Eagle Class Patrol Craft (1918)

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One hundred and twelve Eagle class patrol craft were ordered for the U.S. Navy in 1918, only sixty of which were completed between 1918 and 1919.

Overview of 60 vessels
Citations for this data available on individual ship pages
Name Hull No. Builder Laid Down Launched Commissioned Fate
Eagle 1 PE-1 Ford Motor 7 May, 1918 11 Jul, 1918 27 Oct, 1918 Sold 11 Jun, 1930
Eagle 2 PE-2 Ford Motor 10 May, 1918 19 Aug, 1918 7 Nov, 1918 Sold 11 Jun, 1930
Eagle 3 PE-3 Ford Motor 16 May, 1918 11 Sep, 1918 11 Nov, 1918 Sold 11 Jun, 1930
Eagle 4 PE-4 Ford Motor 21 May, 1918 15 Sep, 1918 14 Nov, 1918 Sold 11 Jun, 1930
Eagle 5 PE-5 Ford Motor 3 Jun, 1918 16 Oct, 1918 19 Nov, 1918 Sold 11 Jun, 1930
Eagle 6 PE-6 Ford Motor 8 Jun, 1918 5 Oct, 1918 21 Nov, 1918 Expended 30 Nov, 1934
Eagle 7 PE-7 Ford Motor 8 Jun, 1918 16 Oct, 1918 24 Nov, 1918 Expended 30 Nov, 1934
Eagle 8 PE-8 Ford Motor 10 Jun, 1918 11 Nov, 1918 31 Oct, 1919 Sold 1 Apr, 1931
Eagle 9 PE-9 Ford Motor 17 Jun, 1918 8 Nov, 1918 27 Oct, 1919 Sold 26 May, 1930
Eagle 10 PE-10 Ford Motor 6 Jul, 1918 9 Nov, 1918 31 Oct, 1919 Expended 19 Aug, 1937
Eagle 11 PE-11 Ford Motor 13 Jul, 1918 14 Nov, 1918 29 May, 1919 Sold 16 Jan, 1935
Eagle 12 PE-12 Ford Motor 13 Jul, 1918 12 Nov, 1918 6 Nov, 1919 Sold 30 Dec, 1935
Eagle 13 PE-13 Ford Motor 15 July, 1918 9 Jan, 1919 2 Apr, 1919 Sold 30 Dec, 1935
Eagle 14 PE-14 Ford Motor 20 Jul, 1918 25 Jan, 1919 17 Jun, 1919 Expended 22 Nov, 1934
Eagle 15 PE-15 Ford Motor 21 Jul, 1918 25 Jan, 1919 11 Jun, 1919 Sold 14 Jun, 1939
Eagle 16 PE-16 Ford Motor 22 Jul, 1918 11 Jan, 1919 5 Jun, 1919 To Coast Guard 1919
Eagle 17 PE-17 Ford Motor 3 Aug, 1918 1 Feb, 1919 3 Jul, 1919 Wrecked 22 May, 1922
Eagle 18 PE-18 Ford Motor 5 Aug, 1918 1 Feb, 1919 7 Aug, 1919 Sold 11 Jun, 1930
Eagle 19 PE-19 Ford Motor 6 Aug, 1918 10 Feb, 1919 25 Jun, 1919 Destroyed 6 Aug, 1946
Eagle 20 PE-20 Ford Motor 26 Aug, 1918 15 Feb, 1919 28 Jul, 1919 To Coast Guard 1919
Eagle 21 PE-21 Ford Motor 31 Aug, 1918 15 Feb, 1919 31 Jul, 1919 To Coast Guard 1919
Eagle 22 PE-22 Ford Motor 5 Sep, 1918 10 Feb, 1919 17 Jul, 1919 To Coast Guard 1919
Eagle 23 PE-23 Ford Motor 11 Sep, 1918 29 Feb, 1919 19 Jun, 1919 Sold 11 Jun, 1930
Eagle 24 PE-24 Ford Motor 13 Sep, 1918 24 Feb, 1919 19 Jun, 1919 Sold 11 Jun, 1930
Eagle 25 PE-25 Ford Motor 17 Sep, 1918 19 Feb, 1919 30 Jun, 1919 Lost 11 Jun, 1920
Eagle 26 PE-26 Ford Motor 25 Sep, 1918 1 Mar, 1919 1 Oct, 1919 Sold 29 Aug, 1919
Eagle 27 PE-27 Ford Motor 22 Oct, 1918 1 Mar, 1919 17 Jul, 1919 Sold 4 Jun, 1946
Eagle 28 PE-28 Ford Motor 23 Oct, 1918 1 Mar, 1919 19 Nov, 1919 Sold 11 Jun, 1930
Eagle 29 PE-29 Ford Motor 18 Nov, 1918 8 Mar, 1919 15 Aug, 1919 Sold 11 Jun, 1930
Eagle 30 PE-30 Ford Motor 19 Nov, 1918 8 Mar, 1919 14 Aug, 1919 To Coast Guard 1919
Eagle 31 PE-31 Ford Motor 19 Nov, 1918 8 Mar, 1919 14 Aug, 1919 Sold 18 May, 1932
Eagle 32 PE-32 Ford Motor 30 Nov, 1918 15 Mar, 1919 4 Sep, 1919 Sold 3 Mar, 1947
Eagle 33 PE-33 Ford Motor 4 Dec, 1918 15 Mar, 1919 30 Aug, 1919 Sold 11 Jun, 1930
Eagle 34 PE-34 Ford Motor 8 Jan, 1919 15 Mar, 1919 3 Sep, 1919 Sold 9 Jun, 1932
Eagle 35 PE-35 Ford Motor 13 Jan, 1919 22 Mar, 1919 22 Aug, 1919 Sold 7 Jun, 1938
Eagle 36 PE-36 Ford Motor 22 Jan 1919 22 Mar, 1919 20 Mar, 1919 Sold 27 Feb, 1936
Eagle 37 PE-37 Ford Motor 27 Jan, 1919 24 Mar, 1919 30 Sep, 1919 Sold 11 Jun, 1930
Eagle 38 PE-38 Ford Motor 31 Jan, 1919 29 Mar, 1919 30 Jul, 1919 Sold 3 Mar, 1947
Eagle 29 PE-39 Ford Motor 3 Feb, 1919 29 Mar, 1919 20 Sep, 1919 Sold 7 Jun, 1938
Eagle 40 PE-40 Ford Motor 7 Feb, 1919 5 Apr, 1919 1 Oct, 1919 Expended 19 Nov, 1934
Eagle 41 PE-41 Ford Motor 10 Feb, 1919 5 Apr, 1919 26 Sep, 1919 Sold 11 Jun, 1930
Eagle 42 PE-42 Ford Motor 13 Feb, 1919 17 May, 1919 3 Oct, 1919 Sold 11 Jun, 1930
Eagle 43 PE-43 Ford Motor 17 Feb, 1919 17 May, 1919 2 Oct, 1919 Sold 26 May, 1930
Eagle 44 PE-44 Ford Motor 20 Feb, 1919 24 May, 1919 4 Oct, 1919 Discarded 14 May, 1938
Eagle 45 PE-45 Ford Motor 20 Feb, 1919 17 May, 1919 2 Oct, 1919 Sold 11 Jun, 1930
Eagle 46 PE-46 Ford Motor 24 Feb, 1919 24 May, 1919 3 Oct, 1919 Sold 10 Dec, 1936
Eagle 47 PE-47 Ford Motor 3 Mar, 1919 19 Jun, 1919 4 Oct, 1919 Sold 30 Dec, 1935
Eagle 48 PE-48 Ford Motor 3 Mar, 1919 14 Jun, 1919 8 Oct, 1919 Sold 10 Oct, 1946
Eagle 49 PE-49 Ford Motor 4 Mar, 1919 14 Jun, 1919 10 Oct, 1919 Sold 20 Sep, 1930
Eagle 50 PE-50 Ford Motor 10 Mar, 1919 18 Jul, 1919 6 Oct, 1919 Sold 11 Jun, 1930
Eagle 51 PE-51 Ford Motor 10 Mar, 1919 14 Jun, 1919 2 Oct, 1919 Sold 29 Aug, 1938
Eagle 52 PE-52 Ford Motor 10 Mar, 1919 9 Jul, 1919 10 Oct, 1919 Sold 29 Aug, 1938
Eagle 53 PE-53 Ford Motor 17 Mar, 1919 13 Aug, 1919 20 Oct, 1919 Sold 26 May, 1930
Eagle 54 PE-54 Ford Motor 17 Mar, 1919 17 Jul, 1919 10 Oct, 1919 Sold 26 May, 1930
Eagle 55 PE-55 Ford Motor 17 Mar, 1919 22 Jul, 1919 10 Oct, 1919 Sold 3 Mar, 1947
Eagle 56 PE-56 Ford Motor 25 Mar, 1919 15 Aug, 1919 26 Oct, 1919 Torpedoed 23 Apr, 1945
Eagle 57 PE-57 Ford Motor 25 Mar, 1919 29 Jul, 1919 15 Oct, 1919 Sold 5 Mar, 1947
Eagle 58 PE-58 Ford Motor 25 Mar, 1919 2 Aug, 1919 20 Oct, 1919 Discarded 30 Jun, 1940
Eagle 59 PE-59 Ford Motor 31 Mar, 1919 12 Aug, 1919 19 Sep, 1919 Sold 29 Aug, 1938
Eagle 60 PE-60 Ford Motor 31 Mar, 1919 13 Aug, 1919 27 Oct, 1919 Sold 29 Aug, 1938

Construction

Template:DANFS Late in 1917, the Navy realized that it needed steel ships smaller than destroyers but having a greater operational radius than the wooden-hulled, 110-foot submarine chasers developed earlier in the year. The submarine chasers' range of about 900 miles at a cruising speed of 10 knots restricted their operations to off-shore antisubmarine work and denied them an open-ocean escort capability. Their high consumption of gasoline and limited fuel storage also were handicaps.

Attention turned to building steel patrol vessels. In their construction, it was necessary to eliminate the established shipbuilding facilities as possible sources of construction as they were totally engaged in the building of destroyers, larger warships, and merchant shipping. Accordingly, a design was developed by the Bureau of Construction and Repair which was sufficiently simplified to permit speedy construction by less experienced shipyards.

Earlier, in June 1917, President Woodrow Wilson had summoned auto-builder Henry Ford to Washington in the hope of getting him to serve on the United States Shipping Board. Wilson felt that Ford, with his knowledge of mass production techniques, could immensely speed the building of ships in quantity. Apprized of the need for antisubmarine vessels to combat the U-boat menace, Ford declared:

"What we want is one type of ship in large numbers." On 7 November, Ford accepted membership on the Shipping Board and an active advisory role. Examining the Navy's plans for the projected steel patrol ships, Ford urged that all hull plates be flat so that they could be produced quickly in quantity, and he also persuaded the Navy to accept steam turbines instead of reciprocating steam engines.

At this point, Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels was drawn into the project. He recognized that no facilities were available at the

Navy yards for building new craft and asked Ford if he would undertake the task. Ford agreed and, in January 1918, he was directed to proceed with the building of 100 of them. Later on twelve more were added for delivery to the Italian government.

Ford's plan for building the ships was meant to be revolutionary. Establishing a new plant on the Rouge River on the outskirts of Detroit, he proposed to turn them out as factory products, using mass production techniques, and employing factory workers. He would then send the boats by the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River to the Atlantic coast. However, Ford had little part in the design of the boats. Except for his insistence upon simple plans and the use of steam turbines, he contributed little of a fundamental nature to the design concept.

The assembly plant was completed in five months, and the first keel was laid in May 1918. The machinery and fittings were largely built at Ford's Highland Park plant in Detroit. At first, Ford believed that boats could be sent down a continuously moving assembly line like automobiles. The size of the craft made this too difficult, however, and a "step-by-step" movement was instituted on the 1,700-foot line. The first Eagle boat was launched on 11 July. The launching of these 200-foot craft was a formidable operation. Not built on ways from which they could slide into the water, the hulls moved slowly from the assembly line on enormous, tractor-drawn flatcars. They were then placed on a 225-foot steel trestle alongside the water's edge which could be sunk 20 feet into the water by hydraulic action.

The original contract called for delivery of 100 ships by 1 December, 1918. Although the first seven boats were completed on schedule, succeeding ones did not follow as rapidly, even though the labor force reached 4,380 by July and later peaked at 8,000. The chief reasons were Ford's excessive initial optimism and the inexperience of labor and supervisory personnel in shipbuilding. Upon the signing of the Armistice in November 1918, the order for 112 boats was cut to sixty. Of these, seven were commissioned in 1918, and the remainder in 1919.

The entire Eagle Boat operation came briefly under challenge by Massachusetts Senator Henry Cabot Lodge in December 1918. At the ensuing Congressional hearings, Navy officials successfully defended the boats as being a necessary experiment and well made while Ford profits were proved to be modest.

The term "Eagle Boat" stemmed from a wartime Washington Post editorial which called for "... an eagle to scour the seas and pounce upon and destroy every German submarine." However, the Eagle Boats never saw service in World War I. Reports on their performance at sea were mixed. The introduction, at Ford's insistence, of flanged plates instead of rolled plates facilitated production but resulted in sea-keeping characteristics which were far from ideal. In the first years after the war, a number of them were used as aircraft tenders. Despite the handicap of their size, they serviced photographic reconnaissance planes at Midway in 1920 and in the Hawaiian Islands in 1921 before being supplanted by larger ships. A number of the Eagle Boats were transferred to the Coast Guard in 1919, and the balance were sold in the 1930s.

Armament

  • two 4-inch/50 caliber
  • one 3-inch/50 caliber AA gun
  • two .50-caliber machine guns
  • one Y gun (Eagle 4 through Eagle 7 only)

See Also

Footnotes

Bibliography

  • Friedman, Norman (1987). U.S. Small Combatants: An Illustrated Design History. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. (on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk).
  • Gray, Randal (editor) (1985). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. London: Conway Maritime Press. (on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk).
  • Silverstone, Paul H. (2006). The U.S. Navy Warship Series: The New Navy 1883-1922. New York: Routledge.

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