SC 97 was commissioned on 8 January 1918 in New York. It departed from the submarine chaser base at New London, Connecticut on 25 April, ultimately reaching Plymouth, England on or near 8 June. This was one of the chasers that served from Plymouth (Base 27), performing antisubmarine hunts. SC 97 was a wing boat in Unit 3 (originally referred to as "Group 15"), a three-chaser hunt unit. The unit leader was SC 35, and the other wing boat was SC 34.

After the war, SC 97 headed back to the U.S., arriving in Charleston, SC on 14 May 1919, then in Boston sometime around 17 May, and in New York on 19 May. The boat was placed out of commission and was sold on 24 June 1921.

submarine chaser SC 97
Photograph of submarine chaser SC 97. T. Woofenden Collection