USS Sable

For ships with a similar name, see USS Sablefish (SS-303).

USS Sable (IX-81) underway on Lake Michigan in 1944–45
History
United States
NameGreater Buffalo
OwnerDetroit and Cleveland Navigation Company
Port of registryDetroit
RouteBuffalo to Detroit
BuilderAmerican Ship Building Company, Lorain, Ohio
Cost$3,500,000.00
Way number00786
Launched27 October 1924
Maiden voyage13 May 1925
Identification
  • United States Official Number 223663
  • Code Letters WSBH (1934–42)
Nickname(s)"Majestic of the Great Lakes"
FateAcquired by the United States Navy on 7 August 1942.
United States
NameUSS Sable
NamesakeSable
Acquired7 August 1942
Commissioned8 May 1943
Decommissioned7 November 1945
Stricken28 November 1945
Identification
Honors and
awards
  • American Campaign Medal
  • World War II Victory Medal[1]
FateSold on 7 July 1948 for scrapping.
General characteristics
Tonnage7,739 GRT as Greater Buffalo
Displacement6,584 long tons (6,690 t) (as Sable)
Length
  • 518.7 ft (158.1 m) (as Greater Buffalo);
  • 535 ft (163.1 m) (as Sable)
Beam58 ft (17.7 m) (as Greater Buffalo and Sable)
Height21.3 ft (6.5 m) (as Greater Buffalo)
Decks7 (as Greater Buffalo)
Installed power
  • Inclined compound steam engine
  • Piston #1: 66 in (170 cm)
  • Piston #2: 96 in (240 cm)
  • Piston #3: 96 in (240 cm)
  • Stroke length: 108 in (270 cm)[2]
  • 9 boilers
  • 3 × 100 kW turbo generators for ship lighting and operation.[3]
Propulsion
  • Sidewheel
  • 32.75 ft (10.0 m) diameter
  • 11 floats (paddles) that were 14.833 ft (4.521 m) long and 5 ft (1.5 m) wide
  • 30 revolutions per minute[3]
Speed18 knots (33 km/h)[4]
Crew300 (as Greater Buffalo)
Notes2 × 6,000 lb (2,700 kg) anchors fore and 1 × 6,000 lb (2,700 kg) anchor aft (as Greater Buffalo)[3]

USS Sable (IX-81) was a United States Navy training ship during World War II,[5] originally built as the passenger ship Greater Buffalo, a sidewheel excursion steamboat. She was purchased by the Navy in 1942 and converted to a training aircraft carrier to be used on the Great Lakes. She lacked a hangar deck, elevators, or armament and was not a true warship, but she provided advanced training of naval aviators in carrier takeoffs and landings.

On her first day of service, 59 pilots became qualified within nine hours of operations, with each making eight takeoffs and landings. Pilot training was conducted seven days a week in all types of weather conditions.[6] George H. W. Bush, later president of the United States, was one of the aviators who trained on Sable.[5]

Sable was decommissioned on 7 November 1945. She was sold for scrapping on 7 July 1948 to the H. H. Buncher Company. She and her sister ship USS Wolverine – which together were used for the training of over 17,000 pilots, landing signal officers, and other navy personnel[7][8] – hold the distinction of being the only freshwater, coal-fired, side paddle-wheel aircraft carriers used by the United States Navy.[9][10]

  1. ^ a b "NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive USS Sable (IX-81)". www.navsource.org. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference mercy was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Somers was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Silverstone, Paul H (1965). US Warships of World War II. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-773-9.
  5. ^ a b "The Greater Buffalo & The U.S.S. Sable". WNY Heritage Press. 2005. Retrieved 25 July 2017.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "Carrier Qualification Training Great Lakes 1942–1945" (PDF). United States Navy.
  8. ^ "Heroes on Deck – Documentary on USS Sable & Wolverine". Warbirds News. 2 July 2016. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).