USS Raven III (SP-103)

Career (United States)
Name: USS Raven III
Namesake: Previous name retained
Builder: Purdy Boat Company, Miami, Florida
Completed: 1916
Acquired: 14 June 1917 (delivered 28 June 1917)
Commissioned: 5 October 1917
Renamed: USS SP-103 soon after commissioning
Fate: Sank 12 September 1919; raised and later sold
General characteristics
Type: Patrol vessel
Displacement: 6 tons
Length: 50 ft (15 m)
Beam: 9 ft (2.7 m)
Draft: 2 ft (0.61 m)
Speed: 27.7 knots
Complement: 6
Armament: 1 x 1-pounder gun

USS Raven III (SP-103), later USS SP-103, was an armed motorboat that served in the United States Navy as a patrol vessel from 1917 to 1919.

Raven III was built as a civilian motorboat in 1916 at by the Purdy Boat Company at Miami, Florida. The U.S. Navy purchased her from Purdy on 14 June 1917 for use as a patrol boat during World War I. Purdy delivered Raven III to the Navy on 28 June 1917, and she was commissioned on 5 October 1917 at Key West, Florida, as USS Raven III (SP-103) with Motor Machinist's Mate 2nd Class Gordon Stanford,, USNRF, in command.

Soon after commissioning, Raven III was renamed USS SP-103 and attached to Section 4 of the 7th Naval District's coast defense force as a patrol craft working with the training facility at Key West.

SP-103 sank accidentally on 12 September 1919. She was raised and later sold to Stewart McDonald of the Moon Motor Car Company of St. Louis, Missouri.

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