.gif)
USS Dorothea (1898)
Encyclopedia
USS Dorothea, a civilian vessel that retained her original name when purchased by the Navy for use as a gunboat
, was the only ship of the United States Navy
to bear that name, though other ships have been named , , and .
Her keel was laid down in 1897 by William Cramp and Sons
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
. She was purchased by the Navy on 21 May 1898 and commissioned
on 1 June 1898 with Lieutenant Commander
W. J. Bernette in command.
, to Havana, Cuba, until returning to Hampton Roads
on 28 August. She was placed out of commission on 20 September and remained at Norfolk Navy Yard until January 1900, when she was taken to League Island
. There she was briefly in commission from 1-24 October. In May 1901, she was loaned to the Illinois Naval Militia
and was taken through the St. Lawrence River to Chicago
. In 1909, she was transferred to the Ohio Naval Militia
and was based at Cleveland. She was placed in full commission there on 20 April 1917 following American entry into World War I
and sailed on 2 July for duty on the East Coast. The ship's company of Dorothea was the first Ohio National Guard
unit activated for service in the First World War.
Arriving at Key West, Florida
on 10 August 1917, Dorothea patrolled in Mexican
waters and along the U.S. Gulf Coast until 1918. On 8 January, she sailed from New Orleans for Havana, Cuba, where she served in the instruction of Cuban naval officers, returning to Key West for stores and repairs occasionally. From 13 November 1918, Dorothea served as a transport in Cuba
n, Puerto Rican
, and Dominica
n waters, operating briefly under the command of Harry Shepard Knapp
, the military governor of Santo Domingo
. She arrived at New Orleans on 30 May 1919, was decommissioned on 23 June, and was sold on 20 November.
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:...
, was the only ship of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
to bear that name, though other ships have been named , , and .
Her keel was laid down in 1897 by William Cramp and Sons
William Cramp and Sons
thumb | upright | 1899 advertisement for William Cramp & Sons William Cramp & Sons Shipbuilding Company of Philadelphia was founded in 1825 by William Cramp, and was the preeminent U.S. iron shipbuilder in the 19th century. The American Ship & Commerce Corporation bought the yard in 1919 but closed...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. She was purchased by the Navy on 21 May 1898 and commissioned
Ship commissioning
Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship in active service, and may be regarded as a particular application of the general concepts and practices of project commissioning. The term is most commonly applied to the placing of a warship in active duty with its country's military...
on 1 June 1898 with Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant commander (United States)
Lieutenant commander is a mid-ranking officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, with the pay grade of O-4 and NATO rank code OF-3...
W. J. Bernette in command.
Service history
Dorothea put to sea from Philadelphia on 14 June 1898 and patrolled from Key West, FloridaKey West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...
, to Havana, Cuba, until returning to Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
on 28 August. She was placed out of commission on 20 September and remained at Norfolk Navy Yard until January 1900, when she was taken to League Island
League Island
League Island was an island in the Delaware River, part of the city of Philadelphia, just upstream from the mouth of the Schuylkill River, which was the site of the Philadelphia shipyard, which eventually became the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard, now known as the Philadelphia Naval Business...
. There she was briefly in commission from 1-24 October. In May 1901, she was loaned to the Illinois Naval Militia
Illinois Naval Militia
The Illinois Naval Militia is a state defense force created by the Illinois General Assembly in 1893. In 1896, it had five divisions: three in Chicago, one in Moline, and one in Alton, of approximately 250, 100, and 50 men respectively. At that time, it received $25,000 in federal money...
and was taken through the St. Lawrence River to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. In 1909, she was transferred to the Ohio Naval Militia
Ohio Naval Militia
The Ohio Naval Militia is an organized, unarmed unit that has been serving the State of Ohio and the United States since 1896. It is the naval arm of the State of Ohio's Adjutant General's Department, and is therefore part of Ohio's State Defense Forces....
and was based at Cleveland. She was placed in full commission there on 20 April 1917 following American entry into World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and sailed on 2 July for duty on the East Coast. The ship's company of Dorothea was the first Ohio National Guard
Ohio Naval Militia
The Ohio Naval Militia is an organized, unarmed unit that has been serving the State of Ohio and the United States since 1896. It is the naval arm of the State of Ohio's Adjutant General's Department, and is therefore part of Ohio's State Defense Forces....
unit activated for service in the First World War.
Arriving at Key West, Florida
Key West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...
on 10 August 1917, Dorothea patrolled in Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
waters and along the U.S. Gulf Coast until 1918. On 8 January, she sailed from New Orleans for Havana, Cuba, where she served in the instruction of Cuban naval officers, returning to Key West for stores and repairs occasionally. From 13 November 1918, Dorothea served as a transport in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n, Puerto Rican
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
, and Dominica
Dominica
Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...
n waters, operating briefly under the command of Harry Shepard Knapp
Harry Shepard Knapp
Harry Shepard Knapp was a Vice Admiral of the United States Navy, Military Governor of Santo Domingo, and Military Representative of the United States in Haiti.-Biography:...
, the military governor of Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
. She arrived at New Orleans on 30 May 1919, was decommissioned on 23 June, and was sold on 20 November.