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Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive

Zipalong (SP 3)



Civilian call sign (1919):
KWST
King - Watch - Sail - Tare
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
World War I Victory Medal
Acquired Section Patrol Boat:
  • Designed by Swasey, Raymond & Page
  • Built by George Lawley and Sons, Neponset, MA
  • Completed for J.G. Marshall and W.B. Spader, New York, NY, as yacht Gansetta (ON 205921), 1907
  • Sold to Charles W. Lee, New York, NY, November 1908
  • Sold to E. Walter Clark, Philadelphia, PA, renamed Zipalong, May 1909
  • Acquired by the Navy, spring of 1917
  • Commissioned USS Zipalong (SP-3), 13 June 1917
  • Operated in Fourth District, mostly at Section Base Cape May, NJ, 1917
  • Decommissioned at Philadelphia, 27 November 1917 1
  • Returned to owners, 03 March 1918
  • Sold to Albert Schwartz, Philadelphia, PA, 1919
  • Sold to Albert H. Henderson, New York, NY, early 1920s
  • Final disposition, abandoned, 1927
    1. There is confusion over decommissioning date; DANFS states 27 November 1917, but also states "a fortnight after the Armistice," which would indicate 1918 is correct. However, another source gives disposal date (return to owner) as 03 March 1918, so 1917 appears to actually be correct.
    Specifications:
    Hull Wood
    Displacement 30 gross tons, 20 net tons
    Length 72' 4" waterline, 80' 0" overall
    Beam 11' 2"
    Draft 3' 6"
    Speed 9 knots
    Complement 12 (1 officer, 11 enlisted)
    Armament
    one .30 cal machine gun
    Propulsion
    one Standard six cylinder gasoline engine
    one shaft, 125hp
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    USS Zipalong (SP 3)
    Zipalong
    1217000301    		 119k Postwar sale ad, from Motor Boating, June 1919. Dave Wright
    Commanding Officers
    01ENS Frank Ausburn Snow, USNRF13 June 1917 - 02 November 1917
    Courtesy Dave Wright
    View the Zipalong (SP 3)
    DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command website
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    This page was created by Joseph M. Radigan and is maintained by David L. Wright
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 25 February 2024