SC-1 Class Submarine Chaser (later known as USS SC-238, Allen, Sea Roamer, and Harry H)

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IDENTIFICATION & SITE INFORMATION #

Name: SC-1 Class Submarine Chaser (later known as USS SC-238, Allen, Sea Roamer, and Harry H)
Type: SC-1 Class Submarine Chaser (later converted to a yacht)
Build Year: 1918
Builder: New York Yacht, Launch, and Engine Co., Morris Heights, NY
Dimensions:
- Original: 110 feet in length, 14 feet 9 inches in beam, 5 feet 8 inches in draft
- Modified (1926): 104.3 feet in length, 8.3 feet in draft
Displacement: 85 tons (later recorded as 79 tons in 1926)
Propulsion: Three 220-horsepower Standard gasoline engines, three shafts
Speed: 18 knots
Armament (during military service): One 3″/23 gun mount, two .30 caliber machine guns, and one depth charge projector “Y Gun”
Location: Oshawa Harbour, Ontario
Status: Destroyed during dredging operations in 1978

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VESSEL TYPE DESCRIPTION #

The SC-1 Class Submarine Chaser was a small, fast vessel designed for anti-submarine warfare during World War I. These chasers were built with a wooden hull and powered by three gasoline engines, providing both speed and maneuverability to hunt enemy submarines. Following its military service, the vessel was converted into a yacht, undergoing significant modifications and changes in ownership.

HISTORY #

The SC-1 Class Submarine Chaser was commissioned as the USS SC-238 on March 12, 1918, and served the United States Navy during World War I. In 1921, after being decommissioned, the vessel was sold to Joseph G. Hitner of Philadelphia and then sold again in 1926 to Dennis Sullivan of New York, who registered it as the yacht Allen. The yacht was later renamed Sea Roamer.

In 1943, during World War II, the vessel was recommissioned by the United States Coast Guard as the USCGC Bowstring(WPC 365). However, after just over a year of service, it was decommissioned on December 23, 1944, and placed in storage. The vessel was sold again in January 1945, after which its fate became somewhat unclear until it resurfaced as the Harry H in Oshawa Harbour.

FINAL DISPOSITION #

The Harry H, previously known as the SC-238 and Allen, ended up in Oshawa Harbour, Ontario. It changed hands several times, with significant ownership under William Leggott in the 1930s. The vessel became the subject of rumors and confusion regarding its use, including speculation that it had been involved in rum-running during Prohibition. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) seized the vessel in 1933 for customs violations, leading to further intrigue about its past.

The Harry H remained docked in Oshawa Harbour for many years until it ultimately sank in 1965 due to a pump or battery failure. In 1978, during a dredging operation by the Porter Dredging Company, the vessel was destroyed, marking the end of its long and storied history.

CURRENT CONDITION & ACCESSIBILITY #

The Harry H no longer exists as it was destroyed during dredging operations in Oshawa Harbour. Divers will not find any remains of the vessel, as it was completely obliterated during the dredging process. The vessel’s historical significance remains in the annals of maritime history, particularly its varied service life and the mystery surrounding its use during the Prohibition era.