Kanawha II, a 575-ton steam yacht, was built at Morris Heights, New York, in 1899. After nearly two decades as a pleasure craft, she was acquired by the Navy in late April 1917 and commissioned at that time as USS Kanawha II (SP-130. Following brief service in the vicinity of New York City, in June she became one of the early ships sent across the Atlantic to operate in European waters. For the rest of the First World War, and for some months after the November 1918 Armistice, the ex-yacht performed patrol and convoy escort missions off western France, making occasional contact with German submarines. Kanawha II was renamed Piqua in March 1918, probably to avoid message confusion with the Navy oiler Kanawha. Her European service ended in May 1919, when Piqua began a month-long voyage back to the United States. She was decommissioned and returned to her owner at the beginning of July 1919.
This page features the only views we have concerning USS Piqua (SP-130) and the civilian yacht Kanawha II.
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Photo #: NH 102128 Kanawha II (Steam Yacht, 1899) Underway, prior to her World War I Navy service. She was acquired by the Navy and commissioned on 28 April 1917 as USS Kanawha II (SP-130). Renamed Piqua on 14 March 1918, she was returned to her owner on 1 July 1919. The original print is in National Archives' Record Group 19-LCM. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 67KB; 740 x 470 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 42427 USS Piqua (SP-130) Dressed with flags on 4 July 1918, as flagship of the U.S. District Commander at Lorient, France. Note her pattern camouflage. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 75KB; 740 x 440 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 42426 USS Piqua (SP-130) Photographed on 4 July 1918, as flagship of the U.S. District Commander at Lorient, France. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 89KB; 740 x 445 pixels |
![]() |
Photo #: NH 107329 USS Piqua (SP-130) Off Lorient, France, circa 1918. She is painted in distinctive pattern camouflage. The French Navy machinist school is in the extreme right distance. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2011. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 107 KB; 900 x 690 pixels |
![]() |
The following photograph of another vessel shows USS Piqua in its left background:
Photo #: NH 107339 USS Raymond J. Anderton (SP-530) Off Lorient, France, circa 1918. She has the numeral "4" painted on her bow. At the time this photograph was taken, this ship's name had been formally shortened to Anderton. Ships partially visible in the background are USS Piqua (SP-130), at left, and USS Winfield S. Cahill (SP-493) at right, with numeral "2" on her bow. Donation of Dr. Mark Kulikowski, 2011. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image: 87 KB; 900 x 625 pixels |
![]() |
Additional image: Photo # NH 43542, a view of USS Pastores underway just outside Quiberon Bay, France, in 1918, was taken from USS Piqua.
NOTES:
If you want higher resolution reproductions than the digital images presented here, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Page made 10 November 2002
New images added 31 January 2011