THE SUBCHASER ARCHIVES – SHIP NOTES
UNITED STATES SUBMARINE CHASERS
SC 93
Notes on SC 93, Todd Woofenden, The Subchaser Archives, www.subchaser.org rev. 01-30-05
Built: Elco Co., Bayone, NJ (SC 90 to SC 105)
Delivered to New York shipyard, 1 November 1917
Commissioned: 5 December 1917
Service Log:
02-24-18: Departed New London, Connecticut, convoyed by USS Wadena (SP 158)
03-01-18: Arrived Bermuda
04-15-18: Departed Bermuda, convoyed by USS Salem (CS 3)
04-27-18: Arrived Azores
05-07-18: Departed Azores, convoyed by USS Leonidas (AD 7)
05-13-18: Arrived Gibraltar
05-19-18: Departed Gibraltar
05-25-18: Arrived Malta
06-02-18: Departed Malta
06-04-18: Arrived Corfu
Service at Base 25, Corfu, Greece, Otranto barrage
12-23-18: Departed Corfu
12-26-18: Arrived Malta
01-16-19: Departed Malta
01-20-19: Arrived Civita Vecchia
01-26-19: Departed Civita Vecchia
01-29-19: Arrived Spezia, Italy
01-29-19: Departed Spezia, Italy
01-30-19: Arrived Villefranche, France
02-07-19: Departed Villefranche
02-08-19: Arrived Marseilles
02-13-19: Departed Marseilles
02-16-19: Arrived Gibraltar
03-13-19: Departed Gibraltar
03-15-19: Arrived Lisbon
04-06-19: Departed Lisbon
04-11-19: Arrived Azores
04-22-19: Departed Azores
05-02-19: Arrived Bermuda
05-10-19: Departed Bermuda
05-14-19: Arrived Charleston
05-16-19: Departed Charleston
05-19-19: Arrived New York
Notes: The route to Corfu via Bermuda and the Azores was typical for the chasers that served overseas. Due to their small size and limited fuel capacity, the crossing was broken into shorter runs, the Atlantic coast to Bermuda being the typical first run, followed by a run from Bermuda to the busy port at Ponta Delgada, San Miguel Island, Azores, and from there to other ports on the way to their destination.
Organization *:
Unit E: SC 90, SC 92 and SC 93.
SC 90: Commanding Officer: Oscar Borgeson, Lt., USN. Executive Officer: A.B. Bayless, Jr., Ensign, USNRF
SC 92: Commanding Officer: Joseph H. Mundy, Ensign, USNRF. Executive Officer: W.B. Smith, Ensign, USNRF
SC 93: Commanding Officer: George S. Dole, Lt. (j.g.) USNRF. Executive Officer: Frank A. Snow, Ensign, USNRF
SC 93 served as a wing ship of Unit E, First Squadron, at Base 25, American Bay, Corfu. SC 90, under the command of Lt. Oscar Borgeson, was unit leader, and SC 92 was the second wing boat. The unit was engaged in the first hunt of the American subchasers on the Otranto barrage line, and engaged in submarine hunting service in the barrage for the full duration of chaser service there. Unit E was engaged in at least two submarine attacks, on 27 June 1918 and on 24 October 1918. Following the Armistice, SC 93 (and many other chasers that served in the barrage) performed diplomatic missions along the coast of Austria.
* Officers list is for the period during service in the Otranto Barrage. Following the Armistice, chaser movements and re-assignments occurred, including a transfer of Lt. (j.g.) Dole to the command of SC 354 for service in Northern Russia. Ensign Frank A. Snow took command of SC 93 on the homeward journey.
Resources/References:
Skeleton Log and unit organization: Clephane, Lewis P., History of the Submarine Chasers in the World War. Navy Department Office of Naval Records and Library Historical Section, Washington Government Printing Office, 1920.
Movements of Submarine Chasers, July 1, 1918 – 1940. National Archives, Washington. D.C.
Various documents in the G.S. Dole Collection
Submarine attacks: Letters and documents in the G.S. Dole collection, S.C. Subject Files, 1911 to 1927, National Archives, Washington, D.C.
Officer first names from Navy Cross citations, www.homeofheroes.com.