The USS Crystal (PY-25) originated as the yacht Cambriona, built in 1929 by the Pusey and Jones Company in Wilmington, Delaware. Designed jointly by Cox & Stevens, Inc. and John H. Wells, this luxurious vessel measured approximately 234 feet 10 inches in overall length and 206.5 feet in registered length. It had a beam of 34.2 feet and a depth of 16.8 feet, with a draft of about 12 to 13 feet. The yacht was powered by two Winton diesel engines totaling 2,200 horsepower, driving twin screws to provide smooth and reliable propulsion. Cambriona was lavishly appointed, featuring a crew of forty and an interior that included a private owner’s apartment with two baths and five double staterooms with private baths for guests. The main deck housed a large dining room, a hallway connecting to a music room, living rooms, and the owner’s lounge and library. The upper bridge deck contained the bridge, captain’s quarters, and navigation facilities, while the after house included a smoking room, gymnasium, and club room. Initially owned by Walter O. Briggs of Detroit, the yacht served as a private vessel until 1938, when Erle P. Halliburton acquired it, naming it Vida in Honduran registry after his daughter. Vida became the largest yacht in Newport Harbor, used for leisure trips to Catalina, Alaska, Mexico, and Honduras. In January 1942, the vessel was acquired by the U.S. Navy, commissioned as USS Crystal (PY-25), and primarily served in Hawaii during World War II. Her duties included patrol and escort missions, transporting personnel, and participating in exercises with destroyers and submarines. She was based at Midway for a period and also conducted weather station patrols. After the war, she was decommissioned in March 1946 and transferred to the Maritime Commission in 1947. Subsequently sold, she operated commercially in Central and South America as a freighter and passenger vessel. Her ultimate fate remains unknown.

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