From: Dictionary of American Fighting Ships

A merchant name retained.

(SP - 3054: dp. 214; l. 133'8"; b. 20'; dph. 7'; s. 13 k.)

Gratitude (SP-3054), was built as a freight and passenger steamer at Philadelphia in 1880 and acquired by the Navy from her owners, Bennett's North Carolina Line, in April 1918, at Portsmouth, Va.

Gratitude operated as a passenger and freight steamer with a civilian crew in the Hampton Roads area. She was taken over by a Navy Captain and crew on a bare boat basis in October 1918, and continued her operations in the Norfolk area under the 5th Naval District. Gratitude was returned to her owner 15 September 1919 at Norfolk.

Transcribed by Yves HUBERT (hubertypc@aol.com)