The first USS Hazel (SP-1207) was a 44-foot-long 10-ton motor launch borrowed by the U.S. Navy during World War I. Hazel was armed as a patrol craft and was assigned to patrol the Virginia coast and the Chesapeake Bay. She was returned to her owner at war’s end.
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States | |
| Name | USS Hazel |
| Namesake | former name retained |
| Owner | J. W. Mathews, Chincoteague, Virginia |
| Laid down | date unknown |
| Commissioned | 1 June 1917 |
| Decommissioned | 1919 (est.) |
| Homeport | |
| Fate | Returned to her owner 16 January 1919 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | motorboat |
| Displacement | 10 tons |
| Length | 44' |
| Beam | 9' 6" |
| Draft | 3' 3" |
| Propulsion | internal combustion engine |
| Speed | 8 knots |
| Armament | one 1-pounder gun |
Acquired in Virginia edit
Hazel (SP-1207), a small motor boat, was acquired from her owner, J. W. Mathews, Chincoteague, Virginia, and commissioned 1 June 1917, Chief Boatswain's Mate D. J. Jester commanding.
World War I service edit
Assigned to the 5th Naval District – headquartered at Norfolk, Virginia -- Hazel operated as a patrol craft and performed general, harbor duties around Chincoteague Island and in Hampton Roads, Virginia. She occasionally made cruises up Chesapeake Bay as far as Annapolis, Maryland.
Post-war disposition edit
Hazel was returned to her owner 16 January 1919.
References edit
This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
