 128.
7. Nutting 1920, p. 135.

References

• Blazich, Frank A. Jr. (2019). "United States Navy and World War I: 1914–1922". US Navy. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
• Motor Boating (October 1919). "Bermuda to New York on the Winning Chaser". Motor Boating Magazine Vol. 24, No. 4. p. 98. ISSN 1531-2623. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
• Naval History and Heritage Command (2019). "NH 42587 USS SC-131 (1917-1921)". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
• Nutting, William Washburn (1920). The Cinderellas of the Fleet. Jersey City, N.J., The Standard motor construction co. ISBN 9780344351761. - Total pages: 184
• South Bend News-Times (2019). "Sub-Chaser Sets New Record". South Bend News-Times. South Bend, Indiana: News-Times Print. Co. pp. 1–12. ISSN 2377-7095. OCLC 15568606. Retrieved August 23, 2019.