The USS Transfer was a steam-propelled freight lighter with a derrick rig, constructed at the New York Navy Yard. She was laid down on August 18, 1904, and launched on May 24, 1905. Although officially placed in service at New York on July 19, 1910, records suggest she was operational earlier, with a reported collision involving the tug H. M. Whitney off Jackson Street in the East River on June 25, 1908. Designed primarily to serve the logistical needs of the Navy, USS Transfer was assigned solely to the 3rd Naval District, specifically the New York Navy Yard throughout her career. Despite being listed as a tugboat, her duties extended beyond towing, encompassing the transportation of personnel, cargo, stores, and various items between ships and shore facilities. Her service record is sparse, but it is believed she was commissioned sometime within her first dozen years of service, with her first decommissioning occurring on October 6, 1922. She remained out of commission until she was recommissioned on February 6, 1924, to replace the vessel Traffic. In 1934, USS Transfer was decommissioned again, and although she likely remained out of active service, she continued to support the fleet in auxiliary roles. Notably, her boiler plant provided heat to the cruisers USS Honolulu and USS Helena during the winter of 1938 and 1939, assisting with ship maintenance during post-shakedown and construction phases. On March 8, 1941, she was assigned the hull classification symbol IX-46, indicating her role as an unclassified miscellaneous vessel. Her name was struck from the Navy list on September 16, 1945, following an inspection and survey, and she was authorized for disposal in January 1945, ultimately sold for scrapping on April 8, 1945. USS Transfer served as a versatile logistical support vessel during her naval career, contributing to the operations of the New York Navy Yard and supporting fleet maintenance through her auxiliary functions.

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