Please report any broken links or trouble you might come across to the Webmaster. Please take a moment to let us know so that we can correct any problems and make your visit as enjoyable and as informative as possible.

NavSource Online: Army Ship Photo Archive

USCGC Speedwell (WAGL-245)
ex
 USLHT Speedwell (1923 - 1939)
USAMP Col. John V. White (1920 - 1921)

US Coast Guard - 1938 International Radio Call Sign:
Negat - Roger - William - Roger
 NRWR
USLHT - 1924 International Radio Call Sign:
Nam - Item - Zed - Fox
 NIZF
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons

Precedence of awards is from left to right
American Defense Service Medal - American Campaign Medal - World War II Victory Medal
Speedwell Class Mine Planter:
  • Built in 1919-20 for the U.S. Army Quartermaster Department at Fabricated Ship Building, Milwaukee, WI.
  • Launched in 1920
  • Named in honor of Col. John V. White, a distinguished artilleryman and commander of multiple coast artillery districts
  • Assigned to the North Atlantic Coast Artillery District, 4 May 1920
  • Accepted for service by the U.S. Army Quartermaster Corps, 22 October 1920, Commissioned USAMP Colonel John V. White
  • Allocated to the U.S. Army Coast Artillery Corps, Mine Planter Service
  • Crew was composed of personnel transferred from USAMP Col. George F. E. Harrison
  • Departed Milwaukee, 3 November 1920, arrived at Army Supply Base, Brooklyn, N.Y., 26 November 1920
  • Further assigned to the Coast Defenses of Narragansett Bay, 9 November 1920
  • Transferred, 2 January 1921, to Fort Adams, R.I.
  • Decommissioned, 19 October 1921, at Fort Adams, R.I.
  • Transferred to the Lighthouse Service, Department of Commerce, 23 April 1923, renamed USLHT Speedwell
  • Absorbed into the US Coast Guard, 1 July 1939, commissioned USCGC Speedwell (WAGL-245)
  • Decommissioned by US Coast Guard, date unknown and transferred to the US Maritime Commission
  • Sold, 30 December 1947, to Caribbean Fruit and Steamship Co., Jacksonville, FL., renamed SS Santa Patricia
  • Final Disposition, scrapped in 1956
    Specifications:
    Displacement 704 t.
    Length 172'
    Beam 32'
    Draft 17'
    Speed unknown
    Armament unknown
    Range 1,692 mi.
    Complement
    Pre-war (33)
    1942 (44)
    Propulsion
    2 Page & Burton water-tube boilers
    2 Allis Chalmers compound, inverted, reciprocating steam engines
    2 propellers, 1,000shp
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		Size Image Description Source
    US Lighthouse Service Tender Speedwell
    Speedwell
    30111802    		 37k USLHT Speedwell underway, circa 1923, location unknown.
    US Light House Service photo    		 John Spivey
    USAMP Col. John V. White
    Col. John V, White
    30111803    		 32k
    Namesake
    John Vasser White (16 March 1854 - 24 August 1915) a graduate of the United States Military Academy (15 June 1877) was initially assigned to the 4th US Artillery Regiment. His following assignments to the 1st and 7th Artillery Regiments ended when he transferred to the Coast Artillery Corps in 1901. He served two years on the Philippine Islands from 1903 through 1905. From 1910 until his death, he commanded various Coast Artillery Districts, mostly in New York. He was assigned to the Coast Defenses of Southern New York in 1915, a command he held at the time of his death from blood poisoning.
    Find A Grave - John Vasser White>     		Tommy Trampp
    Col. John V, White 30k USAMP Col. John V. White underway, date and location unknown. US National Archives photo, a US Army Signal Corps photo
    The history for USLHT Speedwell / USAMP Col. John V. White is from US Army Order of Battle 1919-1941 Vol. 2
    Col. John V. White Commanding Officers
    01Lt. Col. Harrison S. Kerrick, USANovember 1920 - 3 December 1920
    021st Lt. Lewis A. Hudgins, USA 6 December 1920–6 February 1921
    032d Lt. Ola A. Nelson, USA 6 February 1921–18 April 1921
    04Unknown 19 April 1921–19 October 1921
    US Army Order of Battle 1919-1941 Vol. 2
    Back To The Navsource Photo Archives Main Page Back To The US Army Ship Index Back To The US Army Mine Planter Index Back to the US Lighthouse Service Index
    Comments, Suggestions, E-mail Webmaster.
    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
    All pages copyright NavSource Naval History
    Last Updated 11 November 2022