SP-75 Ora SP-76 Kingfisher Renamed SP-76 SP-77 Triangle - No naval service SP-70 Shrewsbury SP-71 Fantana SP-72 Joyance SP-73 O. SP-68 Despatch ex- Vixen Reclassified PY-8 SP-69 Sagitta - No naval service SP-59 Petrel Renamed SP-59 SP-60 Little Aie SP-61 Zenith SP-62 Lydia Renamed SP-62 SP-63 Rivalen SP-64 Nedeva II SP-65 Chichota SP-66 Dlonra SP-67 Kingfisher - No naval service SP-51 Manatee SP-52 Grey Fox SP-53 Boy Scout SP-54 Patrol No. SP-49 Momo SP-50 Kex II - No naval service SP-43 Daraga Reclassified YP-43 SP-44 Priscella - No naval service SP-40 Atlantis SP-41 Gem Renamed/Reclassified USCGC Bedford (WPYc 346) SP-42 Sunbeam II - No naval service
SP-38 Lillian II SP-39 Richard III - No naval service SP-35 Chingachgook SP-36 Mustang SP-37 Dawn - No naval service SP-33 Niji SP-34 Semloh - No naval service SP-26 Dawn SP-27 Florence - No naval service SP-24 Helena I Renamed SP-24 SP-25 Helena II - No naval service SP-14 Edamena II SP-15 Elithro II SP-16 Mystery SP-12 Siwash SP-13 Rosa - No naval service 4 SP-9 Psyche V Reclassified YP-68 SP-10 Flyaway III SP-1 Arawan II SP-2 Lynx SP-3 Zipalong SP-4 Porpoise SP-5 Tacony SP-6 Altrurian II Section Patrol Craft (SP) & Civilian Vessels (ID) Section Patrol Craft (SP), Civilian Vessels (ID), Unnumbered Vessels, Lighthouse Tenders, Revenue Cutters, Coast & Geodetic Survey Vessels and Canadian Drifters/Trawlers (CD/CT) Photos attached click on ship name to view image(s) and DANFS history They can therefore be considered precursors of the later hull number system and are included here for that reason. However, like hull numbers, the SP/ID numbers were used for record-keeping purposes and were often painted on the exterior of vessels (especially patrol types) to facilitate identification.
Many of the ships and craft so numbered had no Navy service, while others that were acquired and employed by the Navy received no numbers. Navy "hull numbers", which would not be formally adopted until mid-1920. Strictly speaking, these SP/ID registry numbers were not U.S. The latter category included some ships that served in the Navy, without numbers, during 1917-1919. The registry, and the SP/ID number series, was continued at least into the early 1920s, with new numbers being assigned to ships completed or examined after the end of World War I. In addition, some vessels that were numbered with an "SP" prefix before 1918 later had that prefix changed to "ID". As the registration process continued, other types of ships and craft were included for which the "Section Patrol" designation was clearly inappropriate, and these were generally given "Identification" ("ID") numbers in the same series as the "SP"s. "Section Patrol" ("SP") numbers were assigned in a series beginning with SP-1 and ultimately extending to well over 4000. Navy began a registry of privately-owned pleasure craft and yachts that were available for patrol service in the event the United States was drawn into the conflict. In 1916, as the First World War continued abroad with undiminished ferocity, the U.S. Section Patrol Craft (SP), Civilian Vessels (ID), Unnumbered Vessels, Lighthouse Tenders, Revenue Cutters, Coast & Geodetic Survey Vessels and Canadian Drifters/Trawlers