USS Amphitrite (BM-2) - World War I

World War I

Amphitrite cleared Bridgeport, Connecticut, on 2 February 1917 for repairs and alterations at the New York Navy Yard, arriving the following day, 2 February. On 17 February, the ship departed the yard and stood down river to the Narrows, near Rosebank, Staten Island, NY, for work on the submarine net in company with three tugs, Hudson, W. J. Conway, and Lizzie D., and Navy lighters Victor, Transport, and the tug S. W. Holbrook. Later, in company with M. M. Millard, George T. Kirkham, and John Nichols, she continued her work laying the net off Rosebank.

After further repairs at the Navy Yard from 2 to 17 March Amphitrite resumed duty with the Naval Militia of Connecticut, arriving at New Haven on 18 March. She carried out this training duty, with drafts of men from Yale and Harvard for instruction in ordnance, signalling, and seamanship, into early April. With the entry of the United States into World War I at that time, Amphitrite departed New Haven on 7 April for the New York Navy Yard and repairs and alterations. She returned to Rosebank to guard the nets on 15 April. She was assigned to the 3d Naval District on 27 April 1917.

Assigned the duty of examining all ships entering or leaving New York harbor (except Army or Navy ships which identified themselves by exchange of signals), Amphitrite also received all reports of submarine activity with the waters off the district. At night, she trained her searchlights on the nets at regular intervals or to allow passage of authorized vessels. Such duty was not without hazard.

At 1916 hours on 13 June 1917, the steamship Manchuria was standing out of New York Harbor in a thick fog and collided with Amphitrite, suffering damage below the waterline. Attempting to clear, Manchuria scraped the guardship's bow, and her propeller strut fouled her cable, holding her fast for 20 minutes. Manchuria lowered her boats and abandoned ship; two section patrol boats and a motor sailer stood by and took life boats in tow. Ultimately, Manchuria was towed and beached off Tompkinsville, while Amphitrite continued her net-tending duties.

On 26 October, the guardship proceeded to the New York Navy Yard for repairs, remaining there until 20 November, when she returned to her station at Rosebank. She was carrying out her duties there when, on 14 December 1917, the British steamship British Isles collided with her during a heavy snow squall, doing not only considerable damage to Amphitrite but to the torpedo nets at the Narrows as well.

Following repairs, Amphitrite remained on duty at Rosebank, interspersing guardship duties with upkeep and repairs at the New York Navy Yard, into October 1918. Leaving New York on 24 October for Hampton Roads, Amphitrite carried out standardization runs and target practice at Tangier Sound in late October and the first week of November; on 8 November, she left Tangier Sound, via Hampton Roads, for Rosebank. She arrived back at Staten Island on 11 November 1918, the day the war ended in Europe with the armistice. Ultimately, Amphitrite left New York for Philadelphia on 30 April 1919, arriving on 1 May.

Amphitrite was decommissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 31 May 1919 and stricken from the Navy List on 24 July 1919. On 3 January 1920, she was sold to A. L. D. Bucksten of Elizabeth City, North Carolina.