USS Argus (PY-14)
USS Argus (PY-14), at sea, circa 1944/1945.
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History | |
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United States | |
Name | Haida |
Namesake | Haida people |
Builder | Germaniawerft, Kiel |
Completed | 1929 |
Fate | Acquired by the Navy, 25 October 1940 |
United States | |
Name | Argus |
Namesake | Argus Panoptes |
Acquired | 25 October 1940 |
Commissioned | 13 February 1941 |
Decommissioned | 15 April 1946 |
Stricken | 21 May 1946 |
Identification |
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Fate |
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Pioneer
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United States | |
Name | Pioneer |
Operator | United States Coast and Geodetic Survey |
In service | 17 September 1941 |
Out of service | 16 March 1942 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Yacht |
Displacement | 859 long tons (873 t) |
Length | 207 ft 6 in (63.25 m) |
Beam | 30 ft (9.1 m) |
Draft | 13 ft 5 in (4.09 m) |
Installed power |
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Propulsion | 2 × screws |
Speed | 14.5 knots (26.9 km/h; 16.7 mph) |
Complement | 59 |
Armament |
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The American
Construction and yacht service
The motor yacht Haida was built in 1929 at
Haida was designed by the eminent New York firm of
Following completion at Kiel, Haida was delivered, via New York and the Panama Canal to California and her berth at the Santa Barbara Yacht Club (Fleischman had donated over half of the cost of the construction of a breakwater at Santa Barbara).[2][3] During the following decade the owner cruised extensively in West Coast waters, from Alaska to Mexico, following his interests in marine science and fishing.[3]
The yacht was acquired by the Navy on 25 October 1940 from Mrs. Max C. Fleischmann of Glenbrook, Nevada; converted at Long Beach, California by the Craig Shipbuilding Company for naval service and renamed Argus on 14 November 1940. Named for the Argus (a monster with a hundred eyes supposedly slain by the Greek mythological messenger of the gods, Hermes), she was the second U.S. Navy vessel to bear the name. She was commissioned on 13 February 1941.[5]
Argus arrived in
United States Coast and Geodetic Survey
The Coast and Geodetic Survey modified her for her new role, renamed her Pioneer (their second of that name), and placed her in service on 17 September 1941. Pioneer was able to accomplish little survey work before the entry of the United States into World War II led to her return to the U.S. Navy on 16 March 1942 under Executive Order 9072 of 24 February 1942.[8]
Pioneer was returned to the Navy on 16 March 1942 and, after reconversion at the General Engineering & Drydock Company, she was recommissioned at San Francisco on 18 April, again as Argus. The converted yacht resumed her patrols of San Francisco Bay under the auspices of the Commandant, 12th Naval District, and continued that duty for the remainder of her naval career. There were two notable events during her wartime career. The first occurred when Argus rescued the 60 survivors from the
In the second event, Argus participated in the establishment of a weather station on the uninhabited French
The yacht was decommissioned at San Francisco on 15 April 1946. Her name was struck from the
Further yacht service
The yacht was sold in late 1946 to Egyptian cotton magnate Maurice Ada (or Adda) and renamed Sarina. Now painted in traditional white, she was based at the Alexandria Yacht Club. A close friend of King Farouk, when he was deposed and exiled in 1952 the yacht was moved to Cannes, France.[3][7]
In the late 1960s Sarina was briefly owned by Larry Green, an American businessman involved in the motor trade, and was then sold to former British
In 1988 Rosenkavalier was sold to the three brothers Hiroshi, Takashi and Yasushi Isaka, owners of a property development company in
In 2011 Haida G was again sold and renamed Dona Amelia. She received a further extensive refit at Pendennis Shipyard in Falmouth, Cornwall in 2016/2017, after which she was renamed Haida 1929 by her new owner. Her tonnage is assessed as 720 GT and 216 NT.[9]
References
- ^ a b c Byrne, Diane M (6 November 2009). "Happy Birthday, Haida G". Megayacht News. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ a b Beresford, Hattie. "Moguls and Mansions: Major Max C. Fleischmann". Montecito Journal. Vol. 2, no. 2. Archived from the original on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Special Report: Haida G celebrates her 80th year". SuperYacht Times. Amsterdam: SuperYacht Company BV. 9 November 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ "Haida (8981652)". Miramar Ship Index. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f "DANFS: Argus II (PY-14)". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f Wisden, Capt. John (1 April 2006). "Haida G – class and distinction". Yachting Matters. No. 10. pp. 38–61. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- ^ Executive Order 9072 – Transfer of the Pioneer (ex Argus), Guide (ex Andradite) and Pratt (ex YP-96) and certain personnel from the Coast and Geodetic Survey to the War and Navy Departments
- ^ "Haida 1929 yacht". superyachttimes. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
External links
Photo gallery of USS Argus (PY-14) at NavSource Naval History