USS Sapphire (PYc-2)

The second USS Sapphire (PYc-2) was a patrol boat in the United States Navy.

For other ships with the same name, see USS Sapphire.

History
 United StatesUnited States
Name:
  • Margo (1929–1932)
  • Buccaneer (1933–1940)
Owner:
  • B.A. Massee (1929–1932)
  • Leon Mandel (1933–1940)
Ordered: 1929
Builder: George Lawley & Son, Neponset, Massachusetts
Launched: 1929
Homeport:
Identification:
Status: Acquired by the Navy, 1 November 1940
United States
Name: Sapphire
Namesake: Sapphire
Acquired: 1 November 1940
Commissioned: 6 June 1941
Decommissioned: 29 October 1945
Stricken: 13 November 1945
Identification:
Fate: Foundered, 1957
Status: Transferred to the Maritime Commission for sale, 3 September 1946
General characteristics
Type: Yacht Patrol boat
Displacement: 500 long tons (508 t)
Length: 165 ft 4 in (50.39 m)
Beam: 25 ft 2 in (7.67 m)
Draft: 12 ft (3.7 m)
Installed power:
Propulsion: 2 × screws
Speed: 13.5 kn (15.5 mph; 25.0 km/h)
Complement:
  • 21 (private yacht)
  • 59 (Navy service)
Armament:

Construction

Originally a private yacht and later a navy training vessel, Sapphire was built in 1929, and named Margo by George Lawley & Son, Neponset, Massachusetts.[1] It was acquired by the US Navy from a later owner, Mr. Leon Mandel, Quonset, Rhode Island, on 1 November 1940. The navy renamed the boat Sapphire, designated it PYc—2, and converted it for Navy use. It was officially commissioned at Boston, on 6 June 1941, with Lieutenant A. N. Daniels, USNR, in command.

Service history

World War II, 1941–1945

In August 1941, Sapphire was sent to Norfolk, Virginia to outfit her for sea duty. In September, Sapphire left Norfolk with orders to patrol and perform anti-mine operations in the area of the Panama Canal when on her southern course she was abruptly ordered to reverse course and proceeded north to her home port, New London, Connecticut. There, through World War II, the ship supported various Submarine School programs, but was primarily engaged in training prospective commanding officers in attack procedures and in testing sound equipment.

On 21 May 1942 a German U-boat attacked the American freighter Plow City (3,282 tons) about 30 miles off Bermuda sinking her with two torpedoes. One crewman was killed and the remainder of the crew abandoned ship in the lifeboats. Sapphire was ordered to search and rescue the surviving crew and on 26 May 1942 she located 30 crewmen in lifeboats. Sapphire also engaged in anti-submarine patrols and some actions with German U-boats. As one sailor (Ed Hickey, SK1) on the Sapphire commented, "We knew we were a sitting duck for any U-boat that we found since a converted yacht is no match even though we had some depth charges and a few other armaments."

Decommissioning and sale

With the end of the war, Sapphire was designated for inactivation. On 19 September 1945, the boat departed New London and proceeded to Charleston, South Carolina, where she was decommissioned on 29 October 1945.

Struck from the Navy List on 13 November of the same year, she was transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal through sale on 3 September 1946.

See also

References
  1. Colton, Tim (11 December 2015). "George S. Lawley & Sons, Neponset MA". www.Shipbuildinghistory.com. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
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