The USS Zeal was a U.S. Navy patrol boat that served during World War I. Originally built in 1917 as a civilian yacht, it was acquired by the Navy in 1917 and commissioned as the USS Zeal. The ship was primarily used for patrol and escort duties in the waters off the East Coast of the United States during the war. After the war ended, the USS Zeal was decommissioned in 1919 and returned to its original owner. The ship's history after its return to civilian use is not well-documented. The USS Zeal represents the Navy's practice of requisitioning civilian vessels for military service during times of conflict, a common practice during World War I to quickly increase the size of the naval fleet.

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