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Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive

Elfrida (SP 988)



Call sign (1927):
King - George - Jig - Hypo


Elfrida served the U. S. Navy and the Connecticut, New Jersey and North Carolina Naval Militias

Patrol Yacht:

  • Built in 1889 by Harlan and Hollingsworth, Wilmington, DE for Dr. William Seward Webb of Shelburne, VT
  • Launched 13 April 1889
  • Acquired by the Navy 15 June 1898
  • Commissioned USS Elfrida 30 June 1898
  • Decommissioned 14 September 1898
  • Recommissioned 29 April 1899 and loaned to the Connecticut Naval Militia
  • Transferred to the New Jersey Naval Militia in 1900
  • Returned to the Connecticut Naval Militia in 1902
  • Returned to Navy control and decommissioned 27 June 1908
  • Loaned to the North Carolina Naval Militia and recommissioned 20 August 1909
  • Returned to Navy custody at the outbreak of World War I and designated SP-988
  • Suffered an explosion on board 25 August 1917 while making passage from Norfolk to Yorktown, VA, one man killed and two seriously injured
  • Decommissioned 31 March 1918
  • Sold 11 May 1918
  • Registered in 1927 to Thelma R. Levey of New York, NY as the passenger vessel Elfrida
  • Fate unknown.

    Specifications:

  • Displacement 164 t.
    1927 - 126 t.
  • Length 101' 6"
    1927 - 108.6'
  • Beam 18'
  • Draft 7' 9"
    1927 - 11.5'
    Complement: Six (1927)
  • Speed 10.5 kts.
  • Armament: One rapid fire 3-pounder and two rapid fire 1-pounders
    1911 - One 6-pounder rapid fire mount
    1914 - One 6-pounder rapid fire mount
  • Propulsion: One Almy and one Hazelton boiler, one 200ihp triple expansion steam engine, one shaft.
    Click on thumbnail
    for full size image    		 Size Image Description Source
    Elfrida 84k Photo probably taken during her service with the North Carolina State Naval Militia
    Photo from the 1914 edition of Jane's Fighting Ships    		 Robert Hurst
    View the Elfrida (SP 988)
    DANFS history entry located on the Naval History and Heritage Command website
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