USS ''Idalis'' (SP-270) was 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 commission from 1917 to 1919. ''Idalis'' was built as a

civilian A civilian is a person who is not a member of an armed force. It is war crime, illegal under the law of armed conflict to target civilians with military attacks, along with numerous other considerations for civilians during times of war. If a civi ...

motor

yacht A yacht () is a sail- or marine propulsion, motor-propelled watercraft made for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a ...

in 1908 by the

Gas Engine and Power Company Consolidated Yachts is a former shipbuilder and () present-day marine service company located on City Island in The Bronx, New York City. History The company was founded as the Gas Engine and Power Company & Charles L. Seabury Company in 1896 ...

in Morris Heights,

The Bronx The Bronx ( ) is the northernmost of the five Boroughs of New York City, boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It shares a land border with Westchester County, New York, West ...

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 * ...

. Sources differ as to her original name; she either was built as ''Idalis'' and later was renamed ''Amalia IV'', or was built as ''Amalia IV'' and later renamed ''Idalis''. The U.S. Navy purchased her from her owner, Carl Reinschild of

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, in June 1917 for

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 ...

service. She was commissioned on 25 August 1917 as USS ''Idalis'' (SP-270) -- that name representing the Navy either retaining her existing name or reverting her from ''Amalia IV'' to her previous namePer the ''Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships'' (at http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/i1/idalis.htm). Assigned to the

3rd Naval District United States Naval Districts is a system created by the United States Navy to organize military facilities, numbered sequentially by geographic region, for the operational and administrative control of naval bases and shore commands in the Unit ...

, ''Idalis'' served as a patrol craft in

Long Island Sound Long Island Sound is a sound (geography), marine sound and tidal estuary of the Atlantic Ocean. It lies predominantly between the U.S. state of Connecticut to the north and Long Island in New York (state), New York to the south. From west to east, ...

and as

training ship A training ship is a ship used to train students as sailors. The term is mostly used to describe ships employed by navies to train future officers. Essentially there are two types: those used for training at sea and old hulks used to house class ...

for

officers An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...

at the Naval Reserve Training School Pelham Bay Park at

Pelham Bay Park Pelham Bay Park is a municipal park located in the northeast corner of the New York City borough of the Bronx. It is, at , the largest public park in New York City. The park is more than three times the size of Manhattan's Central Park. The p ...

, New York, until the close of World War I. ''Idalis'' was returned to Reinschild on 22 March 1919.

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Idalis (SP-270) Patrol vessels of the United States Navy World War I patrol vessels of the United States World War I auxiliary ships of the United States Individual yachts Ships built in Morris Heights, Bronx 1908 ships