Photo. www.navsource.org By Joe Radigan
Built in 1913 as Gem by George Lawley and Sons, Neponset, MA for William Zeigler, Jr. of New York, NY
Launched 22 August 1913 and sponsored by Mrs. T. N. Sanborn of Fair Haven, MA
Acquired by the Navy 26 March 1917
Delivered to the Navy 11 May 1917
Commissioned USS Gem (SP 41), 1 June 1917 at New York
Decommissioned 10 January 1919 and returned to her owner
Acquired in 1921 by Jesse Lauriston Livermore of New York and renamed Athero
Acquired in 1925 by Russell Alexander Alger of New York and renamed Gypsy Jo
Operated in 1927 under the British flag and renamed Condor
Acquired in 1935 by Harry P. von Knauf of Chicago, IL
Acquired by the Coast Guard 28 July 1942 and commissioned USCGC Bedford(WPYc 346) at Chicago, IL and assigned to the Gulf Sea Frontier stationed at New Orleans, LA
Transferred to the Navy 22 January 1943
Commissioned USS Perseverance (PYC 44), 1 March 1943 at Mobile, AL
Decommissioned 18 April 1945 at Recife, Brazil
Struck from the Navy list 19 May 1945
Made available to the War Shipping Administration for return to her owner
Transferred in May 1946 to the State Department, Foreign Liquidation Commission for disposal
Out of documentation in 1948
Fate unknown.
Specifications:
Displacement 190 t.
Length 164' 5"
Beam 17' 6"
Draft 6'
Speed 18kts
Complement 24
Armament one 20mm gun, two depth charge tracks
Propulsion two Lawley express water tube boilers, two 2,200shp George Lawley and Sons vertical triple expansion steam engines, Farrel-Birmingham single reduction gear, two shafts.
Perseverance (ex Badford) (C.G.), ex, Condor was built by George Lawley and Sons, Neponset, Mass., in 1913 ; acquired by the Navy from the U.S. Coast Guard, 22 January 1943; converted by the Alabama Dry Dock and Shipbuilding Co., Mobile, Ala.; and commissioned 1 March 1938, Lt. Comdr. Charles E. Priolean in command. Assigned to ServRon 1, Perseverance got underway for the South Atlantic at the end of March. After working her way down the Greater and Lesser Antilles and along the coast of South America, she arrived at Belem, Brazil, 14 May, and reported for duty in the 4th Fleet.
Continuing on to Recife, she served as relief flagship for V.Adm. J. H. Ingram for the remainder of the battle to block the Atlantic narrows to enemy shipping and ensure safe passage to Allied merchantmen. With the approach of German capitulation, Perseverance was ordered inactivated. She decommissioned at Recife 18 April 1945 and was struck from the Navy List 19 May 1945. Then made available to the Maritime Commission (W.S.A.) for disposal, she was transferred a year later to the State Department and sold abroad.