USS Aide De Camp (IX-224)
Encyclopedia
—a wooden-hulled motor yacht designed by B. T. Dobson—was built in 1922 at Neponset, Massachusetts
., by the George Lawley & Sons Corporation for the noted yarn manufacturer, Samuel Agar Salvage, whom she served as Colleen.
Among the foremost of the bevy of other owners who luxuriated in the comforts of this lavishly appointed vessel was the once and future governor of New Hampshire
, John Gilbert Winant
, whom President Roosevelt
would send to England
as the wartime United States
Ambassador
to the Court of St. James's
. When he took possession of the yacht from Karl W. Erikon of New York City
in late 1926, or early 1927, he renamed her Ranger. About a year later, H. M. Pierce of Red Lion, Del., owned the ship and renamed her Poinsettia. In 1931, the Boston
financier, Frederick Henry Prince, purchased the yacht and dubbed her Aide De Camp, a name which she bore under her next owners, in turn, Frank D. Comerford and Harvard University
.
Early in World War II
, the yacht was turned over to the university's Underwater Sound Laboratory and was used in experimental work to develop and improve sonar
equipment and to devise and to sharpen antisubmarine warfare tactics to combat German
U-boat
operations against Allied shipping in the Atlantic. Sometime later, (the records of the transfer have apparently perished) the ship came into the custody of the Office of Scientific Research and Development, for whom she continued this vital and secret work.
After the surrender of Germany
, the vessel was transferred to the Navy on 31 May 1945 and was placed in service on 18 June 1945, Lt. David W. Warren, Jr., in charge.
Upon her activation, the vessel was delivered to Commander, 7th Naval District and assigned to operations for the Bureau of Ordnance conducting underwater sound research while based at Fort Lauderdale, FL. At the conclusion of this mission, she was placed out of service on 2 November 1945; and her name was struck from the Navy list on 28 November 1945. The vessel was transferred to the Maritime Administration on 4 September 1946 and sold.
In private hands, she long remained in Florida
waters, serving Gustave G. Copeland of Miami in 1949 and Fred Bowman of DeLand in 1951. Still carrying the name Aide De Camp, the yacht shifted her home port to Pensacola
in 1953. Some two years later, she was acquired by the Kennedy Marine Engine Co.; began commercial operations for that firm from Biloxi, MS, under the name Mariner 1; and remained in that status into the 1980's.
Neponset, Massachusetts
Neponset, Massachusetts is a district in the southeast corner of Dorchester, Massachusetts which is the most populous neighborhood of Boston....
., by the George Lawley & Sons Corporation for the noted yarn manufacturer, Samuel Agar Salvage, whom she served as Colleen.
Among the foremost of the bevy of other owners who luxuriated in the comforts of this lavishly appointed vessel was the once and future governor of New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, John Gilbert Winant
John Gilbert Winant
John Gilbert Winant OM was an American politician with the Republican party after a brief career as a teacher in Concord, New Hampshire. Born in New York City, Winant held positions in New Hampshire, national, and international politics...
, whom President Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
would send to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
as the wartime United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to the Court of St. James's
Court of St. James's
The Court of St James's is the royal court of the United Kingdom. It previously had the same function in the Kingdom of England and in the Kingdom of Great Britain .-Overview:...
. When he took possession of the yacht from Karl W. Erikon of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in late 1926, or early 1927, he renamed her Ranger. About a year later, H. M. Pierce of Red Lion, Del., owned the ship and renamed her Poinsettia. In 1931, the Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
financier, Frederick Henry Prince, purchased the yacht and dubbed her Aide De Camp, a name which she bore under her next owners, in turn, Frank D. Comerford and Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
.
Early in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the yacht was turned over to the university's Underwater Sound Laboratory and was used in experimental work to develop and improve sonar
Sonar
Sonar is a technique that uses sound propagation to navigate, communicate with or detect other vessels...
equipment and to devise and to sharpen antisubmarine warfare tactics to combat German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
U-boat
U-boat
U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word U-Boot , itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot , and refers to military submarines operated by Germany, particularly in World War I and World War II...
operations against Allied shipping in the Atlantic. Sometime later, (the records of the transfer have apparently perished) the ship came into the custody of the Office of Scientific Research and Development, for whom she continued this vital and secret work.
After the surrender of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the vessel was transferred to the Navy on 31 May 1945 and was placed in service on 18 June 1945, Lt. David W. Warren, Jr., in charge.
Upon her activation, the vessel was delivered to Commander, 7th Naval District and assigned to operations for the Bureau of Ordnance conducting underwater sound research while based at Fort Lauderdale, FL. At the conclusion of this mission, she was placed out of service on 2 November 1945; and her name was struck from the Navy list on 28 November 1945. The vessel was transferred to the Maritime Administration on 4 September 1946 and sold.
In private hands, she long remained in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
waters, serving Gustave G. Copeland of Miami in 1949 and Fred Bowman of DeLand in 1951. Still carrying the name Aide De Camp, the yacht shifted her home port to Pensacola
Pensacola
Pensacola is a city in the western part of the U.S. state of Florida.Pensacola may also refer to:* Pensacola people, a group of Native Americans* A number of places in the Florida:** Pensacola Bay** Pensacola Regional Airport...
in 1953. Some two years later, she was acquired by the Kennedy Marine Engine Co.; began commercial operations for that firm from Biloxi, MS, under the name Mariner 1; and remained in that status into the 1980's.