The first USS ''Arcadia'' (SP-856) was a

motorboat A motorboat or powerboat is a boat that is exclusively powered by an engine; faster examples may be called "speedboats". Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the inter ...

that may have seen brief service as a

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

patrol vessel A patrol boat (also referred to as a patrol craft, patrol ship, or patrol vessel) is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defence, border security, or law enforcement. There are many designs for patrol boats, and they ...

in late 1918. ''Arcadia'' was built as a private wooden

of the same name in 1915 by Frank S. Terry at

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

. In 1917, the U.S. Navy

charter A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the ...

ed her from her owner for use as a

section patrol A Section Patrol Craft was a civilian vessel registered by the United States Navy for potential wartime service before, during, and shortly after World War I. Historical overview The SP/ID registration system In 1916, with World War I raging ...

boat during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and took delivery of her on 8 October 1918. No

logbook A logbook (or log book) is a record used to record states, events, or conditions applicable to complex machines or the personnel who operate them. Logbooks are commonly associated with the operation of aircraft, nuclear plants, particle accelera ...

s exist to confirm that she was commissioned as USS ''Arcadia'' (SP-856) or to describe the extent and nature of her U.S. Navy service. Given the short period the Navy controlled her and the ending of the war just under five weeks after her acquisition, it is possible that she never was commissioned. ''Arcadia''s final disposition also is murky. One source states that ''Arcadia'' was turned over to her owner and stricken from the

Navy List A Navy Directory, Navy List or Naval Register is an official list of naval officers, their ranks and seniority, the ships which they command or to which they are appointed, etc., that is published by the government or naval authorities of a co ...

on 6 November 1918, while another indicates that a lump sum for the charter of the craft had been determined on 3 February 1919 and that ''Arcadia'' had been authorized for return to her owner. It appears that she was returned to her owner by no later than May 1919.Department of the Navy Naval History and Heritage Command Online Library of Selected Images: Civilian Ships: ''Arcadia'' (American Motor Boat, 1915). May have served as USS ''Arcadia'' (SP-856) in 1918-1919

Notes

References

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* Patrol vessels of the United States Navy World War I patrol vessels of the United States Ships built in Brooklyn 1915 ships {{US-mil-ship-stub