The USS Breakwater (SP-681) was a versatile United States Navy vessel that served during World War I from 1917 to 1920. Originally constructed in 1907 in Milton, Delaware, she was a wooden-hulled, single-screw commercial steam fishing trawler named Breakwater. Her design reflected typical early 20th-century fishing vessels, with a robust wooden hull and a single propeller, suitable for both commercial fishing and, later, naval duties. In spring 1917, the U.S. Navy acquired her from the Lewes Fishing Company of Lewes, Delaware, to support wartime operations. She was commissioned at the Philadelphia Navy Yard on 12 May 1917, bearing the section patrol number SP-681. Her assigned duties included patrolling, minesweeping, and serving as a tug, primarily within the 4th Naval District, which covered the Delaware area. Throughout her service in World War I and into the summer of 1919, Breakwater performed a range of auxiliary roles, including patrol duties and minesweeping operations essential to maintaining safe passage for Allied shipping. Notably, on 15 July 1919, she was reassigned to the Panama Canal Zone, specifically to Submarine Division 1 at Coco Solo. There, she operated as a utility vessel, supporting submarine activities and other fleet operations out of Coco Solo. By spring 1920, a routine inspection revealed her to be in poor condition. She was drydocked and condemned by a board of inspection and survey. Subsequently, she was decommissioned at Coco Solo on 8 September 1920. The vessel was sold to the Panama Construction Company on 8 April 1921, ending her naval service. The USS Breakwater's service highlights her adaptability from a commercial fishing trawler to a multi-role auxiliary vessel supporting naval operations during a critical period in maritime history.

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