Eider AM-17

Eider

Any of several large sea ducks of America, Northern Europe and Asia.

(AM-17: dp. 950; 1. 187'10"; b. 35'6"; dr. 9'10"; s. 14 k.;
cpl. 72; a. 2 3"; cl. Lapwing)

Eider (AM-17) was launched 27 May 1918 by Pusey and Jones Co, Wilmington, Del.; sponsored by Migg Maren Lysholm; converted by Philadelphia Navy Yard
and commissioned 23 January 1919, Lieutenant A. E. Freed in command.

Eider sailed out of Philadelphia for minesweeping operations in the Delaware River approaches until 8 March 1919 then put in to Norfolk to prepare for distant service. On 3 April 1919 she departed for Scotland and alternately based on Kirkwall and Invergordon Orkney Islands, swept the vast North Sea minefield. Returning home in October she called at Brest, Lisbon, the Azores and Bermuda

Arriving at Charleston Navy Yard 1 December 1919 Eider was placed in reduced commission for repairs. On 29 May 1920 she joined Penguin (AM-33) in salvage operations on Widgeon (AM-22). Placed in full commission again for passage to Mare Island, Eider sailed from Norfolk 10 July 1920 and arrived 28 August to report to Commander, Train, Base Force. On 10 September she was again placed in reduced commission with a partial complement.

In 1921 Eider's home yard was changed to Pearl Harbor, where she arrived 18 June. She was decommissioned 18 April 1922, laid up until 1937, finally sent back to Mare Island, still in decommissioned status. In 1940 she was converted for duty as a gate tender and reclassified YNG-20, 7 October 1940. Placed in service in 1941 based on the Naval Net Depot Tiburon, she operated with net tenders in San Francisco Bay throughout the war. Eider was transferred to the Maritime Commission for disposal July 1947.