The USS Yosemite (originally built as SS Clearwater) was a steamer constructed in 1894, serving initially as a merchant vessel. In the latter half of 1899, the vessel was acquired by the United States Department of War and designated as the United States Army Transport Ingalls. This transition marked her shift from commercial to military service. On December 23, 1910, the Department of War transferred Ingalls to the U.S. Navy, at which point she was renamed USS Yosemite. She was commissioned in reserve on November 11, 1911, at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia. Her commanding officer at commissioning was Ensign Alfred H. Miles, notably the lyricist of the Navy's "Anchors Aweigh" fight song. The USS Yosemite's naval service was brief, primarily serving as a tender to Submarine Division 3 of the Atlantic Torpedo Fleet, based out of Norfolk. Her role would have involved supporting submarine operations, though her active service was limited in duration. Yosemite was decommissioned on January 23, 1912, just a little over two months after her commissioning, indicating her short-lived role within the Navy. Her name was struck from the Navy list on March 1, 1912. Subsequently, she was sold to the Boston Iron and Metal Works on June 10, 1912, for scrapping purposes. In summary, the USS Yosemite was a vessel with a brief naval career, transitioning from a merchant steamer to a military tender. Her service highlights the early 20th-century naval practice of repurposing existing ships for auxiliary roles, serving a short but notable function in supporting submarine operations during the pre-World War I era.

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