USS ''Nourmahal'' (PG-72) was a

gunboat A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies. History Pre-steam ...

used by the

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and Admiralty law, law enforcement military branch, service branch of the armed forces of the United States. It is one of the country's eight Uniformed services ...

and

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 ...

during the

Second World War 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 ...

Construction

The ''Nourmahal'' was originally built as a yacht for multi-millionaire

Vincent Astor William Vincent Astor (November 15, 1891 – February 3, 1959) was an American businessman, philanthropist, and member of the prominent Astor family. Early life Called Vincent, he was born in New York City on November 15, 1891. Astor was the eld ...

in 1928 at Krupp Iron Works in Kiel, Germany. This was the third Astor family yacht to bear the name, replacing a smaller ''Nourmahal'' designed by Cox & Stevens, Inc. and built by Robert Jacob Shipyard, City Island NY., launched March, 1921. Astor was the heir to a large New York real estate fortune after his father,

John Jacob Astor IV John Jacob Astor IV (July 13, 1864 – April 15, 1912) was an American business magnate, real estate developer, investor, writer, lieutenant colonel in the Spanish–American War, and a prominent member of the Astor family. He was among the most ...

, died aboard the RMS ''Titanic'' in 1912.

Second World War

With the outbreak of the Second World War, ''Nourmahal'' was acquired by the Coast Guard on 21 March 1940 and was commissioned USCGC ''Nourmahal'' (WPG-72) on 21 August 1940. ''Nourmahal'' was acquired 3 March 1942 by the Navy from Astor under a bareboat charter agreement under which the vessel was to be operated by the Coast Guard under Navy ownership. ''Nourmahal'' was designated (PG-72) 9 April 1943 and purchased by the Navy for $1,000,000 under an option of the charter on 25 June 1943 (29 June in DANFS). She was returned to the Coast Guard on 29 December 1943 and reclassified as WPG-122 and was struck from the Naval Register on 12 January 1944.

Post war

''Nourmahal'' was decommissioned on 30 May 1946 and returned to Navy custody in May 1947. ''Nourmahal'' was transferred to the

Maritime Administration Maritime administrations, or flag state administrations, are the executive arms/state bodies of each government responsible for carrying out the shipping responsibilities of the state, and are tasked to administer national shipping and boating issu ...

for disposal on 18 July 1948 and, after several advertisements with no bids accepted the ship remained in the James River Fleet until sold for scrap on 11 September 1964 to Hughes Brothers, Inc. of Hampden, Maine for $27,502. The ship was withdrawn from the fleet on 24 September 1964.

Awards

American Defense Service Medal The American Defense Service Medal was a United States service medals of the World Wars, military award of the United States Armed Forces, established by , by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, on June 28, 1941. The medal was intended to recogniz ...

American Campaign Medal The American Campaign Medal was a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was first created on November 6, 1942, by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The medal was intended to recognize those military members who had per ...

World War II Victory Medal The World War II Victory Medal was a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945. Histo ...

References

Sources

* *U.S. Coast Guard Historian's Office http://www.uscg.mil/history/webcutters/Nourmahal_PG72.pdf Retrieved 12 April 2015 {{DEFAULTSORT:Nourmahal 1928 ships Ships built in Kiel Motor yachts Gunboats of the United States Navy World War II patrol vessels of the United States Ships transferred from the United States Navy to the United States Coast Guard Ships of the United States Coast Guard