USS Victor (SP-1995)
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| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
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| Laid down: | date unknown |
| Launched: | 1917 |
| Acquired: | 27 November 1917 |
| Commissioned: | 26 December 1917 |
| Decommissioned: | 21 November 1918 |
| Struck: | date unknown |
| Fate: | returned to owner |
| General characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 50 tons |
| Length: | 71 ft 6 in (21.79 m) |
| Beam: | 15 ft (4.6 m) |
| Draught: | 3 ft 3 in (0.99 m) (mean) |
| Speed: | 12 knots |
| Complement: | 10 |
| Armament: | one 3" gun mount, two machine guns |
USS Victor (SP-1995) was a Victor-class patrol boat acquired by the U.S. Navy for the task of patrolling and defending the East Coast of the United States during World War I.
Victor, a wooden-hulled motor-boat constructed at Camden, New Jersey, by Clement A. Troth, and completed in 1917, was leased by the Navy on 27 November 1917 from George H. Earle, Jr., of Haverford, Pennsylvania; and commissioned on 26 December 1917, Ens. George H. Earle, III, in command.
Operating out of Cape May, New Jersey, Victor patrolled the entrance to Delaware Bay for the duration of the war. During her naval service, two incidents stood out to enliven her otherwise uneventful routine; and both occurred in February 1918.
While the boat was on patrol on the 10th of the month, an explosion in the vessel's engine room started a fire at 1530. The crew fought the flames with fire extinguishers and formed a bucket brigade back to the stern. Not having a wireless, Victor hoisted distress signals—including an upside down national ensign—fired a gun to attract attention to her plight, and sounded her klaxon horn. Meanwhile, her small boat was manned, lowered, and sent out to obtain assistance as the fire made enough headway to convince some on board that their chance of putting it out was slim.
Members of the crew not fighting the fire began to construct a makeshift raft out of doors, tops of berths, hatchways, and tables, while still others moved ammunition astern to prevent its catching fire and exploding. All life preservers were moved on deck, ready for use. However, the dogged efforts of the firefighters brought the blaze under control by 1605; and it was completely extinguished by 1610. Soon thereafter, USS Emerald (SP-177) arrived on the scene and towed Victor back to port for repairs.
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