The USRC Guthrie was a small, steel-hulled patrol vessel constructed in 1895 for the United States Revenue Cutter Service. Powered by a triple expansion steam engine, she was capable of reaching speeds up to 10 knots (19 km/h), reflecting her role as a modest but vital maritime asset. Displacing approximately 149 tons, the vessel was crewed by a complement of 10 personnel, facilitating patrol, law enforcement, and wartime duties. Named after James Guthrie, the 21st Secretary of the Treasury, this vessel was the third to bear the name, following earlier ships launched in 1868 and 1882. The Guthrie’s service history spanned multiple conflicts and organizational transitions. During the Spanish-American War, she was assigned to patrol the Baltimore area, contributing to maritime security during wartime. Her operational record includes minor collisions: on January 23, 1902, she was involved in a collision with the Emma A. Ford in Baltimore Harbor, causing $10 in damage to the Ford and $150 to Guthrie; and on May 30, 1903, she collided with the steamship Queen Anne, resulting in $80 damage. Following her tenure with the Revenue Cutter Service, the Guthrie was temporarily transferred to the United States Navy during World War I and World War II, performing patrol duties in Philadelphia and Portland, Maine respectively. Notably, early in World War II, Benjamin Bottoms served as a radio operator aboard her, indicating her ongoing operational importance. The vessel was permanently transferred to the Coast Guard upon its establishment, integrating into the new maritime security organization. Her service concluded when she was scrapped in 1942, marking the end of a vessel that played a consistent, if modest, role in U.S. maritime defense and law enforcement over nearly five decades.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.