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DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- CIVILIAN SHIPS --

Sea Gull (American Motor Boat, 1910).
Originally named Tonis. Served in 1917-1920 as USS Sea Gull (SP-223) and as USS SP-223

Tonis, an 83-foot motor boat, was built in 1910 at Morris Heights, New York, for use as a pleasure craft. She was later renamed Sea Gull and, in May 1917 was acquired by the Navy and placed in service as USS Sea Gull (SP-223). Renamed SP-223 in April 1918, during World War I she was employed as a patrol boat at Hampton Roads, Virginia, and Baltimore, Maryland. The boat was taken out of service shortly after the conflict ended, stricken from the Navy list in June 1919 and was sold for scrap in April 1920.

This page features our only view of the motor boat Sea Gull, which served as USS Sea Gull (SP-223) and USS SP-223 in 1917-1920.

Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.

Photo #: NH 102233 Sea Gull (American Motor Boat, 1910) Photographed prior to World War I by Edwin Levick, New York. Built at Morris Heights, New York, and originally named Tonis, this 83-foot pleasure craft was placed in service as USS Sea Gull (SP-223) on 16 May 1917. In 1918 her name was changed to SP-223 to avoid confusion with other Navy vessels of the same, or similar, name. The boat was stricken from the Navy list on 13 June 1919 and sold as scrap on 10 April 1920. The original print is in National Archives' Record Group 19-LCM. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph. Online Image: 71KB; 740 x 520 pixels

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Page made 31 August 2003