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The second Sterling was built in 1939 by the Mueller Shipbuilding Co., at Brooklyn, N.Y.; acquired by the Navy on bare boat charter on 3 July 1942 from the East Coast Deep Sea Trawling Co., of New Bedford Mass.; converted to a district patrol vessel at Kelly's Yard in Fairhaven, Mass., and placed in service as YP-449 at Boston on 22 October 1942.

YP-449 served temporarily in the 1st Naval District during November, then was shifted to the 5th Naval District at Norfolk, Va., later that month. She operated out of Norfolk, patrolling for mines, until May 1943, when she was reassigned to the Potomac River Naval Command, based at Washington, D.C. She arrived at the Washington Navy Yard on 10 May, but was ordered to New York and then to Fairhaven, Mass. YP-449 reached Fairhaven on 21 May. She returned to the Potomac River Naval Command in October 1943. Shortly thereafter, it was decided to terminate the bare boat charter and purchase her outright.

On 15 December 1944, she was redesignated IX-201 and, a week later, named Sterling. She continued to operate with the Potomac River Naval Command until the end of 1945. Sterling was placed out of service on 11 December 1945, and her name was struck from the Navy list on 8 January 1946. On 27 May 1946, her hulk was transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal.

Submitted by Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret