The USS Relief (SP-2170) was a salvage tug constructed in 1907 by Harlan and Hollingsworth in Wilmington, Delaware. She measured 200 feet (61.0 meters) in overall length, with a beam of 30.2 feet (9.2 meters), a depth of 20.6 feet (6.3 meters), and a draft of 15 feet 5 inches (4.70 meters). Her tonnage was 828 gross register tons (GRT), 563 net register tons (NRT), and she displaced approximately 1,386 tons. Powered by a three-cylinder triple-expansion steam engine rated at 137 NHP, Relief drove a single screw propeller, achieving a speed of about 14.5 knots (27 km/h). Relief’s early career included notable rescue operations, most famously rescuing the steam yacht Warrior in 1914. The yacht, carrying prominent passengers including the Vanderbilts and other dignitaries, ran aground near the Magdalena River in Colombia. Relief was dispatched from Kingston, Jamaica, arriving in late January. Despite challenging weather and subsequent hurricanes that caused damage to Relief and the yacht, she played a significant role in standing by and eventually hauling Warrior off the mud bank after multiple setbacks. Relief towed the yacht to New York in April 1914, demonstrating her capabilities as a salvage and rescue vessel. By 1910, Relief was equipped with wireless telegraphy, with her call sign changing to KRJ by 1914, enhancing her communication capabilities. She was registered in New York with official number 203988. During World War I, Relief was acquired by the U.S. Navy in August 1918 and commissioned as USS Relief (SP-2170). She served in the 3rd Naval District as a salvage and wrecking tug, notably participating in salvage operations in the New York area. Her service included a collision with USS Williams in September 1918. She was returned to her civilian owners in May 1919. Relief resumed civilian service, further upgrading her with wireless direction finding by 1930. She served again during World War II from 1942 to 1945 under Navy direction, operated by Merritt-Chapman & Scott. After the war, she returned to civilian work until being scrapped in 1953, ending her long and varied maritime career.

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