Return to Naval History
and Heritage Command home page.
Return
to Online Library listing
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 Harvard (SP-209), 1917-1919
USS Harvard, an 804-ton yacht, was leased for World
War I service in April 1917 under the name Wacouta.
The Navy renamed her Harvard and commissioned her the following
month. She arrived in Brest, France, in early July and thereafter
operated out of that port on patrol and convoy escort service.
During 1917-18, she provided assistance to one torpedoed merchant
ship and rescued survivors of others. Following service in English
waters beginning in November 1918 and a trip into the Baltic Sea
some months later, Harvard came back to the United States
in June 1919. She was decommissioned and returned to her owner
in July.
This page features, and provides links to, all the views
we have of USS Harvard (SP-209).
For other images related to this ship, see:
Wacouta
(Steam Yacht, 1894).
Click on the small photograph to prompt
a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 101778
USS Harvard (SP-209)
Photographed during World War I by Edwin Levick, New York.
Built in 1894 by Bath Iron Works as Eleanor and later
renamed Wacouta, this steam yacht was acquired by the
Navy on 28 April 1917 and commissioned on 10 May 1917. She was
returned to her owner on 26 July 1919.
The original print is in National Archives' Record Group 19-LCM.
U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph.
Online Image: 66KB; 740 x 600 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 |
 |
Another image of USS Harvard (SP-209):
In December 2008 an Internet auction sold a photograph of
USS Harvard, showing her at Danzig, Germany sometime in
1919. Since we have no usage rights to this image, we can not
provide reproductions of it. We also do not know where the original
photo is located or where reproducible copies can be obtained.
However, the following description of the ship, as seen in this
picture, may be of value to the Online Library's patrons:
Harvard is tied up to a wharf in the photograph, which
shows her partially, from somewhat forward of her foremast to
just aft of her after mast. She is seen from off the port side,
forward, with the camera looking aft and to starboard. Several
men and boys are standing on the wharf and on board the ship.
At the bottom of the photo, somewhat to the right of center, is
printed (in Germanic script): "Aus Danzig".
The ship has only two masts, that originally located amidships
having been removed. She is painted a medium grey overall (with
the paint looking rather fresh and clean). The top three or so
feet of her smokestack is painted black. A gun, partially shrouded
in canvas, is mounted on her port side, immediately forward of
the foremast. The ship's pilothouse appears to have been somewhat
updated from its earlier appearance, with wind deflectors installed
across the pilothouse face, signal flag "bags" installed
on the railings around the pilothouse top and a large signal lamp
(or perhaps a searchlight) mounted atop the port side of those
railings. A boat is carried on cradles atop the deckhouse, alongside
the smokestack. Davits at each end of the boat extend down to
the main deck edge. A large United States Ensign is flying from
the after mast gaff.
For other images related to this ship, see:
Wacouta
(Steam Yacht, 1894).
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 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 10 February 2001
New information added and coding updated 4 January 2009