The second USS ''Itasca'' (SP-810), later USS ''SP-810'', 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 which was employed as a hospital boat. ''Itasca'' was built as a private wooden

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 ...

of the same name in 1908 by the Stamford Motor Construction Company at Stamford,

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

. In 1917, the U.S. Navy

lease A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the user (referred to as the ''lessee'') to pay the owner (referred to as the ''lessor'') for the use of an asset. Property, buildings and vehicles are common assets that are leased. Industrial ...

d her from her owner, Henry Henke, 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 ...

. Sources differ on her

commissioning Commissioning is a process or service provided to validate the completeness and accuracy of a project or venture. It may refer more specifically to: * Project commissioning, a process of assuring that all components of a facility are designed, in ...

date, claiming both that the Navy took control of her from Henke at

Norfolk Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

, on 10 August 1917 and commissioned her as USS ''Itasca'' (SP-810) on 18 August 1918, and that she was commissioned in July 1917.Department of the Navy Naval History and Heritage Command Online Library of Selected Images: Civilian Ships: ''Itasca'' (Motor Boat, 1908); Served as USS ''Itasca'' (SP-810) and USS ''SP-810'', 1917-19
Although armed for use as a patrol boat, ''Itasca'' served as a hospital boat in the Norfolk area for the rest of World War I and into early 1919. She was renamed USS ''SP-810'' in April 1918. ''SP-810'' was returned to Henke on 26 February 1919.

Notes

References

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Itasca (SP-810) Patrol vessels of the United States Navy World War I patrol vessels of the United States Hospital ships of the United States Navy World War I auxiliary ships of the United States Ships built in Stamford, Connecticut 1908 ships