The USS Eider (AM-17) was a Lapwing-class minesweeper constructed for the United States Navy, representing the early 20th-century naval effort to enhance mine-clearing capabilities. Laid down on September 25, 1917, by the Pusey and Jones Company in Wilmington, Delaware, the vessel was launched on May 26, 1918, and officially commissioned on January 23, 1919. Designed as a minesweeper, the USS Eider had a primary role in detecting and removing naval mines to ensure safe passage for allied and U.S. naval vessels. After commissioning, she operated initially out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, conducting minesweeping operations in the Delaware River approaches until March 8, 1919. Subsequently, Eider prepared for distant service, departing in April 1919 for Scotland, where she was based alternately at Kirkwall and Invergordon in the Orkney Islands. During her service in the North Sea, she participated in sweeping extensive minefields, a critical task in post-World War I naval operations. Notably, she was present to assist in the rescue of the USS Pelican after it was gravely damaged by a mine explosion on July 9, 1919. Following her North Sea deployment, Eider returned to the United States, visiting ports such as Brest, Lisbon, the Azores, and Bermuda. She was placed in reduced commission at Charleston Navy Yard in December 1919 for repairs and later engaged in salvage operations alongside other ships. In July 1920, she was transferred to the West Coast, arriving at Mare Island, California, and was briefly placed in full and reduced commissions during this period. In 1921, her homeport was shifted to Pearl Harbor, where she served until her decommissioning on April 18, 1922. She remained laid up until 1937, when she was moved back to Mare Island in a decommissioned state. In 1940, she was converted into a gate tender and reclassified as YNG-20. During World War II, Eider operated with net tenders in San Francisco Bay, supporting naval defenses. She was transferred to the U.S. Maritime Commission for disposal on July 1, 1947. The USS Eider's service highlights the evolution of naval mine warfare and the adaptability of early 20th-century ships to different roles over her lifespan.

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