Underwriter II ScTug

Underwriter II

(ScTug: t. 170; 1. 121'; b. 22'; dr. 9'3" (mean); s. 13 k.; cpl. 22)

The second Underwriter—an iron-hulled screw tu built in 1880 and 1881 at Camden, N.J., by John H. Dialogue and rebuilt in 1903—was taken over by the Navy at New Orleans, La., from the Pilot's Association of New Orleans on 1 July 1918 and assigned the identification SP-1390. Commissioned on 9 August, with Boatswain Joseph W. Elfert, USNRF, in command Underwriter was formally purchased by the Navy on 1 September.

The ship operated on minesweeping duties off the mouth of the Mississippi River for the duration of World War I. Retained for service after the armistice Underwriter was used on salvage duties and in training Naval Reserve seamen in minesweeping through 1919.

Underwriter was class)fied YT-44 on 17 July 1920 and was renamed Adirondack on 15 October 1920. The ship remained in the 8th Naval District on local harbor tug operations and towed vessels between New Orleans and Pensacola, Fla., throurh 1921. Adirondack was decommissioned on 1 March 1922 and was sold to B. Mitchell of New Orleans on 6 June of the same year.