USS Caliph
.jpg) USS Caliph on 2 December 1918, the day she was decommissioned and returned to her owner. | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name: | USS Caliph |
| Namesake: | Previous name retained |
| Builder: | Matthews Yacht Building Company |
| Completed: | 1910 |
| Acquired: | May 1917 |
| Commissioned: | ca. May 1917 |
| Decommissioned: | December 1917 |
| Recommissioned: | 1 April 1918 |
| Decommissioned: | 2 December 1918 |
| Fate: | Returned to owner 2 December 1918 |
| Notes: | Operated as civilian motorboat Caliph 1910-1917 and from December 1918 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Patrol vessel |
| Length: | 60 ft (18 m) |
USS Caliph (SP-272) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission in 1917 and again in 1918. Caliph is derived from the word al-khalifah, Arabic word for the leader.
Caliph was built as a civilian motorboat in 1910 by the Matthews Yacht Building Company. The U.S. Navy leased her in May 1917 for World War I service as a patrol vessel. She was commissioned as USS Caliph (SP-272).
Placed in service in the 4th Naval District—which was responsible for the Pennsylvania, Delaware, and southern New Jersey area -- Caliph performed section patrol duty until December 1917, when she was laid up for the winter at Washington, D.C..
Caliph was recommissioned on 1 April 1918 and assigned to duty with the District Communication Superintendent at Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania. She resumed her patrol duties.
Caliph was decommissioned on 2 December 1918 and returned to her owner.
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: Navy History and Heritage Command: Online Library of Selected Images: U.S. Navy Ships: USS Caliph (SP-272), 1917-1918.
- NavSource Online: Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive: Caliph (SP 272)