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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORY AND HERITAGE COMMAND
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
Online Library of Selected Images:
-- U.S. NAVY SHIPS --
USS Corsair (SP-159), 1917-1919.
Originally, and later, Steam Yacht Corsair (1899).
Was USS Natchez (PG-85) and USS Oceanographer (AGS-3)
in 1942-1944
Corsair, a 1600-ton (displacement) steam yacht, was
built in 1899 at Hoboken, New Jersey, for New York financier J.P.
Morgan, who once commented (in effect, and presumably based in
close personal experience with the subject) that if somebody had
to ask what it cost to keep a steam yacht, they could not afford
it. Morgan was clearly not a member of that class. In any case,
the Navy could afford it, at least in time of war, and in May
1917 chartered the yacht for World War I service. Commissioned
at that time as USS Corsair (SP-159), she crossed the Atlantic
in June and soon began anti-submarine patrol and escort opeations
off western France. During the conflict's remaining sixteen months
she rescued survivors of two sinking ships, the U.S. Army transport
Antilles in October 1917 and USS Californian
in June 1918. She also helped a disabled neutral (Norwegian) freighter
to reach port in September 1918.
Soon after the "Great War" fighting ended in November
1918, Corsair steamed to the British Isles, where she occasionally
served as flagship for the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces in European
Waters. In May 1919 she carried Secretary of the Navy Josephus
Daniels from England to France. Returning to the U.S. later in
that month, USS Corsair was decommissioned and, in June
1919, returned to Mr. Morgan. After many more years as a private
yacht, Corsair passed into the custody of the U.S. Coast
and Geodetic Survey, which renamed her Oceanographer and
employed her as a scientific research ship during the 1930s and
early 1940s.
The Navy reacquired the former yacht in April 1942. Following
brief classification as a gunboat, with the name Natchez
(PG-85), she was placed in commission as USS Oceanographer
(AGS-3) in August 1942. Later in the year she went to Alaskan
waters to perform surveys, but proved unsuitable for the harsh
conditions there and in March 1943 was sent to the south Pacific.
Oceanographer conducted extensive surveys in that part
of the World until June 1944, when she left for repairs. Soon
after arriving at San Pedro, California, the now very elderly
ship was found to be beyond fixing. USS Oceanographer was
decommissioned in September 1944 and subsequently scrapped.
This page features, and provides links to, all the views
we have concerning the steam yacht Corsair of 1899 and
USS Corsair (SP-159), which was USS Oceanographer
(AGS-3) during World War II.
For more images related to this ship, see:
USS Corsair (SP-159) -- Actions
and Activities; and
USS Corsair (SP-159) -- Ship's
Officers and Crew.
Click on the small photograph to prompt
a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 55390
Corsair (American Steam Yacht, 1899)
Photographed prior to her World War I Naval service.
This yacht was chartered from her owner, financier J.P. Morgan,
and placed in commission on 15 May 1917 as USS Corsair
(SP-159). Returned to Mr. Morgan on 9 June 1919, she again served
in the Navy during World War II as USS Oceanographer (AGS-3).
Courtesy of J.P. Morgan, 1930.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 47KB; 740 x 485 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 100882
Corsair (American Steam Yacht, 1899)
Photographed by Edwin Levick of New York City, prior to her World
War I Naval service.
Built in 1899 for financier J.P. Morgan, this yacht served as
USS Corsair (SP-159) during World War I and as USS Oceanographer
(AGS-3) during World War II.
The original print is in National Archives' Record Group 19-LCM.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 27KB; 740 x 365 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 85734
USS Corsair (SP-159)
Fine screen halftone reproduction of a photograph taken while
she was fitting out for World War I service, circa May 1917.
Next ship outboard is USS Harvard (SP-209).
Courtesy of Alfred Cellier, 1977.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 50KB; 470 x 765 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 82201
Corsair (American Steam Yacht, 1899)
Photographed circa the 1920s.
Built in 1899 for financier J.P. Morgan, this yacht served as
USS Corsair (SP-159) during World War I and as USS Oceanographer
(AGS-3) during World War II.
Courtesy of Donald M. McPherson, 1975.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 65KB; 740 x 590 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 106633
USS Corsair (SP-159)
In dry dock at Brest, France, circa 1918.
Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2009.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 67KB; 900 x 545 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 106638
USS Corsair (SP-159)
Ship's Number Three 3"/50 gun, circa 1918.
Several depth charges are stowed on deck in the lower right.
The converted yacht patrol vessel partially visible in the right distance is USS Aphrodite (SP-135).
Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2009.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 66KB; 900 x 555 pixels |
 |
Photo #: NH 106639
USS Corsair (SP-159)
Depth charges carried on the ship's after deck, circa 1918.
Note the after steering wheel and binnacle in the center, with a "Y"-Gun depth charge projector just beyond. A Colt machine gun is mounted on the deck edge bulwark in the left center.
The converted yacht patrol vessel partially visible in the left distance is USS Aphrodite (SP-135).
Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2009.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 63KB; 900 x 550 pixels |
 |
For more images related to this ship, see:
USS Corsair (SP-159) -- Actions
and Activities; and
USS Corsair (SP-159) -- Ship's
Officers and Crew.
Other images: The Mystic Seaport Museum, at Mystic,
Connecticut, probably holds a number of fine photographs of the
yacht Corsair, taken prior to World War I by noted marine
photographer Morris
Rosenfeld. We have record of two such photos, received from
Morris Rosenfeld & Sons in 1973:
Starboard bow view of Corsair underway in a harbor.
This photograph is especially clear.
Port broadside view of Corsair underway in a harbor,
with several people on deck. The yacht is flying three flags:
a "Patrol" flag at her foremast peak; J.P. Morgan's
personal flag at the mainmast peak; and the U.S. Yachting Ensign
at her stern flagstaff.
These photographs are presumably now in Mystic Seaport's Morris
Rosenfeld Collection. Persons interested in obtaining reproductions
of these views should contact that institution, whose WEB site
can be readily found using standard Internet search engines.
NOTES:
To the best of our knowledge, the pictures referenced here
are all in the Public Domain, and can therefore be freely downloaded
and used for any purpose.
Some images linked from this page may bear obsolete credit lines
citing the organization name: "Naval Historical Center".
Effective 1 December 2008 the name should be cited as: "Naval
History and Heritage Command".
Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page.
Page made 30 December 2004
New images added 29 November 2009