Engineering:USS Legonia II

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Short description: Patrol vessel of the United States Navy


Legonia II as a private yacht prior to World War I.
History
United States
NameUSS Legonia II
NamesakeLego Point, Harford County, Maryland
BuilderPusey & Jones, Wilmington, Delaware
Yard number338
Completed1909
Acquired6 June 1917
Commissioned14 June 1917
Decommissioned1 August 1921
Home port
  • Chicago (yacht Lydonia)[1]
  • New York, NY (yacht Walucia)[2]
Identification
  • U.S. official #: 206627[1]
  • Signal: LBFP (yachts)[1]
FateSold 30 September 1921
NotesOperated as private yacht Lydonia, Walucia and Legonia II 1909-1917
__1B0X_5H1P__career
General characteristics
TypePatrol vessel
Tonnage244 GRT[1][3]
Displacement119[4]
Length
Beam22 ft 6 in (6.86 m)
Draft
  • 9 ft (2.7 m) (mean)[3]
  • 11 ft (3.4 m)[4]
Depth11 ft (3.4 m)[1]
Propulsion1 vertical, triple exapnsin steam engine[3]
Speed13 kn (15 mph; 24 km/h)[4]
Range2,000 nmi (2,300 mi; 3,700 km) @ 12 kn (14 mph; 22 km/h)[3]
Complement
  • 20 crew (yacht)[1]
  • 36 Navy[4]
Armament
__1B0X_5H1P__characteristics

USS Legonia II (SP-399) was a private yacht taken into the Navy as United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1921.

Yacht

The private yacht Lydonia before being renamed Legonia II, prior to World War I.

Legonia II was built as the private steam yacht Lydonia in 1909 by Pusey & Jones at Wilmington, Delaware, yard hull 338, U.S. official number 206627, for William A. Lydon of Chicago.[5][6] Lydonia (often seen as Lydonia I) was sold to be replaced by the larger Lydonia II. The first Lydonia was renamed Walucia, then Legonia II.[6]

The yacht Walucia was sold by Henry D. Walbridge of New York to William B. Hurst of Baltimore, Maryland in 1914.[7] Hurst had sold his smaller yacht Legonia and renamed his new yacht Legonia II. The name comes from Hurst's shooting shore on the Chesapeake, Lego Point.[8]

On 6 June 1917, the U.S. Navy purchased Legonia II from William B. Hurst for $90,948 to use as a section patrol vessel during World War I. The Navy took delivery of her from Hurst on 9 June 1917, and she was enrolled in the Naval Coast Defense Reserve on 12 June 1917. She was commissioned at Baltimore as USS Legonia II (SP-399) on 14 June 1917.[4][3]

Assigned to the 5th Naval District, Legonia II was based at Norfolk, Virginia, for the rest of World War I. She served as a messenger and dispatch vessel and as flagship of the Commandant, 5th Naval District, and as flagship made visits to Norfolk; Washington, D.C.; Annapolis, Maryland; and Baltimore. In addition, she served as a harbor and coastal guard ship off Cape Henry, Virginia, patrolled submarine nets, and escorted arriving and departing merchant ships through the defensive sea area of Hampton Roads. After the war ended on 11 November 1918, she remained in service as flagship of the naval district.[4]

Legonia II was decommissioned on 1 August 1921. She was sold to Dr. John M. Masury of Norfolk on 30 September 1921.[4]

Commercial service

Legonia II returned to civilian service registered to Masury remaining in registration under other owners into 1935.[9]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Annual List of Merchant Vessels of the United States, Year ended June 30, 1910. Washington, D.C.: Department of Commerce and Labor, Bureau of Navigation. 1910. p. 239. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/coo.31924087715912?urlappend=%3Bseq=251%3Bownerid=119543379-261. Retrieved 26 April 2026. 
  2. ↑ Annual List of Merchant Vessels of the United States, Year ended June 30, 1912. Washington, D.C.: Department of Commerce and Labor, Bureau of Navigation. 1912. p. 319. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/coo.31924087715938?urlappend=%3Bseq=333%3Bownerid=119543470-341. Retrieved 26 April 2026. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Construction & Repair Bureau (Navy) (November 1, 1918). Ships' Data U.S. Naval Vessels. Washington D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. pp. 290-295. https://books.google.com/books?id=P0ZHAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA290#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 26 April 2026. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 Naval History And Heritage Command. "Legonia II (S. P. 399)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Naval History And Heritage Command. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/l/legonia-ii.htm. Retrieved 26 April 2026. 
  5. ↑ "The yacht, Lydonia I". Wilmington, DE: Hagley Museum and Library. 2026. https://digital.hagley.org/1972350_1097. Retrieved 26 April 2026. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Colton, Tim (December 12, 2020). "PUSEY & JONES". ShipbuildingHistory. http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/large/pusey.htm. Retrieved 26 April 2026. 
  7. ↑ "Sales—Charteres—New Boats". Power Boating (Cleveland, Ohio: The Penton Publishing Co.) 11 (February 1914): 107. 1914. https://www.google.com/books/edition/Power_Boating/QjQyAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Walucia&pg=RA1-PA107&printsec=frontcover. Retrieved 26 April 2026. 
  8. ↑ "Mr William B. Hurst's New Yacht, Legonia II". The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, Md.): M5. January 11, 1914. 
  9. ↑ Annual List of Merchant Vessels of the United States, Year ended June 30, 1936. Washington, D.C.: Department of Commerce and Labor, Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation. 1936. p. 100. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/osu.32435066707076?urlappend=%3Bseq=104%3Bownerid=113188526-108. Retrieved 26 April 2026. 



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