SC 238
The SC-1 Class Submarine Chaser, originally commissioned as USS SC-238, was built at the New York Yacht, Launch, and Engine Co. in Morris Heights, NY. It was commissioned on March 12, 1918. In 1921, it was sold to Joseph G. Hitner of Philadelphia, PA, and in 1926, it was registered as the yacht Allen under the ownership of Dennis Sullivan of New York, NY. Later on, it was renamed Sea Roamer.
In 1943, the SC-1 Class Submarine Chaser was sold to the War Shipping Administration (WSA) and transferred to the Coast Guard. It was commissioned as USCGC Bowstring (WPC 365) on July 7, 1943. However, it was decommissioned on December 23, 1944, and placed in storage at Bucksport, SC.
On January 6, 1945, it was transferred back to the War Shipping Administration and sold. The subsequent fate of the vessel is unknown.
Here are the specifications of the SC-1 Class Submarine Chaser:
- Displacement: 85 tons (1926: 79 tons)
- Length: 110 feet (1926: 104.3 feet)
- Beam: 14 feet 9 inches
- Draft: 5 feet 8 inches (1926: 8.3 feet)
- Speed: 18 knots
- Complement: 27 (1926: Five)
- Armament: One 3″/23 gun mount, two .30 caliber machine guns, and one depth charge projector “Y Gun”
- Propulsion: Three 220 horsepower Standard gasoline engines, three shafts
The Harry H, formerly known as the Subchaser SC-238, was docked in the Oshawa Harbour for several years. It changed ownership multiple times, with David Sullivan purchasing it in 1922 and renaming it the Allen. In 1934, it was sold to Oshawa resident William Leggott.
There were rumors and confusion surrounding the registration and use of the Harry H. It was seized by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in 1933 for customs regulation infractions. It was believed that the RCMP used the ship to chase rum runners on Lake Ontario.
The vessel faced various repairs and changes, including modifications to its engines and propellers. Some speculated that it had been used as a rum runner itself. In 1934, a court order was issued for the vessel’s sale at public auction, and it was eventually bought by Stanley Grossett of Port Hope. Later on, it was owned by William Leggott.
Unfortunately, the Harry H met its demise in the Oshawa Harbour. It was found at the bottom of the harbor in 1965 due to a pump or battery failure. In 1978, a dredging operation by the Porter Dredging Company resulted in the destruction of the vessel.
Overall, the fate of the SC-1 Class Submarine Chaser and the Harry H is unclear, as their subsequent histories and ultimate outcomes remain unknown.
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