Name USS California Length 64 m Displacement 271,200 kg | Laid down date unknown Weight 303.8 tons | |
 | ||
Namesake California, which was admitted to the Union 8 September 1850 as the 31st State; Hauoli is a Hawaiian word meaning "delight." Completed 1903 at Brooklyn, New York | ||
USS California (SP-249) -- later known as USS Hauoli (SP-249) – was a yacht acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War I. It was outfitted as an armed patrol craft and, during the first part of its Navy career, patrolled and protected New York waterways. Later, it was assigned to Thomas A. Edison so that he could conduct underwater listening experiments related to antisubmarine warfare. Post-war the yacht was sold to a buyer in Tampa, Florida.
Contents
Purchased in New York
Hauoli, a steam yacht, was built in 1903 by Robins Drydock Company, Brooklyn, New York, for mining magnate Frank "Borax" Smith. It was purchased by the Navy as California in August 1917 from her then-owner, Clara Baldwin Stocker, of New York City. After fitting out, it commissioned at New York Navy Yard 24 December 1917, Lt. (j.g.) W. Applebye-Robinson, USNRF, commanding. Its name was changed back to the original Hauoli 18 February 1918.
World War I service
Hauoli spent the first year of its service as a patrol vessel in New York harbor. It patrolled outside the harbor also, and occasionally carried passengers to and from convoys.
Assigned to Thomas A. Edison
The yacht was transferred to special duty 28 January 1919, and assigned to the experimental use of Thomas A. Edison for ASW (antisubmarine warfare) studies. Edison installed listening devices in Hauoli and carried out tests in and around New York harbor.
Post-war decommissioning
Before demobilization cut short the experiments with Hauoli, it was withdrawn from that service and decommissioned 8 October 1919, and later sold to Denton Shore Lumber Co., Tampa, Florida, 7 September 1920.