USS Celeritas (SP-665)

History
Celeritas as a private motorboat in 1916 or 1917.
United States
Name:	USS Celeritas
Namesake:	Previous name retained
Builder:	Robert Jacobs, City Island, the Bronx, New York
Completed:	1916
Acquired:	28 May 1917
Commissioned:	29 May 1917
Struck:	17 May 1919
Fate:	Sold 25 June 1919
Notes:	Operated as private motorboat Celeritas 1916-1917
General characteristics
Type:	Patrol vessel
Length:	60 ft 6 in (18.44 m)
Beam:	11 ft 5 in (3.48 m)
Draft:	3 ft 3 in (0.99 m)
Speed:	30 miles per hour^[1]

Celeritas in use as a private motorboat in 1916 or 1917, probably in the New York City area.

USS Celeritas (SP-665) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1919.

Designed by the firm of Swasey, Raymond, & Page, Celeritas was built as a private motorboat of the same name by Robert Jacobs at City Island in the Bronx, New York, in 1916 for David Goodrich for his use in commuting. Goodrich later sold her to R. B. Myer of New York City.

On 28 May 1917, the U.S. Navy purchased Celeritas from Myer for use as a section patrol boat during World War I. She was commissioned on 29 May 1917 as USS Celeritas (SP-665).

Assigned to the 2nd Naval District in southern New England, Celeritas carried out patrol duties for the rest of World War I.

Celeritas was stricken from the Navy List on 17 May 1919 and sold on 25 June 1919.

Notes

↑ The Navy History and Heritage Command Online Library of Selected Images at http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/sh-civil/civsh-c/celertas.htm and NavSource Online at http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/170665.htm give Celeritas's speed as 30 miles per hour, implying statute miles per hour, an unusual unit of measure for the speed of a watercraft. It is possible that her speed actually was 30 knots. If 30 statute miles per hour is accurate, the equivalent in knots is 26.

References

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
Department of the Navy Naval History and Heritage Command Online Library of Selected Images: Civilian Ships: Celeritas (American Motor Boat, 1916). Served as USS Celeritas (SP-665) in 1917-1919
NavSource Online: Section Patrol Craft Photo Archive Celeritas (SP 665)

Celeritas in use as a private motorboat off City Island, the Bronx, New York, sometime in 1916 or 1917.

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