USS ''Luster'' (IX‑82), was a yacht which served in the

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 ...

as a patrol boat during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. She was built as ''Ko‑Asa'' in 1936 by M. M. Davis & Sons of

Solomons, Maryland Solomons, also known as Solomons Island, is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Calvert County, Maryland, United States. The population was 2,368 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, up from 1,536 in 2000. S ...

, and purchased by the Navy from George Marshall Allen 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 ...

on 21 July 1942; and placed in service on 14 August 1942.

Service history

Renamed ''Luster'' on 2 September 1942, the converted yacht was assigned to the 7th Naval District Local Defense Force,

Port Everglades Port Everglades is a seaport in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, located in Broward County. Port Everglades is one of South Florida's foremost economic engines, as it is the gateway for both international trade and cruise vacations. In 2022, Port Eve ...

section, on 14 August. She was attached to the Gulf Sea Frontier Force primarily for ASW patrols on the east coast of Florida. She was placed out of service on 24 March 1943, and assigned to the Supervisor of Salvage, USN, Miami, on 22 January 1944 to be operated by

Merritt-Chapman & Scott Merritt-Chapman & Scott, nicknamed "The Black Horse of the Sea", was a noted marine salvage and civil engineering, construction firm of the United States, with worldwide operations. The chief predecessor company was founded in the 1860s by Isra ...

Corp. with a civilian crew. She was placed out of service a second time on 26 June 1944 and laid up at Coast Guard Patrol Base, Port Everglades. She was transferred to the

War Shipping Administration The War Shipping Administration (WSA) was a World War II emergency war agency of the US government, tasked to purchase and operate the civilian shipping tonnage the United States needed for fighting the war. Both shipbuilding under the Maritime C ...

on 20 December 1944 and sold.

References

External links

Photo gallery
at navsource.org {{DEFAULTSORT:Luster (IX-82) Unclassified miscellaneous vessels of the United States Navy Ships built in Solomons, Maryland 1936 ships